Tag Archives: infidelity

Emotional Affairs — Not a Great Idea. But Can Tell You a Lot About Your Marriage.

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     A good piece appeared today discussing emotional affairs and how prevalent they are in our online age. The bottom line — It’s not necessarily sexual but it’s infidelity. An emotional connection outside your marriage tells you a lot about your marriage.

 

“Are you texting and emailing with a friend, or is it a kind of an affair? It can be a slippery slope. You likely have close confidants. But when you find yourself sharing more with someone than you do with your partner, developing romantic feelings for that person, and keeping this intimacy a secret, you may be having an emotional affair. Anyone could be susceptible to an emotional affair, especially in our online age. Social media has both expanded our opportunities for connection and made it easier to hide them from others. An emotional affair doesn’t necessarily mean sexual attraction. A friendship can slide into emotional infidelity when you keep it a secret from your spouse and prioritize the relationship over your marriage. An emotional connection outside of your marriage can tell you about what’s missing in your relationship.”  “Emotional Affairs.” Wall Street Journal (Oct. 23, 2024).

Renewing Intimacy after Infidelity — Yes, It’s Possible!

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     Renewing intimacy after infidelity is possible. It takes hard work but many couples have achieved this — Renewing intimacy (both emotional and physical) and a loving relationship occurs more often than many people think. The following is an excerpt from a very thoughtful article that appeared recently.

 

 

“Infidelity can be a devastating experience for both partners, leaving deep emotional wounds that need to heal. It’s hard work to rebuild trust and intimacy after the betrayal of infidelity, but when both partners are willing to do the work, it’s worth it. It is possible to move forward, find healing, and even rekindle the passion and connection you long for …. When you’re healing from broken trust, it can feel all-consuming. It is helpful to plan some weekly outings where talking about the infidelity and healing was off the table. To start having fun together again. All work and no fun stalls out the healing process.  A lot of work and some fun mixed in is key to working through the past and creating a new present and future together …. Put a regular date night on the calendar and then commit to not discussing “issues” on those dates …. As you grow emotional intimacy outside the bedroom, you begin healing inside the bedroom. There may be tears the first few times of physical intimacy. If that happens, slow things down and hold the hurting partner …. Infidelity can be a devastating experience, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the relationship. With hard work and dedication, it is possible to move forward and find incredible intimacy and connection in your marriage.” “Renewing Intimacy after Infidelity.” (March 2023).