Healing the Pain of Infidelity

Use the Pain of Infidelity to Make Your Marriage Stronger
By: Dr. Ellen Kreidman, Ph. D.

"I've been with someone else." Those words are like a wrecking ball that crashes through your life. The roller coaster ride that comes with infidelity is filled with hurt, betrayal, anger, love, threats, hope and depression. It may seem like your marriage is over... but it’s not.

While you may not think so, your pain will force you to grow. Pain is our greatest teacher. Regardless of where the pain comes from, there are always lessons to be learned. Physical pain alerts you to a problem in your body that needs attention. Emotional pain does the same thing. It tells you that there is a lesson that you need to learn so you can grow stronger. It usually forces you to look inside and ultimately to stretch, grow, and gain more knowledge and understanding about yourself and your marriage.

What I have told thousands of people in your situation is, “You can use this pain to make your marriage so strong, that no one and nothing can ever come between the two of you again or you can let your pain lead to the end your marriage. If you choose the first statement, I promise that I can help you have a different marriage and the healing will begin.

I know it’s easy to blame your spouse and especially the other person involved, but it’s much harder to look at yourself and ask, “Was there something lacking in me that made my spouse want to connect with another person?” Thousands of men and women, just like you, have learned how to use the pain of infidelity to make their marriages better than ever!

We were married for 8 years when I finally found out my husband was cheating. The crazy hours, nights, weekends - how could I have been so naïve! I lost all respect for him and felt so violated. If it weren't for the kids and lack of finances, I would have left. Over time, we learned to tolerate each other. He was sorry for what he did but I made him pay for it everyday.
One night I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up at 2:00 A.M. there you were on TV talking about why people have affairs. It was hard looking at myself and for the first time understanding that what I said, what I did and what I didn't do, all contributed to him finding someone else. You were right, it takes 2 people to have an affair and once I took responsibility for my part, the healing began." Shannon T. - Lexington

For 23 years I've helped couples understand the reasons why infidelity has happened and how to prevent it from ever happening again. I have never found a case where a man or woman woke up one day and spontaneously decided to go out and have an affair. It’s a decision that happens due to months or years of neglect and being taken for granted. If you use infidelity as a wake-up call, you can have a better marriage than you ever dreamed possible.

Why Infidelity Happened In The First Place?

Here is an eye-opening fact that Oprah had me repeat 3 times when I was backstage on her show. It really does explain the "Why" of marital infidelity.

A man falls in love because of the way he feels about himself when he is with a woman. When he doesn’t feel good anymore he’s going to find another woman who does make him feel good. That’s what an affair is all about. It’s not that he’s in love with the other woman. What he’s really in love with is the way he feels about himself when he’s with the other woman. A woman feels the same way. Do you know how many times a woman will say to me, “Dr. Ellen, now that I’m in love, I feel beautiful, I feel sexy, I feel special and needed.” We have a right to feel like that for the rest of our lives, and when we don’t, we try to find someone else who will make us feel good.

I was doing a radio show in Texas and a man called up and said, “I don’t believe this. I dropped a hamburger in my lap. I went to a pay phone and just had to call you up to tell you that what you’re saying is so true. For three years I have been having an affair and I couldn’t put into words why! My wife is pretty, she’s intelligent and she’s the pillar of the community. But the truth is that I feel like ‘nothing’ when I’m with my wife and I feel like a ‘king’ when I’m with this other woman.”

I spoke to a woman who had been married for 9 years and started to have feelings for someone she worked with. She said, “My husband is successful, smart, good-looking but the other guy makes me feel beautiful and special.”

Many people think that if they were better-looking or had more money, then things would be different. It’s not about getting thinner, better looking or making more money. Some of the wealthiest people in the world are by themselves; some of the most beautiful
people on earth are lonely. This is about how another human being feels about themselves when they’re with you. So, it isn’t about me, but how does my husband feel about himself every time he’s with me. And, it isn’t about my husband, but how do I feel about myself when I’m with him. If we both make each other feel so good about who we are, why would we ever want to be with anyone else?

We have the ability to make another human being feel that they are important, special, attractive, sexy, intelligent, funny, wanted and needed. That’s what a loving marriage is all about and that’s the lesson that needs to be learned. If you do, your spouse will never
again want to be with anyone but you!

Dr. Ellen Kreidman is a highly acclaimed relationship expert and the author of the best-selling programs, Light His Fire and Light Her Fire. For an effective way to deal with infidelity without marriage counseling, visit. www.LightYourFire.com.