Infidelity and Betrayal Therapy in Sorrento Valley | San Diego, CA
Specialized support for Couples…
Even after deep hurt, connection can be restored with openness, courage and care.
Preeti Presswala-Shah, LMFT
Are you wondering if your love can survive betrayal?
When infidelity or betrayal happens, it can feel as if the ground has disappeared beneath you. The world you once trusted no longer feels solid, and the person who felt safest now feels uncertain and far away. You have lost trust and you feel gaslit. You may replay moments, searching for signs you missed, trying to make sense of what has shattered your sense of security. The shock, anger, and grief can leave you feeling lost, questioning what was real, and wondering if you’ll ever feel safe again. You’re looking for answers…
trying to understand what happened,
why it happened, and
what it means for the future of your relationship.
Betrayal isn’t limited to stepping outside the relationship physically.
Some other forms of broken trust can feel just as devastating as an Affair:
Physical Affair: Sexual or physical intimacy with someone outside the committed relationship. This can include kissing, sexual touching, or intercourse, anything that crosses the boundaries you and your partner expected would remain within your relationship.
Emotional Affair: The emotional intimacy has shifted outside the primary relationship.
Cyber affairs: An inappropriate relationship that takes place exclusively online.
Addiction: Prioritizing a substance (like drugs or alcohol) or a behavioral addiction (like gambling) over the relationship and hiding it.
Financial infidelity: Hiding debts, making large financial decisions without a partner's knowledge, or keeping financial information secret.
Emotional Withdrawal: This involves a lack of emotional presence, empathy, or effort in the relationship.
Deceit: When things are hidden, messages, feelings, choices, interactions, it creates a sense of emotional danger. It makes you question what is real in your relationship. Even “small lies” can leave you feeling blindsided or foolish, and that emotional hurt mirrors the impact of an affair.
how i can help
Therapy can help you move from shattered trust to being stronger together.
You will start to make sense of what happened and begin to heal. Whether that means rebuilding trust, commitment, and intimacy, or, in some cases, choosing to part ways with clarity and respect.
How does Therapy Support Healing After Betrayal?
In therapy, we use the Gottman Trust Revival Method. A structured, research-based roadmap for healing after infidelity. This approach helps couples move from crisis to clarity, guiding both partners through accountability, understanding, and reconnection.
The Trust Revival Method unfolds in three phases: Atonement, Attunement, and Attachment.
In the first phase, Atonement, the partner who was unfaithful takes full responsibility for their actions, expressing genuine remorse, and practices complete transparency. This step begins the slow process of building emotional safety.
During Attunement, the focus shifts to emotional understanding. The betrayed partner is supported in sharing their pain, while both partners learn to listen with empathy and respond without defensiveness. Together, they begin to repair communication and reduce conflict.
Finally, Attachment centers on rebuilding connection. Restoring commitment, trust, and sexual intimacy. In this phase, couples work toward a renewed sense of closeness, creating a stronger foundation for their future together.
imagine if you…
Begin to feel grounded again…
confusion and crisis give way to clarity and understanding.
Rebuild emotional safety…
honesty and openness can replace fear and withdrawal.
Restore trust over time…
through consistency, transparency, and genuine effort.
Strengthen emotional and physical intimacy…
Communicate with empathy and respect…
reconnect in ways that feel safe and nourishing.
learning how to talk about hard things without causing more hurt.
Create a shared vision for the future…
one built on deeper understanding and renewed commitment.
I want you to know:
Healing after betrayal takes time, but it is possible.
One honest conversation at a time….
faqs
Common questions about infidelity and betrayal
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It’s natural to feel uneasy when something in your partner’s friendship doesn’t sit right. Instead of assuming the worst, therapy can help you understand why the situation feels concerning, what boundaries you both value, and how to communicate your needs openly. The goal isn’t to label the friendship as “innocent” or “not innocent,” but to create clarity, trust, and shared agreements that feel safe for both of you.
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Infidelity can take many forms. For some couples, it’s a physical relationship. For others, emotional closeness, secrecy, or online interactions feel just as painful. Betrayal is less about a specific behavior and more about the sense of broken trust. In therapy, we explore what crossed a boundary for your specific relationship and what both partners need to feel safe again.
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Even if only one partner is eager to start, therapy can still move your relationship forward. We take time to understand the hesitation, rebuild safety, and clarify what each of you wants. Sometimes the partner who is unsure simply needs more information, reassurance, or space to process. The goal is not to force participation, but to create conditions where both partners feel ready to engage.
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Therapy can help you understand what’s still possible in your relationship. Some couples discover renewed hope once they feel heard, supported, and guided through the pain. Others gain clarity that separating is the healthier choice. The goal is not to force an outcome, but to help you make a thoughtful, respectful decision, one you won’t regret later.
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At this time, I only see couples, not individuals. If you need individual support alongside couples therapy, I can refer you to therapists I trust. When you both join me for couples work, I can coordinate with your individual therapist so we’re all working toward the same goals.
Ready to get started?