What to Expect in Couples Therapy After Infidelity

Infidelity therapy isn’t a quick fix—but it can be a deeply healing process. When trust is broken, the relationship as you knew it changes. There’s often a wave of heartbreak, anger, grief, confusion, and fear—especially for the partner who was betrayed.

You might be wondering:

• “How could this happen?”

• “Was any of it real?”

• “Can I ever trust them again—or myself?”

At the same time, the partner who stepped outside the relationship may also be hurting—navigating guilt, regret, and fear of losing what they still value.

We’re not here to take sides. We’re here to help both of you find your footing again—whether that’s rebuilding together or parting ways with honesty and care.

Here’s what we’ll do in therapy: 

• Create a space where the betrayed partner feels heard and validated, and where the full impact of the breach can be acknowledged, with compassion but without minimizing the pain

• Explore how and why the relationship became vulnerable, without placing blame on one person

• Teach you to communicate in ways that foster safety, clarity, and emotional connection—especially when things feel hard or heated

• Grieve the relationship that was lost, and begin imagining what healing could look like

• Rebuild trust at a pace that feels right, if staying together is the shared goal

• Decide, together and with guidance, whether repair is possible or a respectful separation is the next step

• If relevant, work through the impact on your sexual connection, with therapists trained in sex therapy

You don’t need to know what the outcome will be. You just need a safe place to begin.
We’ll be with you every step of the way.

Our Approach to Healing After Infidelity

Infidelity is one of the most painful stressors a relationship can face. It shakes the foundation of trust, safety, and connection—and the impact isn’t just emotional, it can be physical, psychological, and deeply spiritual.

At New Moon Psychotherapy, we work with couples facing this pain every day. Whether the discovery was recent or long ago, you’re not alone—and it is possible to move forward with more clarity, strength, and connection than before.

Betrayal Trauma is Real

For many people, infidelity creates more than just emotional hurt—it can lead to betrayal trauma, a specific kind of trauma that impacts your nervous system, sense of identity, and ability to feel safe in close relationships.

The betrayed partner may feel like their entire world has been flipped upside down. And the partner who strayed may be wrestling with guilt, regret, and fear of loss.

We don’t minimize this pain, and we don’t assign simple blame. Our goal is to understand what happened, support your healing, and help you figure out what comes next—together.

Individual Support Matters, Too

Infidelity shakes each partner differently. While couples therapy provides a space to work on the relationship, individual therapy can be essential—especially when the emotional impact feels overwhelming.

You may benefit from individual support if you are:

• Struggling to trust again (or to trust yourself)

• Feeling anxious, numb, or dysregulated

• Processing deep guilt or confusion about your choices

• Unsure whether you want to stay or leave

• Needing space to explore your feelings without protecting your partner

At New Moon, we offer both individual and couples therapy and can help you build a care team that supports all aspects of your healing.

Moving at Your Pace, Together or Apart

Whether you’re hoping to rebuild the relationship or are unsure where to go from here, we’ll meet you where you are. Together, we’ll work toward:

• Creating emotional safety and mutual understanding

• Exploring the deeper dynamics that led to the rupture

• Grieving what’s been lost and tending to the wounds

• Learning how to communicate with honesty and care

• Slowly rebuilding trust—if and when you’re ready

• Exploring your sexual connection with support from therapists trained in sex therapy

• Navigating a respectful and supported separation, if that’s what you choose

Healing doesn’t happen overnight—but we’ll be here for every step of it.