Can our relationship survive an affair?
That is the most common question couples have after the discovery of an affair.
The answer is…YES!
But it’s not easy, it requires a lot of patience, commitment, and hard work to do what it takes to repair your relationship. Depending on the circumstances, an affair can be quite traumatic for the betrayed partner and the relationship, like a sudden death, leading to quite similar experiences of fear, panic, confusion, anger, and grief.
It is very important to understand what kind of impact an affair can have on your partner, your relationship, and yourself.
Can I survive my partner’s affair, even if my relationship doesn’t?
This is probably the next most common question when one is really struggling to recover from the trauma of feeling so violated, betrayed, and powerless.
Again, the answer is yes, you will survive. But you have suffered a great loss that may bring with it a lot of grief and mourning. Even if your relationship survives, you have lost a sense of security, your trust in your partner, and the relationship you thought you had. Whether you decide to stay in this relationship or not, you will need a lot of support from people you trust.
Book Recommendation: A great book for couples to read who are trying to recover from an affair is: Not “Just Friends” by Shirley Glass.