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My Strategy for Affair Recovery: How to Move from Crisis to Intimacy Again
Betrayal is unfortunately more common than you think- especially in the service culture. In this episode, I share with you the strategy I use to help couples work through affair recovery. There are three phases and couples will certainly stall, if not fail, in recovering their marriage if they miss important steps throughout the phases. Two people, if are both willing to work hard, can rebuild their marriage after an affair and go on to have a rich relationship.
Here are some of the resources mentioned throughout the episode:
My interview with Dr. Mike Sytsma
Here is also my podcast on “Sin in a Christian Marriage” Part 1 & Part 2
More Resources:
• Torn Asunder by Dave Carder. There is also a workbook available for this book. (faith based)
• Unfaithful: Hope and Healing After Infidelity by Gary & Mona Shriver (faith based)
• Secrets to Surviving Infidelity by Scott Haltzman
• After the Affair by Janis Spring
- Rebuilding Trust Video – Using the image of a “trust bucket,” Dr. Mike addresses rebuilding trust after an affair.
Setbacks in Marriage- The Podcast Episode
Women & the Tough Bible Verses– (Topic of Submission and gender roles in the Bible- Authentic Intimacy)
People Are More Important Than Marriage– Authentic Intimacy, When you shouldn’t fight for your marriage
Sexual Intimacy and Post Affair with Mike Sytsma
How do Affairs Happen? New Life Church, Brady BoydArticles:
So You’ve Hit a Marriage Setback: 3 Steps
Military Marriage: When to Separate
Mike Sytsma- Betrayal & Affair Recovery (articles and video)
Protecting Your Marriage from an AffairBooks:
Mission Ready Marriage: My Life As An Active Duty Wife Claire Wood
Sacred Spaces: My Journey to the Heart of Military Marriage Corie Weathers -
Sin in a Christian Marriage, 2 Part Series
Part 1:
Every marriage will deal with sin- that is a fact. But when there are destructive patterns like betrayal, addiction, and selfish behavior, what does it actually mean to love like Christ? How do you selflessly serve when firm boundaries need to happen in your relationship? Matt joins me for a 2 part episode on understanding scripture on marriage roles, submission, and dealing with sin.
Part 2:
Last time on the Lifegiver Podcast, Matt and I started a conversation about Christian marriage. In response to my message in Sacred Spaces that we should be pursuing our spouse, I commonly get emails that sound like this… “How long should I pursue my spouse when they aren’t reciprocating?” “What if my service member came home different and neglects me and our family?” “How long must I lead before my husband picks up his role as the spiritual leader of our home? These are tough questions and the root issue here is… “How do we address sin in a christian marriage?” -Here is some of what you can expect in Part 2: -Matt and I continue our discussion on gender roles in a godly marriage -We share some of our own story of how we addressed unmet expectations in our marriage -Matt talks to service members who have come home different and need hope. -
Friends: Making and Keeping Them
Who would have ever thought that we needed help with making friends? In the military, we have to make them quickly. In the first responder world, they are necessary to get through daily chaos. In both worlds, they are crucial to survival but did you know that we need to be working on this area of our life? According to Shasta Nelson, author of Frientimacy, we can’t just tell someone our life story and suddenly be BFF’s. In this episode, Shasta will explain the process of friendship and the importance of understanding just how deep and intimate the relationship actually is. What if you are more serious about the friendship than they are? What if you are incompatible? Can we be friends with the opposite sex?
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Boundaries with Dr. John Townsend
Does it seem strange to you that it is healthy to have boundaries in marriage? This comes as a surprise to many. Why would I want to have boundaries? Shouldn’t we share everything? Couples without boundaries run the risk of becoming enmeshed, chaotic, and not knowing who is responsible for what. I could not be more excited to share this interview with you. I have been a huge fan of Dr. John Townsend for a long time. Often times, the issues I see in the counseling office come down to boundaries- or a lack of. I have recommended his books to more people than I can count. I have seen so many, including me, go on to find freedom and increased connectedness in relationships from learning how to have healthy boundaries. If you were not able to attend the Military Spouse Wellness Summit put on by InDependent.org and sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance, never fear. I am pleased to offer you 5 of the most outstanding interviews from the Summit, uncut, and including additional questions just for the Lifegiver audience. As I take a brief sabbatical, I hope you will enjoy these interviews with fantastic guests like Taya Kyle, Dr. Leslie Parrott and more. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and join me with Dr. John Townsend. Books recommended from today’s interview: Boundaries Series: Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No-To Take Control of Your Life Boundaries in Marriage Boundaries with Kids: When to Say Yes, When to Say No, to Help Your Children Gain Control of Their Lives The Entitlement Cure: Finding Success in Doing Hard Things the Right Way
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My Confession
I recently put out a survey and asked for your feedback on what you have enjoyed from the Lifegiver Podcast and what you would like to hear more of. Overwhelmingly, many said they enjoy hearing real content and me opening up a little more. In this episode, I get very real and share with you the 5 biggest lessons I learned this year. I can tell you that this year was a massive character overhaul for me. I had those in my most inner circle praying for me during times that I felt that I was having to find strength to overcome insecurity and develop the courage and confidence to complete the task in front of me. So in this episode, I open up and talk about what that was like for me and the lessons I learned. I firmly believe these are lessons that all of us need to learn at some point. You will also hear about what the year ahead looks like and how you can join me in making our marriages great.
