You just concluded another therapy session, replaying the conversation in your mind. Did anything really change this week? You've been attending sessions for weeks, doing the work, showing up—but you still feel stuck in the same patterns. The question creeps in: 

Is this even working?

If you've ever felt this way, you're not alone. Feeling like progress is painfully slow is one of the most common—and most frustrating—parts of therapy. The good news? Slow doesn't mean stuck, and doubt doesn't mean failure. Here are practical ways to recognize progress and maintain hope.

Why Progress Feels Slow (Even When It's Happening)

The gap between knowing and doing is wide. You might understand intellectually that you need better boundaries or healthier communication. But doing it in the heat of the moment? That takes time and practice.

Therapy isn't linear. Real change looks like a zigzag. Good weeks and hard weeks. Breakthroughs and setbacks. Two steps forward, one step back isn't failure—it's how growth works.

Old patterns are deeply grooved. Your coping strategies have been practiced for years, maybe decades. Building new neural pathways takes repetition. You're literally rewiring your brain.

We notice setbacks more than subtle wins. Our brains are wired to pay attention to what's wrong. Slip-ups feel massive. But tiny improvements? Those fly under the radar, even though they're adding up.

What Progress Actually Looks Like

Progress isn't always dramatic. It shows up in subtle ways:

• Catching yourself mid-pattern. You still fell into the argument, but you noticed it happening. That awareness is progress.

• Faster recovery time. The anxious episode lasted hours instead of days. You repaired the fight that evening instead of staying angry for a week.

• Naming what's happening. You can identify the trigger, the emotion, the pattern. That's huge, even if you can't control it yet.

• Trying something new. You attempted that communication technique, even though it felt awkward. First times always feel awkward—that's courage, not failure.

Examples across contexts:

• Couples: "We argued but took a break before it escalated, then actually came back to it instead of sweeping it away."

• Individuals: "I had the catastrophic thought, but didn't spend hours googling symptoms."

• Families: "My teen rolled their eyes but then actually told me about their day."

How to Track the Small Wins

Keep a "therapy wins" journal. Once a week or after each session, jot down one or two things you did differently, noticed, or tried:

• "Spoke up when hurt instead of shutting down."

• "Noticed my body tensing before getting defensive."

• "Asked for what I needed even though it felt scary."

Ask yourself regularly: 

• What did I do differently this week?

• What would past-me have done?

• What felt hard, but I did it anyway?

Managing Expectations: Realistic Timelines

Early changes (6-8 sessions): Small shifts in awareness, comfort in therapy, occasional pattern recognition. You're building foundations, not fixing everything.

Deeper changes (3-6 months or longer): The entrenched patterns—conflict responses, emotional regulation, relationship dynamics—take sustained work. You're unlearning old habits and building new ones.

Know the difference. Slow progress with occasional breakthroughs is normal. Feeling consistently unheard or going in circles with zero movement might signal it's time to talk with your therapist about what's happening.

What to Do When You're Really Stuck

If you're genuinely stuck—not just impatient, but truly stuck—talk about it with your therapist. They can't read your mind.

Questions to bring to your next session: 

• "What progress are you seeing that I might not notice?"

• "Are we working on the right things?"

• "What should I be practicing between sessions?"

The Long View

Doubt doesn't mean failure. Wondering if therapy is working doesn't mean it isn't. The fact that you're asking these questions shows you're engaged and paying attention.

Progress often becomes visible only in hindsight. Six months from now, you might look back and realize how much has shifted. Trust the process while staying curious about your experience.

Change is slow, but slow doesn't mean stuck. Keep showing up. Keep tracking those small wins. And talk to your therapist when you need to—you deserve support for the journey itself, not just the issues that brought you here.

Grief is one of life's most universal experiences, yet it remains deeply personal and uniquely individual. At our practice, we've walked alongside countless individuals and families as they navigate the complex terrain of loss. Whether mourning the death of a loved one, processing a significant life change, or coming to terms with an unexpected ending, the journey through grief deserves both support and compassion.

Understanding the Nature of Grief

Grief isn't a linear process with clear stages that everyone moves through in the same way. While you may have heard of the "five stages of grief," the reality is far more nuanced. Some days you might feel you're moving forward, only to find yourself overwhelmed by waves of sadness the next. This is completely normal.

Loss can take many forms beyond death. Our clinicians work with clients grieving divorces, job losses, health diagnoses, estranged relationships, or the loss of dreams and expectations. Each type of loss is valid and deserving of space to be processed and honored.

