Patrick Dempsey’s Short Separation From Wife Jillian 'Forced Him to Take a Step Back' From Work: 'They’re in a Good Place'

On July 31, Patrick Dempsey took to Instagram to mark his and wife Jillian Fink's 24th anniversary, posting a hiking photo of them alongside the caption, "What an amazing path we have been on."

However, that path has also been filled with quite a few bumps, including a separation in 2015.

According to an insider, when Fink filed for divorce, the dad-of-three was super-focused on his career, which not only included his successful run on Grey's Anatomy, but his passion for car-racing as well.

"The split forced him to take a step back," the insider told a magazine. "Patrick was a bit of a free spirit, and his need for speed freaked Jillian out. He quit the show and cut back on racing."

Shifting priorities helped immensely, as within the same year, the couple decided to try and work out their issues. Nearly two years after the hairstylist filed the paperwork, they officially called off their divorce — and it's been smooth sailing ever since.

Dempsey didn't seem resentful over putting his career on the back-burner, sharing of the situation in an interview several years ago, "You have to work at everything. And you cannot do everything. Something has to be sacrificed."

"Getting quality time together in a relationship — especially with three children, everyone is running around trying to get them to sporting events or school activities, getting them prepped for college or all that — couples have to figure [out how] to get date nights," he pointed out in a separate interview. "That is what it is about."

"We are growing together as a couple, individually, and as a family," he continued. "The older you get, the more you realize how little time you have, and [how] you want to make the most of it."

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The valuable lessons learned are something the pair keeps in the back of their minds as they navigate the future.

"They are committed to never letting it break down again," the insider said. "They’re in a good place and they’re happy."

Star reported on how Dempsey saved his marriage.