Learn the steps to rebuilding the trust whilst creating a brand new dynamic that future proofs the relationship.
When an affair is discovered, it has the ability to create the most volcanic reactions.
Infidelity has the power to shock the relationship into never being the same again ever. So if you want to save your relationship, then understanding your partner’s experience is going to be critical to helping them feel safe to trust again.
The person who discovers their partner has had an affair is shocked into their battle – it can create a personal trauma that the person has to deal with.
It’s like they become two versions of themselves. One part of them still loves their partner, and the other part is aggressively protecting themselves from their partner.
So they become confused and disoriented. No matter what they do, it doesn’t feel right; they want the pain to go, but everything is a trigger that leads to their partner’s affair.
This splitting of identity within the victim is the person’s protective pattern. This person needs to remember the affair so they don’t forget the danger. This is designed to protect themselves from their partner and remind their partner of the pain they have inflicted.
This pattern of self-protection gives them an addiction to the details of the affair, where they are compelled to want to know every detail.
Was sex better? Did you sleep in our bed? How many times have you had sex? Did you ever think of me? I want all the receipts, all the bank statements, phone bills, your phone…
The list goes on…
This person’s addictive protection process can go over and over the same information, asking the same questions, thinking they will feel better if they get all the answers.
Of course, the more detail the person gains, the deeper the pain goes as more triggers are born to keep the affair alive.
The affair creates such powerful emotions because it’s cast iron proof they are not loved, it’s proof that another is better than them, and these trigger the worst and deepest fears.
For some, an affair is so overwhelming that the relationship ends instantly. For others, they battle with the after-shock for years, never really recovering.
The total contrast is the person who has an affair and wants to keep their marriage, simply wants to get rid of the problem as fast as possible, so they can get back to how things were.
This person has to realise that philosophy has the potential to compound the problem.
As you can see, the couple now have a problem, one person wants to keep the affair alive for protection, and the other wants to get rid of it fast, almost pretending it never happened.
Many people have affairs and can’t believe what they have done, and some do have a conscious reason. One person described it like waking up holding a hot coal. During the affair, they can be disconnected to the consequences of their actions only woken up when they are connected with the very real possibility of loss.
It’s the handling of this process on both sides that is key to the survival of the couple.
You cannot bury an affair/infidelity and expect a loving, connected relationship. If you wrongly chose to shut the person up, this will only demonstrate that their pain is falling on deaf ears, which is more proof that you don’t care, or that their pain is now an irritation because they should have gotten over this by now.
If the wounds are not healed by both people the person can suffer silently never really being in the relationship. So the affair always sits in the back of this persons mind, so the relationships dies.
So a relationship/marriage that falls foul of an affair has three directions to go.
1. It can end
2. It can strangle the relationship year after year.
or
3. You can use the affair to create a brand new marriage.
Couples who learn how to use the affair/infidelity as a springboard into a new and far better relationship become stronger and more connected than ever before.
The irony for these couples is that the affair has shocked them into learning what it really takes to create a passionate and secure relationship. Many couples are missing this, which can create the problems that lead to affairs.
The process of rebuilding a relationship after an affair needs gentle steps that honour the individuals’ feelings and questions.
The steps help the couple deal with why the affair happened and provide a safe platform to help them reconnect with more knowledge and confidence than before.
The victim of the affair can learn the steps to rebuild their confidence and self-esteem, which an affair will have shattered.
In essence, the couple can learn how breakthrough the shock of the affair and how to permanently protect the relationship in the years to come.
- If you have had an affair and you want to save your marriage, or you are the victim of an affair and are not sure what to do, please click Affair Repair Program.
This link will take you to a page that will help you gain a deeper understanding of how Stephen Hedger has helped couples over two decades recover from the edge of divorce.
On this page, you can book a free call with him and speak with him alone or with your partner.
Affairs are solvable in terms of rebuilding trust and connection, but it must be done in a way that, in the end, makes trust the result of their connection.
Discover how to truly heal your marriage after infidelity. This proven approach helps couples rebuild trust, regain clarity, and affair-proof their relationship.
Harley Street Expert | Founder & High Performance Coach
With two decades of experience helping couples out of crisis, Stephen the founder of The Marriage Breakthrough Program, uses his proven system for rescuing and rebuilding relationships on the edge of divorce. A trusted advisor to CEOs, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders globally, his work blends emotional intelligence with strategic clarity. Known for navigating highly complex relationship challenges, Stephen helps individuals and couples find clarity and direction when everything is at stake.
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