Broken Vows: How Couples Therapy Can Help Your Marriage Survive An Affair

Experiencing infidelity in a marriage can be devasting but it does not always mean the marriage will end in divorce. Many couples have survived an affair, but it requires both couples to commit to working on the marriage relationship. Couples therapy can be helpful when you are trying to repair a marriage relationship where infidelity has occurred.

Making a commitment  

The first step partners need to determine is if they want to save their marriage. Recovering from infidelity is difficult, takes time, and requires a lot of patience. For couples therapy to be successful, both couples must be on board and need to make an honest effort to save the marriage.

Learning what went wrong

It is important to determine the cause of an affair. Healthy marriages usually do not end with one partner getting involved in a new relationship for no reason. Understanding where the marriage relationship began to break down is important for rebuilding the bond between couples and going through the healing process.

Honesty matters

One of the most important stages in recovering from an affair is being honest about everything. Anything hidden must be laid bare at the beginning of the couple's therapy. Finding out later that your spouse was not totally open about the extent of an affair or how long it has been going on can be devastating to the recovery process.

Getting everything out in the open is not easy and can lead to more anger and frustration from the betrayed spouse. However, it is vital not to have any secrets, as things hidden may come to light later and break the trust you have worked hard to rebuild.

Develop better communication skills

Communication breakdown is common after an affair, as resentment can be strong, and conversations may result in outbursts of anger. Learning to communicate well and express your feelings without getting angry is an important skill you will work on when attending couples therapy. The partner who was betrayed needs to feel heard and understood for healing to take place.

Rebuilding trust

There is no magic solution for learning to trust again. Trust will not happen overnight but will occur through a continued commitment to the marriage relationship over the course of time. Trust is rebuilt when spouses remain faithful, attentive, and committed to working on their marriage.

Working through the aftermath of an affair is never easy but couples therapy can be useful in helping you restore your relationship. Rebuilding trust takes time and requires a lot of patience and hard work. Through going to therapy together, you will learn techniques to help you navigate the journey through marriage restoration.

To find out more, contact a company like Next Chapter Individual, Couple, & Family Therapy.


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