

{"id":17319,"date":"2017-09-07T12:44:22","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T12:44:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=17319"},"modified":"2023-06-06T06:13:36","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T06:13:36","slug":"couples-therapy-after-infidelity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/couples-therapy-after-infidelity\/","title":{"rendered":"Recovering From an Affair: Couples Therapy After Infidelity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-17320 size-full\" title=\"Couples Therapy After Infidelity\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Couples-Therapy-After-Infidelity.jpg\" alt=\"Couples Therapy After Infidelity\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfaithfulness in a marriage is damaging to the relationship, and more often than not, therapy is required to end the lingering emotional and psychological damage. Sadly enough, infidelity is one of the main<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/divorce\/10-most-common-reasons-for-divorce\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reasons for divorce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> nowadays. The faithful, non-cheating partner can, of course, have a hard time<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/5-tips-for-restoring-trust-after-infidelity\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> trusting their cheating partner.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, you two do not have to do it on your own. Couples therapy after infidelity can be hugely beneficial.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-is-couples-therapy\"><\/span><b>What is couples therapy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having to deal with the debris and aftermath of an affair is hard. You and your spouse should not have to try and deal with it alone. But, your most trusted partner in the world has just betrayed you, so who can you go to for help?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples therapy after cheating offers a solution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both the non-cheating and the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/infidelity\/does-marriage-counseling-work-after-infidelity\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cheating partner can benefit from this therapy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In most cases, the non-cheating partner will &lsquo;play&rsquo; the victim, and of course, he or she is a victim. But don&rsquo;t forget that also the cheating partner is a victim here. Else he or she would not have committed such an act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples therapy gives both of you <strong>a way to cope with the event and to express your feelings<\/strong> about the affair openly. Couples therapy is not meant to be used for justification: what has been done.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who-can-benefit-from-couples-therapy\"><\/span><b>Who can benefit from couples therapy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/9-ways-to-manage-the-ups-and-downs-in-your-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every relationship has ups and downs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Unfortunately, many couples wait too long before opting for couples therapy after infidelity and seeing a couple therapist. By then, the damage is already done.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Couples therapy is for anyone serious about his or her relationshi<\/strong>p and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.raq.org.au\/article\/what-makes-good-relationship\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">looking to improve it<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Some people are ashamed to see a therapist. But if you have psychological problems that need to be solved, should you not see a therapist? So why not when it&rsquo;s not only for yourself but also for your spouse?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the reasons why couples are not eager to start with couples therapy is that one of the two is unwilling to cooperate. This reinforces the belief that there is indeed a victim and a perpetrator, and that one is right and the other is wrong. As such, marriage counseling for infidelity is only for couples who want to&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Invest their time and energy into<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/improve-and-enrich-your-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> improving their relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resolve matters in a healthy way<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn to be expressive without being resentful<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a deeper understanding of partner and self<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the&nbsp;&nbsp;process of couples therapy after infidelity, the infidelity therapist usually understands the needs of the couple after the initial interview and then, drafts the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clear goals of the therapy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus area of the relationship for the couple<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treating the relationship, and not the individuals in the relationship<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A solution based on the resultant changed behaviour post therapy<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-questions-that-need-to-be-answered\"><\/span><b>The questions that need to be answered<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What went wrong in the first place?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This might seem like an open door. But it truly is one of the vital questions that need to be answered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also one of the hardest questions to answer, as both partners have a different notion of what went wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples therapy after infidelity can help explore this question and delve deep into the emotions that caused the affair to happen in the first place. This creates an opportunity for both the partners to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.loveisrespect.org\/everyone-deserves-a-healthy-relationship\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">express themselves<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and their opinion. There is nothing right or wrong here. <strong>Both partners need to get an honest chance to tell their side of the story.<\/strong> The infidelity therapist will help with this process of infidelity therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Repairing-your-relationship-and-saving-your-marriage\"><\/span><b>Repairing your relationship and saving your marriage<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the initial phase of discovery of infidelity and deciding whether or not you want to stay together follows the period of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> repairing your relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. During this phase, a couples&rsquo; therapist can be beneficial in dealing with the damage done and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/save-your-marriage\/saving-your-marriage-before-it-starts\/\">saving your marriage<\/a> with a sequential couples therapy after infidelity designed specifically for every couple.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For you two to heal from the events, it is required that you u<strong>nderstand the underlying motivation of the affair<\/strong> and to start working &ndash; both of you &ndash; on the things that led to the event.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cheating partner can find it very difficult to understand why he or she cheated in the first place. And if they know, they might not want to share this information for fear of hurting their spouse further.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The opposite is true: by not identifying the real issues at hand, things are likely to get worse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides, by going for couples counseling after infidelity, the non-cheating partner can regain a sense of control. It helps to fix the problem together. <strong>This can be a first step towards building reassurance and trust in your relationship.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recovering-from-an-affair-and-rebuilding-trust\"><\/span><b>Recovering from an affair and rebuilding trust<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having to deal with the aftermath of infidelity is tough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Determination and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/forgiveness\/forgiveness-in-relationships\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> forgiveness are essential if you and your partner want to continue with your relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You should not underestimate both the psychological as well as the emotional damage that has been done. Trust has been destroyed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You cannot quickly fix trust.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It takes hard work and effort from both of you to recover from an affair.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news is that <strong>many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/separation\/separation-can-help-couples-recover-from-infidelity\/\">couples have been able to recover fully from infidelity<\/a><\/strong> and have developed an even stronger relationship, with more intimacy and connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To fully recover, some factors determine the outcome:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quality of the relationship before the affair.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/tips-to-maintain-commitment-in-your-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The commitment of partners<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to make the relationship work again.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communication skills.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effective therapy and\/or marriage counseling after infidelity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can a relationship be successful after there&rsquo;s been cheating? Coach Natalie gives a real-life example to shed light on how efforts in the right direction can help save relationships. Take a look:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zHA5cL05AtU\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">&#65279;<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By choosing couples therapy after infidelity and working with a licensed couples therapist, you can recover from the pain, resolve the underlying issues, and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/save-your-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> save your marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unfaithfulness in a marriage is damaging to the relationship, and more often than not, therapy is required to end the lingering emotional and psychological damage. Sadly enough, infidelity is one of the main reasons for divorce nowadays. The faithful, non-cheating partner can, of course, have a hard time trusting their cheating partner. Luckily, you two do not have to do it on your own. Couples therapy after infidelity can be hugely beneficial. What is couples therapy? Having to deal with the debris and aftermath of an affair is hard. You and your spouse should not have to try and deal <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":17320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[23],"tags":[2693],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17319"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/675"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17319"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17319\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86655,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17319\/revisions\/86655"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}