Betrayal Trauma Therapy in Seattle & Bellevue, WA

It can be very difficult to know when someone is deceiving you, especially when it is someone with whom you are close to and trust. Many partners who have been betrayed can look back after the discovery of betrayal and recall incidents in which they believe their gut instincts were trying to warn them. Maybe something didn’t add up or seemed off, but when you’d ask for clarification, you may have been told that “you were crazy.” This type of gaslighting can be nearly impossible to detect when you are the one who is experiencing it. You may also be second guessing yourself a lot. When you look back, however, it can be easier to see when someone was purposefully hiding and distorting the truth. If you feel like something is off in your relationship, listen to your gut and take the steps you need to get support.

After the discovery of sexual betrayal, you may begin to feel “less than,” avoid intimacy, question your intuition, and be flooded with intense feelings of anger and grief.  One of the most noticeable and distressing symptoms is extreme vigilance or being overly watchful and anxious, and possibly engaging in checking behaviors to make sure you don’t get blindsided again. Although a natural response to trauma, this fear cycle can be difficult to stop on your own and will leave you feeling depleted. To ease emotional suffering, you can receive support and guidance from a betrayal trauma therapist.