Common Experiences in Grief

While everyone's grief journey is unique, there are some common experiences many people share:

Emotional fluctuations: You might experience sadness, anger, guilt, relief, numbness, or even moments of joy—sometimes all in the same day. These emotional shifts can be exhausting and confusing, but they're a natural part of processing loss.

Physical symptoms: Grief doesn't just affect us emotionally. Many people experience fatigue, changes in appetite, difficulty sleeping, or physical aches. Your body is processing the loss alongside your mind and heart.

Social challenges: You might find yourself withdrawing from others or feeling that people don't understand what you're going through. Conversely, some people seek connection more than ever. Both responses are valid.

Questioning and searching for meaning: It's natural to ask "why?" and to struggle with existential questions after a significant loss. This search for meaning is part of how we integrate loss into our life story.

How Therapy Can Support Your Healing

At our practice, our clinicians understand that healing from grief isn't about "getting over it" or returning to who you were before. Instead, it's about learning to carry your loss in a way that allows you to continue living fully and meaningfully.

Our therapists create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can express whatever you're feeling without worrying about burdening others or saying the "right" thing. We meet you wherever you are in your grief journey, whether you're in the immediate aftermath of loss or working through complicated feelings years later.

Through evidence-based approaches tailored to your needs, we help you develop healthy coping strategies, process difficult emotions, navigate relationship changes that occur after loss, and find ways to honor your loss while building a meaningful life moving forward.

Supporting Someone Who Is Grieving

If someone you care about is experiencing loss, you might wonder how to help. Here are some ways to offer meaningful support:

Be present without trying to fix things. Sometimes the most valuable gift is simply sitting with someone in their pain without rushing to make it better. Avoid platitudes like "everything happens for a reason" or "they're in a better place now." Instead, try "I'm so sorry for your loss" or "I'm here for you."

Offer specific, practical help rather than saying "let me know if you need anything." Bring a meal, help with errands, or offer to accompany them to appointments. Remember that grief doesn't follow a timeline. Continue checking in weeks and months after the loss, when others may have moved on but the grieving person is still struggling.

Finding Hope in the Healing Process

While grief changes us, it doesn't have to define us. Many people who work through their grief with support discover new strengths, deeper compassion, and a renewed appreciation for life's precious moments. Healing doesn't mean forgetting or no longer feeling sad—it means integrating your loss into your life in a way that honors both your pain and your resilience.

You don't have to navigate grief alone. Our team of over 30 experienced clinicians across Maryland is here to provide the compassionate, professional support you need during this difficult time. Each of our therapists brings specialized training and a deep commitment to helping individuals and families find their path through loss.

If you or someone you love is struggling with grief, we encourage you to reach out. Seeking support isn't a sign of weakness—it's an act of courage and self-compassion. Together, we can help you move through your grief with the understanding, tools, and support you deserve.

Contact us today to learn more about our grief counseling services and to find a clinician who's the right fit for your needs. Your healing journey matters, and we're here to walk alongside you every step of the way.

Every parent knows the feeling: your child clings to your leg on the first day of school, tears streaming down their face. Or maybe it's the nightly routine of reassuring them that yes, the doors are locked, and no, there are no monsters under the bed—for the third time. Perhaps you've noticed your once-carefree kid suddenly asking endless "what if" questions or complaining of stomachaches before tests.

Childhood anxiety is more common than many parents realize. While it's normal for children to experience fears and worries as they grow, some kids struggle with anxiety that interferes with their daily lives, affecting sleep, school performance, friendships, and family harmony. The good news? With understanding, patience, and the right strategies, you can help your child develop the tools they need to manage their big emotions and face their fears.

Understanding Childhood Anxiety

Anxiety in children looks different than it does in adults. While we might retreat or verbalize our worries, kids often express anxiety through behavior changes. A child dealing with anxiety might become clingy, irritable, or defiant. They might complain of physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches. Some withdraw from activities they once enjoyed, while others act out or have sudden emotional outbursts.

It's important to distinguish between normal developmental fears and anxiety that needs attention. Toddlers commonly fear separation from parents, preschoolers might be afraid of the dark or imaginary creatures, and school-age children often worry about performance and acceptance. These fears typically come and go, responding to reassurance and time.

Anxiety becomes concerning when worries are persistent, intense, and interfere with your child's ability to participate in age-appropriate activities. If your child regularly avoids school, refuses to sleep alone despite being developmentally ready, or experiences frequent panic or distress, it's worth taking a closer look.

Common Types of Childhood Anxiety

Separation Anxiety is perhaps the most recognizable form of childhood anxiety. While it's developmentally normal for babies and toddlers to protest when caregivers leave, separation anxiety disorder involves excessive distress that persists beyond the toddler years. Children with separation anxiety may refuse to go to school, resist sleepovers, shadow parents around the house, or have nightmares about family members being harmed.

