Have you ever heard Hank Williams’ famous song about adultery, “Your Cheatin’ Heart?” This song expresses the pain many people experience after infidelity in a way that only a shaky, twangy voice could.
“Your cheatin’ heart will pine some day
And crave the love you threw away
The time will come when you’ll be blue
Your cheatin’ heart will tell you on you…”
A cheating heart. Infidelity. Adultery. An affair. Whatever term people use, it represents the same reality: cheating devastates relationships. When someone discloses or discovers an affair, it can ignite trauma and chaos within a couple, family, and possibly even community. Many people seek out help from a therapist as they navigate infidelity and heal, whether healing means reconciliation or separation.
The counselors at Thriveworks Columbia Adultery Therapy understand the pain, trauma, and confusion adultery produces in a relationship. They’ve helped many people find a path toward healing. (803) 477-3736
Can Marriage Counseling Help Infidelity?
In theory, infidelity is an uncomplicated idea: someone breaks the rules of a relationship. It’s why people also call it cheating. The relationship can be a marriage or a committed relationship in which “fidelity” – or faithfulness – was expected.
Unfortunately, reality is always more complicated than theory. There are infinite ways that a person can commit adultery. Infidelity can be an emotional affair that is kept secret and hinders a couple’s ability to connect. Infidelity can involve a sex addiction wherein a person solicits sex, has one-night stands, and more. Infidelity can also be a long-term, committed relationship in addition to a person’s primary or marriage relationship.
Regardless of what form the adultery takes, there are always constants. Infidelity always …
- Breaks trust
- Keeps secrets
- Tells lies
- Causes relational harm
Many spouses describe the relational harm from an affair as traumatic. When someone who is supposed to be trustworthy, loving, and kind betrays the relationship, the wound is especially painful.
Symptoms of adultery include:
- Post-traumatic stress symptoms
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Difficulty maintaining focus
- Insomnia
- Physical pain
- Vivid dreams
- Flashbacks
- Feelings of being unsafe
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Difficulty trusting anyone
- Self-blame
- Thoughts of suicide
If a couple has children, those children will feel the effects of instability in their family. Even if the children are too young to know about the affair, they can understand that something is wrong. If children know about the affair, they may resent the parent who cheated. Children may also internalize the family’s chaos and blame themselves.
Why Pursue Infidelity Therapy?
The wounds of infidelity are deep, but healing is possible, even if repairing the marriage is not. There are no magic formulas, but working with a counselor to recover after an affair is an important step for many people.
Skilled therapists have equipped many people with the skills they need to recover from infidelity. Through counseling, therapists may facilitate …
Better Communication
In Infidelity’s wake, communication often comes to a standstill. Couples may avoid talking about hard things or about anything at all. Couples may try to communicate, but it quickly escalates into a shouting match. An infidelity therapist can facilitate healthier communication so couples can make better decisions, about their future.
Establishing Relational Expectations
When an affair is disclosed or discovered, the trauma can overwhelm people. Life might go into survival mode, and that’s ok for a while. A skilled adultery counselor can guide clients toward thinking and dreaming again. When they are ready, a couple may need to make important decision about their future and set new relational expectations. Counseling can guide that process.
Rebuilding Trust
Even if a couple separates, they may still be in each other’s lives to some degree, especially if they have children. If couples decide to reconcile, finding ways to rebuild trust may be one of the most important steps they take. Therapy can guide couples through how to rebuild the trust that was lost in betrayal.
Counseling for Adultery Can Help!
Are you trying to survive from infidelity and betrayal? Are you ready to heal from the trauma of infidelity? Wouldn’t it help to have support and guidance on this journey? Thriveworks Adultery Counseling Columbia, SC can help. (803) 477-3736
If you are dealing with adultery, you don’t have to go through this alone. Our trained and licensed adultery counselors can offer the support you need to heal from this devastating experience. We offer appointments in a discrete and private setting. Infidelity therapists are available when you are – day, evening, and weekend appointment times. We have no waitlist for adultery therapy in Columbia – you can often get an appointment in 24 hours. Plus, we accept most major insurance plans to make counseling for infidelity more affordable.
If you’ve experience infidelity in your marriage or relationship, don’t wait another day to start your journey for hope and healing. Call Thriveworks Columbia Adultery Counseling today! (803) 477-3736
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