Cheating is one of the reasons why most marriages and relationships fail. But this doesn’t always have to be the case.
If you and your spouse are willing to give your marriage another try, there is a way to make it work. However, you should know that this will be challenging because the wounds caused by the betrayal will still be fresh.
Here’s how to rebuild your marriage after infidelity. Let’s get started…
Steps to Take When Rebuilding a Broken Relationship
1. End the Affair
If you’re the person having an affair, end it via call, text, or email. Ending the affair face to face might tempt you to go back into cheating. If you are afraid of hurting the side partner, it’s important to remember that you’ve already caused more damage to the person you’re married to. (So what more would you lose?)
2. Be Honest and Answer All the Questions
When you cheat on your partner, you degrade their self-worth because they feel like they are not good enough. However, it would be best to rebuild the trust by being honest about the affair. Answer all the questions with honesty despite those answers being hurtful.
Also, when discussing the affair, try and use the hurt perspective rather than anger. Anger can lead your straying partner into defensive, and instead of resolving the issue, you’ll have accelerated it.
3. Consider Counseling
Marriage counseling helps you unpack the past and build a new future with the help of a marriage counselor. It is, therefore, essential to choose a qualified infidelity counselor who understands your situation and has the skills to rebuild a broken relationship.
The main advantage of marriage counseling is the presence of a therapist who can listen to both sides and make objective suggestions without being biased. Therefore, choose an experienced counselor who has resolved a similar case.
If you cheated on your partner, take steps to apologize, and suggest new ways to rebuild the relationship. Nonetheless, please don’t be pushy because it might drive your partner further away.
4. Identify What You Want
Since the relationship is broken, building a new marriage is necessary. Therefore, make a guideline for a new relationship that will help you create a joyful marriage. Identify what should change so your second chapter doesn’t end with infidelity.
5. Identify the Weak Points
The cheating partner should give reasons why they strayed. When you address what led to the affair, you’ll rebuild a relationship by focusing on rectifying the weak points. For instance, if your relationship broke because you felt alone and sought another lover, ask your partner to be there for you.
Take Away
Did you know you can seek infidelity counseling online? Well, there are marriage counselors who understand that you can’t reach their clinics; thus, they create online channels for resolving infidelity. This means that no matter where you are, you can book an appointment online and let a therapist help you solve the infidelity issue. Nonetheless, if you want a face to face counseling with a therapist, consider consulting a qualified and experienced counselor.
