The initial discovery of an affair usually triggers powerful emotions for both partners. The partner who has been betrayed may feel traumatized by the break in trust and begins to obsessively think about the affair details.

Affairs can unleash devastating consequences and is often cited as a deal breaker, beating out emotional unavailability and physical abuse. However, the reality is that more than half of married couples decide to work through the affair rather than separate

After an affair you may be faced with a decision to stay or walk away. This is a difficult stage of indecision, trying to figure out what to do.

Being betrayed by a partner can often be traumatic. Traumatic experiences can be followed by intrusive thoughts about the event such as images, thoughts and memories. Sometimes imaginative images from the affair can become intrusive.

Infidelity can be traumatic, which can cause intensely painful emotions for the person who was cheated on. They may begin to experience symptoms that are similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

There are three categories of post affair reactions which include intrusion, hyperarousal, and constriction.

When someone with bipolar disorder is experiencing a manic episode, impulsive, reckless sexual behaviors and significantly increased sexual drive are quite common. Such hypersexual behavior is often a warning sign of a manic episode.

The reality of life is that people, who once supported us, drift apart which results in a deterioration of relationships. When this occurs, the crash is not merely psychological, but also physiological.

It is extremely rare to find a relationship where only one person is responsible for all the hurt feelings and conflict. Just as it takes two to tango, it takes two to have conflict in a relationship.

For some of us it is natural to want to please others and make them happy, but sometimes you have to put yourself first. It’s self-care, not selfishness. Setting boundaries is an important part of being an emotionally mature adult. It can be hard to say no, but it’s important to do what is best for you.

What can you do if you or your loved one lacks empathy? It will be important to understand what lack of empathy might look like and then explore ways to build this important emotional skill.

Why would a successful, high achieving person fall for a dysfunctional partner? To family and coworkers on the outside, it doesn’t make any sense.

It can be easy to fall into a relationship rut, especially if you don’t take time to carve out time together. Spending time with your partner can bring romance and adventure to your relationship and strengthen your bond.

Unhealthy or “toxic” personality traits or dynamics have a negative impact on all relationships, whether romantic, platonic or professional. Lack of awareness or ignorance of these toxic characteristics will invariably lead to unhappiness.

Gaslighting the inner child occurs when we intellectualize our trauma, pain, and experiences. An example of this would be justifying that our parent treated us poorly because they were treated poorly.

Many of us who struggle with codependency don’t have the opportunity and support we need to feel our feelings or let our intuition guide us. We don’t learn from our mistakes. Mistakes equal blame, shame and criticism.

Sometimes you feel like somethings just isn’t quite right. You respond to certain places, people, and experiences in ways that you don’t understand. You wonder if something happened to you that makes you feel this way.

Are you or someone you love struggling with depression, anxiety or PTSD? Are you feeling an intense fear that something bad will be happening?

If you live with OCD you likely experience obsessions. These negative thoughts become overwhelming and pervasive. You may even engage in compulsive behavior to cope as it helps reduce the intensity of the negative feelings.

EMDR is an integrative psychotherapy approach. It includes a set of standardized protocols that incorporate elements from many different treatment approaches and has relieved psychological trauma for millions of people of all ages