Infidelity Therapy
Is Your Relationship Struggling To Recover From An Affair?
Do you wonder if you’ll ever be able to trust your partner again?
Are you dealing with feelings of anger, betrayal, sadness, and grief?
Has the affair led you to question your self-worth and wonder if you’re good enough?
Maybe you find yourself endlessly replaying the betrayal in your head. Each night, perhaps you’re flooded with intrusive thoughts about what happened and worried that the past will repeat itself. The affair has probably made you hyper-vigilant about your partner’s behavior—you’re constantly checking their phone or asking them where they’re going before they leave the house. Yet the more you seek reassurance, the more they pull away and the wider the disconnection in your relationship grows. As a result, maybe you’re thinking it’s time to see an infidelity therapist.
In The Aftermath Of An Affair, It’s Easy To Struggle With Self-Blame And Self-Loathing
It’s normal to blame yourself for your partner’s disloyalty. Questions like “Am I beautiful enough?” and “What does the other person have that I don’t?” have probably run through your mind a million times. You might go overboard trying to please your partner, doing everything you can to make them satisfied.
On the other hand, maybe you’re the one who broke the trust—and now you’re looking to get it back. Overwhelmed with sadness and regret, you’re probably anxious about the future of your relationship and worried that your partner will never forgive you. Whether you’re looking to win back your partner’s trust or you’re the one who was betrayed, you don’t have to navigate the emotional aftermath of the affair alone. At Emotional Wellness, our therapists are here to help you process the trauma of betrayal and heal from infidelity. We provide both couples counseling and individual therapy for anyone who wants support after an affair.
Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder Is A Very Real Thing
Most people don’t generally view affairs as a form of trauma, but they are. Therapists even have a term for trauma in the wake of an affair: Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder (PISD). Being cheated on can lead to severe emotional distress, putting your brain on high alert and activating your body’s stress responses the same way other traumatic events can. In today’s world, there are many gender norms and cultural factors that can exacerbate betrayal trauma.
Women often internalize infidelity, questioning their self-worth and worrying that they’re not beautiful enough. On top of that, social media makes it harder to escape reminders of the affair—all while making it easier to form secret connections in the first place. Many couples are also reluctant to have open conversations about betrayal and healing, which is why it’s so important to talk to a professional when trust has been broken.
Couples Often Face Pressure To Make All-Or-Nothing Decisions After Infidelity
People are often quick to say they’d never stay with a cheating partner. This creates a culture of shame around those who do stay and puts pressure on them to end their relationships. In general, people are expected to leave or forgive quickly when they’ve been cheated on. Our culture doesn’t encourage people to hold space for all the complex emotions involved in the wake of an affair. Yet there is wisdom in learning to sit with your emotions and avoiding making impulsive choices.
In therapy, you have a chance to feel all your feelings, understand what they’re telling you, and create a path that honors your unique goals and desires for your relationship.
Healing From Infidelity Is Possible Through The Power Of Therapy
It’s normal to feel lost and uncertain in the aftermath of an affair. But with time, patience, and a strong support system, it’s possible to move forward—whether that means restoring trust in your relationship or finding the courage to let go.
At Emotional Wellness, our counselors can help you rebuild your sense of self-worth, work through the trauma of infidelity, and regain emotional stability. Recovery is a dynamic process that can involve individual counseling, couples counseling, or a combination of the two.
We’ll help you work on communication skills and boundary-setting strategies so that you can rebuild trust and emotional safety. We’ll also help you explore the emotional impact of the betrayal and work through feelings of anger, grief, shame, and loss. This way, you will gain the confidence and empowerment to choose what’s best for you and your relationship.
What To Expect In Affair Recovery Counseling Sessions
We take a trauma-informed approach to infidelity therapy. Together, we’ll examine how the breach of trust has affected your sense of self and consider how it may have triggered old wounds related to childhood traumas like abandonment or rejection. We’ll work on processing these experiences, challenging negative core beliefs, and empowering you to increase your emotional resilience.
To help you do so, our counselors will draw from a wide range of healing methods. Some of our approaches are geared toward couples working through infidelity, while others are better suited for individual therapy:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)—We’ll use EMDR therapy to help you process the impact of betrayal, reduce emotional triggers, and address early attachment wounds.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)—This form of therapy can help you get in touch with the parts of your personality that have come to feel abandoned or unlovable because of infidelity.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)—Through the use of DBT skills, you can learn to navigate the emotional complexities of infidelity and sit with uncomfortable emotions without feeling distressed.
The Gottman Method—This approach is useful for couples who want to identify the strengths and weaknesses in their marriage and understand the behaviors that turn them away from each other.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)—At its core, EFT is all about teaching couples to communicate their emotional needs instead of focusing on the other person’s faults.
Ultimately, whether you choose to attend sessions by yourself or with your partner, the process of affair recovery can have lasting benefits on your life and your relationship. We know that this is an emotionally turbulent time, but between your commitment and our guidance, we believe that you can recover from infidelity and increase your sense of empowerment along the way.
You May Have Some Questions About Infidelity Counseling…
What if my partner doesn’t want to come with me?
While it’s often ideal for both partners to work through infidelity in therapy, we understand if your significant other is reluctant to come with you. Therapy is a space for you to focus on your own healing and growth, regardless of whether your spouse is ready to join. By processing your emotions, gaining clarity, and learning new coping skills, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the complexities of the situation.
Will you tell me to leave my relationship?
No, we won’t. This is about helping you follow your own internal guidance and giving you the skills and insight to make that choice for yourself. Whether you choose to stay in your relationship or end it, we will respect your decision and support you wholeheartedly as you work toward your goals.
Won’t talking about the problem make things worse?
As a practice, we understand the reality of PISD and know how distressing it is to recall the moment of betrayal. The good news is that approaches like EMDR are effective at helping clients reduce the emotional charge of infidelity without needing to talk it through on an in-depth level. What’s more, we will always go at a pace that’s comfortable for you, ensuring that we never stray outside of your comfort zone.
You Don’t Have To Navigate Infidelity Alone
If your relationship was shaken by infidelity and you want to get started on the path to recovery, we encourage you to pursue therapy with us. Use the contact form or call us at 347-916-9596 to begin your journey today.
