Specialization
Infidelity & Affair Recovery
Structured, evidence-based therapy for betrayal trauma and trust repair
Why Specialized Help Matters
Most couples therapists never received infidelity-specific training. The result: sessions that treat the affair as a "communication problem," push both partners toward premature forgiveness, or assign equal blame for the betrayal. Research shows this approach frequently makes things worse.
Infidelity is an attachment injury. The betrayed partner's symptoms (intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, emotional flooding) are trauma responses, not character flaws. The unfaithful partner's path forward requires specific accountability structures, not vague remorse. A therapist who understands this distinction produces significantly better outcomes.
This practice offers individual and couples therapy grounded in the Gottman Trust Revival Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy's Attachment Injury Resolution Model, and the betrayal trauma research of Steffens, Freyd, and Spring.
How Support Is Structured
Free Resources
A library of clinical-depth articles on betrayal trauma, affair recovery, trust rebuilding, and the questions people actually ask after infidelity. Plus a downloadable trust rebuilding framework grounded in the Gottman and EFT research.
Start here if you want to understand what you're dealing with before making any decisions about therapy.
Get the free trust rebuilding guide →Individual Therapy
For the betrayed partner: Processing betrayal trauma, managing intrusive thoughts and hypervigilance, rebuilding trust in your own judgment, and deciding what you want for your future. Grounded in trauma-informed care, not the outdated codependency model.
For the unfaithful partner: Understanding the full impact of your choices, building genuine accountability (not performative remorse), developing transparency skills, and learning to tolerate your partner's pain without becoming defensive. This work is essential whether the relationship continues or not.
Schedule a consultation →Affair Recovery Therapy
Couples therapy following the Gottman Trust Revival Method (Atone, Attune, Attach) and EFT attachment injury resolution. This is not general couples therapy with an affair discussed as one topic among many. It is a structured protocol designed specifically for post-infidelity recovery.
Couples therapy is most effective after both partners have some individual stabilization. The typical timeline for substantial recovery is 18 to 24 months. Research shows 70 to 75 percent of couples move from clinical distress to recovery with specialized treatment.
Schedule a consultation →Who This Is For
This specialization serves people who:
- Recently discovered a partner's affair and are overwhelmed by their emotional and physical response
- Are the person who had the affair and want concrete guidance on what to do now
- Have been trying to recover on their own or with a general therapist and aren't making progress
- Need to decide whether to stay or leave and want professional support for that decision
- Are experiencing betrayal trauma symptoms (intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, panic, numbness) and want someone who understands this is a trauma response
You don't need to have made a decision about your relationship before starting therapy. Discernment counseling can help you make that decision with clarity rather than reactivity.
Getting Started
Start with the free resources if you want to understand infidelity recovery before committing to therapy. The trust rebuilding guide and blog articles provide clinical-depth information at no cost.
If you're ready for professional support, a consultation helps determine whether individual therapy, couples therapy, or both is the right starting point. There's no pressure and no obligation.
Insurance & Fees
Individual and couples sessions are $150 per session. I accept Highmark, UPMC, and VCAP insurance in Pennsylvania. For other plans, I provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is affair recovery therapy?
Specialized therapy following structured, evidence-based protocols (Gottman Trust Revival, EFT Attachment Injury Resolution) designed specifically for post-infidelity recovery. Unlike general couples therapy, it addresses betrayal trauma, accountability, disclosure, and phased trust repair.
Do both partners need therapy?
Both benefit from support, but they often need different things. The betrayed partner needs trauma processing. The unfaithful partner needs accountability work. Couples therapy addresses the relationship and is most effective after some individual stabilization.
How long does it take?
Clinical research points to 18 to 24 months for substantial recovery. The acute crisis lasts 1 to 6 months. Full trust restoration often takes 2 to 5 years. Specialized therapy significantly shortens these timelines compared to going it alone.
Is this different from regular couples therapy?
Yes. General couples therapy treats the affair as one issue among many. Affair recovery therapy recognizes infidelity as an attachment injury requiring a structured, phased protocol. Research shows specialized treatment produces significantly better outcomes.