How couples therapy can help heal infidelity and betrayal

Infidelity and betrayal can deeply shake a couple’s trust, leaving both partners feeling overwhelmed, hurt, and unsure of how to move forward. The Gottman Method offers a structured path to healing by focusing on rebuilding trust, processing emotions, and restoring the friendship at the core of the relationship. Rather than glossing over the pain, this approach helps couples move through the stages of recovery: atonement, attunement, and attachment. Each stage provides space for the betrayed partner’s feelings to be fully acknowledged while guiding both partners toward rebuilding safety and connection.

In the Gottman framework, healing begins with creating an environment where open and honest dialogue is possible. The partner who broke trust is encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and express empathy for the pain caused, while the hurt partner is supported in sharing their experience without fear of dismissal or defensiveness. Through this process, couples learn to recognize and interrupt negative cycles of blame, withdrawal, or escalation, and instead practice skills that foster mutual understanding and emotional responsiveness.

Over time, couples begin to strengthen the foundation of their relationship by reestablishing rituals of connection, deepening appreciation, and developing shared meaning. The Gottman Method emphasizes that recovery from betrayal is not only about repairing what was broken, but about building something stronger than before. With commitment, guidance, and practice, couples can transform the experience of infidelity into an opportunity for growth—emerging with a renewed sense of trust, closeness, and resilience.