Struggling in your marriage can feel overwhelming. You might even be wondering if divorce is the only option. The truth is, many couples can heal emotional distance, restore intimacy, improve communication, or recover from infidelity with the right support. Before you give up, let’s explore the proven steps that can bring love and safety back into your relationship. You could divorce, but you could also try these things first!
Sometimes infidelity isn’t about secret desires or hidden identities — it’s about unresolved trauma. Sexual abuse, especially in childhood or adolescence, can shape adult sexual patterns in confusing and painful ways, even leading to “out-of-character” affairs. Understanding this connection doesn’t excuse the betrayal, but it can help you see the full picture and decide what’s best for your healing.
After infidelity, it’s natural to feel desperate for every detail, even the most intimate ones. Many betrayed partners believe that knowing everything will bring closure, but sexual specifics often make healing harder. These details can fuel intrusive thoughts, intensify trauma, and keep the affair alive in your mind. Learn why protecting yourself from the explicit details may be one of the most important steps toward recovery.

Dr. Kathy Nickerson
Dr. Kathy is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, and nationally recognized relationship expert who has helped thousands of couples. Over the past 20 years, Kathy has presented marriage and relationship advice at more than 70 conferences, while authoring more than 85 professional articles and books, with coverage in Good Housekeeping, Reader's Digest, CNBC, Bustle, Medium, UpJourney, Fatherly, The Zoe Report, CNN, Forbes, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, LA Times, Newsweek and many more.