Affair Recovery & Infidelity Therapy

Many marriages end up in divorce when one couple is caught having an affair. Security and trust are easily destroyed. Thankfully, couples who decide to stay and go through counseling regain that sense of security and trust again. To protect your marriage or relationship and have a happy one, you need to make it affair-proof. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Westlake Village, CA, I help couples build affair-resistant relationships by strengthening communication, emotional intimacy, and shared meaning.

Take the First Step Towards Change:
Many clients choose to address stress through couples therapy, where we work directly on the relational patterns driving emotional overload.

Contact Marina Edelman, LMFT, today for a confidential consultation or Book an Appointment. For new clients, you may need to answer a few forms so we can assist you better.

Q: Is it truly possible to rebuild trust after an affair?
A: Yes. While the discovery of infidelity is devastating, it can serve as a catalyst for a more honest, “second relationship.” Using the Gottman Trust Revival Method (Atone, Attune, and Attach), I help couples move from a state of neurobiological crisis to a secure-functioning partnership. Trust is not rebuilt through promises, but through consistent, verifiable actions over time.

Q: How long does the affair recovery process usually take?
A: Relational healing is not linear. Generally, the initial Atonement (crisis) phase stabilizes within 3 to 6 months. However, the deeper work of Attunement and architecting a new relational contract often takes 12 to 18 months of active clinical work. My approach is designed to provide relief from symptoms from the very first session.

Q: What is the difference between “Marriage Counseling” and “Relational Intelligence”?
A: Traditional marriage counseling often focuses on “fixing” a specific conflict. Relational Intelligence, a concept championed by experts like Esther Perel, focuses on the underlying patterns, desires, and attachment styles that drive our behavior. I use an analytical framework to help you understand the why behind the rupture, not just the what.

Q: Do you offer affair recovery therapy for non-married couples?
A: Absolutely. I work with all phases of interpersonal relationships—including dating, cohabitating, and engaged couples. Betrayal trauma is not exclusive to marriage. Whether you are navigating a “situationship” rupture or a decades-long partnership, the clinical goals of safety and repair remain the same.