Do you think your partner would forgive you if you cheated on them and were caught? Could you salvage your relationship, and at what cost?
According to marriage and family therapists, rebuilding trust takes time and consistent behaviour that proves the betrayer is worth trusting again. The betrayer must convince the betrayed partner that he/she is sorry for the affair and that it won’t happen again if the relationship is to survive.
The first step is to make a clean break from the affair partner, agreeing not to spend time with that person. The betrayer must also accept responsibility for the cheating, and demonstrate accountability and honesty to show that the affair is over.
Ways to do that include letting the betrayed partner know when the affair partner makes contact, deciding together how to respond to contact, and keeping promises made.
Finally, the betraying partner must recommit to the relationship and meet the needs of his partner on a daily basis through affection, attention and appreciation. If you can’t work through the problems in the relationship as a couple, seek professional help. An objective listener with professional relationship skills can help many couples begin rebuilding.
Approximately 50 per cent of couples who seek professional help do so because of infidelity, and many rebuild the relationship…
