Starting Here
Discovering an affair changes the ground under a relationship. Whether you're the one who was betrayed, the one who strayed, or a couple trying to figure out what comes next, affair recovery is its own kind of work.
This page focuses on the recovery process—processing what happened and deciding what to build next. If you're in the immediate aftermath and experiencing trauma symptoms, our
page may also be helpful.
This Can Look Like
Affair recovery can involve:
- Cycling between wanting answers and wanting to avoid the topic entirely
- Difficulty deciding whether to stay, separate, or take time to figure it out
- Guilt and shame, if you're the partner who was unfaithful
- Rebuilding trust that feels fragile even when both partners want to try
- Friends and family with strong opinions that add pressure to the decision
- Uncertainty about whether the relationship can actually recover
How Therapy Can Help
Whether you come in alone or together, we'll help you:
- Understand what led to the affair, without excusing the harm it caused
- Process betrayal, guilt, anger, and grief at a workable pace
- Rebuild trust through consistent, structured steps, if you choose to try
- Improve communication that broke down before the affair happened
- Make a clear-eyed decision about the relationship's future
Our Approach
We support both partners' individual healing while also offering
for those actively working to rebuild together. Using research-backed frameworks for rebuilding trust, we focus on the specific steps that actually restore safety, not just discussing the affair repeatedly.
Therapeutic Approaches We May Use
- Gottman Method — structured tools for trust repair and communication
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) — rebuilding emotional safety and attachment
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) — understanding what led to or resulted from the affair
- Psychodynamic Therapy — exploring the deeper relational patterns involved
Who Might Benefit From Treatment
This kind of therapy may be a good fit if you're:
- Processing the recent or past discovery of an affair
- The partner who was unfaithful and want to understand why
- A couple actively trying to rebuild trust together
- Uncertain whether to stay or leave and want clarity
- Looking for a structured process rather than repeated painful conversations at home
What to Expect in Therapy
Your first session helps clarify where things stand and what kind of support fits best—individual processing, couples work, or both at different points.
If you and your partner move forward together, sessions will follow a structured process for rebuilding trust, addressing both the affair itself and the patterns that came before it.
Sessions are available in person at our Midtown Nashville office or online for clients throughout Tennessee.
FAQ
Can this work if we're not sure we want to stay together?
Yes. Many couples start this work while still deciding. Therapy can help you process the affair and communicate clearly enough to make a decision you feel solid about, whatever you choose.
Do we have to talk about it separately and then together?
It depends on where you are. Some couples benefit from individual sessions alongside couples work; others are ready to process together from the start. Your therapist will help figure out what makes sense for you.
Do you accept insurance?
Nashville Counseling Associates is out-of-network with insurance providers, so we don't bill insurance directly. Many clients use out-of-network benefits to get reimbursed, and we're happy to provide a superbill (an itemized receipt) for you to submit.
Session fees generally range from $130–$185 depending on the clinician, with $85 sessions available with our graduate-level interns and sliding-scale options based on financial need.
How do I get started?
Fill out our contact form or call (615) 281-9139. We'll ask a few questions about what you're looking for and help match you with a therapist whose experience fits rebuilding after infidelity.
Sessions are available in person at our Midtown Nashville office or online for clients located anywhere in Tennessee.
Ready to begin counseling?
You don't have to keep carrying this on your own. Reach out to Nashville Counseling Associates, and we'll help connect you with a therapist whose training and approach fit rebuilding trust after infidelity, whatever that ends up looking like.