Generalized Anxiety manifests as chronic, excessive worry about various aspects of life—school performance, family health, natural disasters, being on time, or meeting expectations. These children are often perfectionists who struggle with uncertainty and need constant reassurance.

Social Anxiety causes intense fear of social situations and judgment by others. Socially anxious children might avoid speaking in class, resist birthday parties, or have few friendships despite wanting connection. They often fear embarrassment or humiliation.

Specific Phobias involve intense fear of particular objects or situations—dogs, thunderstorms, vomiting, needles, or insects. While many children have passing fears, phobias are persistent and cause significant distress or avoidance.

What Causes Anxiety in Children?

Anxiety in children rarely has a single cause. Instead, it typically results from an interaction between biological predisposition, temperament, life experiences, and environmental factors.

Some children are simply wired to be more sensitive and reactive. If anxiety runs in your family, your child has a higher likelihood of experiencing it too. Temperamentally cautious or "highly sensitive" children may be more prone to developing anxiety.

Life experiences also play a role. Significant changes like moving, divorce, a new sibling, or loss can trigger anxiety. Even positive changes like starting a new school can be overwhelming. Stressful family dynamics, academic pressure, social difficulties, or exposure to frightening events can all contribute.

Sometimes, well-meaning parenting can inadvertently reinforce anxiety. When we consistently rescue our children from uncomfortable situations or model anxious thinking ourselves, we may unintentionally teach them that the world is dangerous and they're incapable of handling challenges.

How to Help Your Anxious Child

Validate Their Feelings, Not Their Fears

When your child expresses worry, resist the urge to immediately dismiss or minimize it. Saying "there's nothing to worry about" or "you're fine" may seem reassuring, but it can make children feel unheard and ashamed of their emotions.

Instead, acknowledge what they're feeling: "I can see you're really worried about the field trip tomorrow." This validation helps them feel understood. Then, gently challenge the anxiety itself: "Your brain is sending you worry signals, but let's think about whether this is really as dangerous as it feels."

Avoid Excessive Reassurance

It might seem counterintuitive, but constantly reassuring your anxious child can actually make anxiety worse. When you repeatedly answer questions like "Are you sure I'll be okay?" or "What if something bad happens?" you're teaching your child that they can't trust their own judgment and that uncertainty is intolerable.

Instead, empathize briefly, then express confidence in their ability to cope: "I know you're worried, and I also know you can handle this. We've talked about your plan, and you're ready."

Help Them Face Fears Gradually

Avoidance might provide short-term relief, but it reinforces anxiety in the long run. The most effective approach is gradual exposure—helping your child face feared situations in small, manageable steps.

If your child has separation anxiety about school, you might start by having them spend short periods in another room at home, then progress to brief separations with a trusted caregiver, then short school visits, and eventually full days. The key is to make each step challenging but achievable, celebrating small victories along the way.

Teach Coping Skills

Children need concrete tools to manage anxious feelings. Deep breathing exercises can be surprisingly effective—try having younger children blow bubbles or pretend to smell flowers and blow out birthday candles. Progressive muscle relaxation, where they tense and release different muscle groups, can help release physical tension.

For worried thoughts, teach them to talk back to their anxiety. Help them identify their "worry voice" as separate from their true self: "My worry voice says I'll fail the test, but I studied hard and I'm prepared." Creating a "worry time" where they're allowed to worry for 10-15 minutes and then must move on can also help contain anxious thoughts.

Model Healthy Anxiety Management

Children learn more from what we do than what we say. When you encounter stressful situations, narrate your coping process out loud: "I'm feeling nervous about my presentation, so I'm going to take some deep breaths and remind myself I'm prepared." When you make mistakes, model self-compassion rather than harsh self-criticism.

Demonstrate that uncertainty and discomfort are normal parts of life, not emergencies to be avoided. Let your child see you facing challenges with resilience and flexibility.

Maintain Routines and Healthy Habits

Anxiety thrives on chaos and unpredictability. Consistent routines around meals, bedtime, and family time provide a sense of security and control. Make sure your child gets adequate sleep—tired brains are more vulnerable to anxious thinking. Regular physical activity helps burn off stress and improves mood. Limit caffeine and screen time, especially before bed.

Create a Calm Home Environment

Children absorb the emotional atmosphere around them. If your household is chronically stressful, chaotic, or tense, it's harder for children to feel safe and calm. This doesn't mean you need to be perfect or never show stress, but it does mean being mindful of how adult anxieties, conflicts, and pressures might be affecting your child.

