Affair Recovery 101. You might not know this, but affair recovery isn’t just saying, “Honey, I swear I’ll never do it again.” Or “I’ll do whatever it takes to make this up to you.” Then do nothing behaviorally afterward where you demonstrate an adjustment that backs up that statement. As a Marriage Counselor and Affair Recovery Specialist, whether it be the male or female I hear those two statements each and every time a couple enters into the process.
Affair Recovery 101
Affair Recovery 101. What Affair Recovery is not about for the Affair Partner, (the person who had the affair) is making excuses why they stepped out of their primary relationship. Blaming the Hurt Partner because they lacked whatever the Affair Partner needed is not helpful in moving forward. Nor is the Hurt Partner to place all the blame on the Affair Partner as each partner needs to take ownership of their part in this problem. Affairs are typically symptoms of other problems in the relationship. There are many reasons why people cheat and engage in affairs. What is essential to Affair Recovery is both the Affair Partner and the Hurt Partner taking responsibility for their behavior in the demise of their relationship. A collaborative approach by both partners is needed in ownership of the relationship.
Recovering from infidelity involves the willingness of unfaithful partners to demonstrate sincere regret and remorse. Just talking about making changes while actually not following through implementing the acquired tools can’t get you there. Talking to friends and relatives can be detrimental to the process and can even make things worse because if a reconciliation is to occur your circle of people has privy to information that may affect their objectivity with your newly developed relationship.
As a Marriage Counselor and Affair Recovery Specialist, there are three types of outcomes a couple can receive through the Affair Recovery process.
1. They can relive their trauma and bitterness over and over again never recovering only to continue torturing each other. Hoping to get better while never acquiring tools to do just that.
2. Revert to the status of life before the affair. Where both are either lonely, angry, shutdown, disconnected, etc. and either continue to think about cheating, live a life of deprivation of emotional and physical connection, or secretly continuing to cheat.
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3. Have the affair become a transformational experience and catalyst for renewal and change for moving forward and develop a new relationship where both can receive what is needed and wanted to feel happy and content.
The single best indicator of whether a relationship can survive infidelity is how much empathy the Affair Partner shows for the pain they have caused the Hurt Partner. Affair recovery is possible with the gradual rebuilding of trust through actions, not promises, and allowing time to heal by being patient. With acquiring the appropriate tools and implementing a learned process there is good prognosis for Affair Recovery
For additional information please contact me at (858) 735-1139 or go to my website: www.couplescounselorsandiego.com