Set boundaries around exposure to frightening news or media. Be cautious about discussing adult worries in front of children, as they often lack the context to understand and may personalize or catastrophize what they overhear.

When to Seek Professional Help

While many children respond well to parental support and coping strategies, some need additional help. Consider consulting a mental health professional if your child's anxiety:

• Persists for several weeks or months without improvement

• Significantly interferes with school, friendships, or family activities

• Causes intense physical symptoms or panic attacks

• Leads to avoidance of normal activities

• Involves self-harm or extremely negative self-talk

• Causes significant distress for your child or family

Cognitive-behavioral therapy has strong evidence for treating childhood anxiety. A skilled therapist can teach your child additional coping strategies and work through specific fears in a safe, structured way. In some cases, medication may be recommended alongside therapy, particularly for severe anxiety.

Don't let stigma or guilt prevent you from seeking help. Getting support for your child's mental health is no different than getting help for asthma or a broken bone.

The Path Forward

Helping an anxious child can be exhausting and frustrating. You might feel like you're walking a tightrope—trying to be supportive without accommodating the anxiety, validating feelings without reinforcing fears, encouraging independence while providing security.

Remember that progress isn't linear. Your child will have good days and hard days. There will be setbacks and breakthroughs. What matters is the overall trajectory and your consistent, loving presence as they learn to navigate their big emotions.

The skills you're teaching your child now—how to tolerate uncertainty, face fears, challenge worried thoughts, and cope with difficult emotions—are life skills that will serve them well into adulthood. You're not just helping them manage today's worries; you're building their resilience for all the challenges and uncertainties life will bring.

Be patient with your child and with yourself. You don't need to have all the answers or eliminate all your child's discomfort. You just need to be there, offering guidance, support, and the steady message that they are capable, you believe in them, and together, you can handle whatever comes.

Your child's anxiety doesn't define them. With your help, they can learn that they are so much stronger and braver than their worries would have them believe.

When couples come to my practice, they often arrive at a crossroads. The warmth has faded, conversations have become transactional, and somewhere along the way, they've settled into doing just enough to keep the marriage afloat but not enough to make it thrive. One partner might say, "We're roommates, not lovers anymore." The other nods in weary agreement.

If this resonates with you, I want you to know: you're not alone, and more importantly, this isn't the end of your story.

Rebuilding trust and open communication requires more than good intentions. It demands consistent, intentional action that goes beyond the bare minimum. Here are five keys I've seen transform marriages in my years as a marriage and family therapist.

1. Practice Radical Vulnerability

Trust doesn't rebuild in safe, surface-level conversations. It rebuilds when you're willing to share the messy, uncomfortable truths: your fears, disappointments, and needs.

I often tell couples that vulnerability is the currency of intimacy. When you say, "I felt invisible when you didn't ask about my day," instead of "You never care about me," you're opening a door rather than slamming it shut.

Try this: Set aside 20 minutes this week where you each share one thing you've been afraid to say. No rebuttals, no defensiveness, just listening. You might be surprised how much closer you feel when you stop protecting yourselves from each other.

2. Replace Assumptions with Curiosity

After years together, we think we know our partner inside and out. But this familiarity can become a trap. We stop asking questions and start making assumptions: "I know what they're going to say," or "They should know what I need."

Curiosity is the antidote to resentment. Instead of "You're always on your phone," try "I've noticed you've been on your phone more lately. What's going on?" This simple shift transforms criticism into connection.

People change. Stressors evolve. The person you married at 25 isn't the same person at 35 or 45, and neither are you. Stay curious about who they're becoming.

3. Create Rituals of Connection

Intimacy isn't just about grand gestures or date nights (though those matter too). It's built in the small, consistent moments that say, "You matter to me."

I encourage couples to establish daily rituals: a morning coffee together before the chaos begins, a six-second kiss before leaving for work, or a nightly check-in where you share your highs and lows. These micro-moments of connection accumulate into macro-change.

The key? Protect these rituals fiercely. When everything else is negotiable, these moments shouldn't be.

4. Own Your Part Without Scorekeeping

One of the biggest obstacles to rebuilding trust is the desire to keep everything "fair." But relationships aren't transactional ledgers. They're living, breathing partnerships that require both people to show up fully, not just 50/50, but 100/100.

When apologizing, focus on your actions without adding caveats: "I'm sorry I shut down during our conversation" is powerful. "I'm sorry I shut down, but you were yelling" negates the apology entirely.

Taking ownership of your part doesn't mean accepting blame for everything. It means recognizing that you're both contributing to the dynamic, and you can only control your own choices.

5. Seek to Understand Before Being Understood

Most relationship conflict isn't about the dishwasher or the credit card statement. It's about what those things represent: feeling unappreciated, unheard, or unseen.

When your partner is upset, resist the urge to immediately defend yourself. Instead, try to understand the deeper need beneath their words. "It sounds like when I forgot to call, you felt like you weren't a priority to me. Is that right?"

This kind of empathic listening doesn't mean you agree with everything. It means you value your partner's experience enough to truly hear it before responding.

Moving Forward Together

Rebuilding trust and communication isn't a linear process. There will be setbacks, difficult conversations, and moments when you question whether it's worth it. But I've witnessed countless couples move from disconnection to deep, authentic partnership when they commit to going beyond the bare minimum.

Your marriage deserves more than autopilot. It deserves intentionality, effort, and the willingness to show up even when it's uncomfortable.

If you're reading this and feeling overwhelmed, remember: you don't have to do this alone. Working with a trained marriage and family therapist can provide the support, tools, and safe space you need to navigate this journey together.

The question isn't whether your marriage can be saved. The question is: are you both willing to do what it takes to transform it into something better than it was before?

More Than a Diagnosis: A Holistic Approach to Managing Complex Mental Health.

It’s easy to feel defined by a mental health label. Whether you’re managing the persistent focus challenges of ADHD, navigating the intense emotional fallout of PTSD, or grappling with another complex diagnosis, the label itself can sometimes feel heavier than the symptoms.

You've sought help, perhaps started medication, but you still feel like something is missing. You're looking for an approach that sees you, not just your chart.

At Lartey Wellness, we believe in a holistic, integrative approach to complex mental health management—one that honors your need for clinical support while tapping into your entire self for true, sustainable healing.

Moving Beyond the Label

A diagnosis is a starting point, a map, but it is not the territory of your life. For many, complex issues like ADHD or PTSD intersect with life stressors like career changes, relationship struggles, or past trauma.

Our holistic approach moves beyond simply treating the symptoms of a diagnosis and focuses on:

• Understanding the Roots: Exploring how your diagnosis is interwoven with your history, environment, and relationships.

• Skill Building: Teaching practical emotional regulation and coping skills that work alongside any clinical treatment.

• Self-Compassion: Shifting the inner narrative from "I am broken" to "I am a person managing a complex condition."

Integrating Medication and Therapy for Balance

We recognize that for many complex conditions, including ADHD and PTSD , medication is an essential and life-changing tool. However, medication alone is rarely a complete solution.

If you are seeking support with medication management, our clinicians collaborate with you to create a comprehensive plan that ensures your mental well-being is addressed from every angle. This includes integrating your medication protocol with evidence-based therapies like:

• Trauma-Informed Care: For PTSD, focusing on safety, empowerment, and processing traumatic memories in a controlled, therapeutic environment.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): To reframe unhelpful thought patterns often linked to anxiety, depression, or emotional reactivity.

• Mindfulness and Somatic Techniques: To help you manage overstimulation and ground yourself when overwhelmed, a common challenge in both ADHD and anxiety/trauma.

The Three Pillars of Holistic Wellness

Managing complex mental health requires attention to the core systems of your life. We help you build a foundation of resilience with these three pillars:

Pillar A: Mind-Body Connection

Anxiety, overwhelm, and trauma live in the body. We explore gentle, sustainable practices that calm your nervous system, such as:

• Movement and gentle exercise.

• Nutrition and its impact on mood stability.

• Sleep hygiene and its critical role in emotional regulation.

Pillar B: Healthy Relationships

Your support system is your greatest resource. We work to improve your relational world by focusing on:

• Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries with partners, family, and colleagues.

• Learning clear and effective communication, particularly when managing intense emotions.

• Addressing conflict constructively to foster a deeper connection.

Pillar C: Creating Personal Structure

For those with ADHD or general feelings of being overwhelmed, lack of structure is a major pain point. We help you develop executive function skills and systems that are tailored to your unique brain, not a one-size-fits-all plan, allowing you to move from chaos to control.

If you are ready to move beyond the boundaries of a single diagnosis and embrace an approach that sees your whole health, we are here to guide you. True healing isn't about ignoring your diagnosis—it's about learning how to thrive with it.

Betrayal can feel like the ground has disappeared beneath your relationship. Whether it involved infidelity, dishonesty, emotional secrecy, or broken promises, losing trust in a partner can leave both people feeling hurt, defensive, confused, and unsure of how to move forward.

If you’re thinking, “I’ve betrayed my partner’s trust, and we’re struggling to work through it,” you’re not alone, and this moment doesn’t have to be the end of your relationship. With accountability, patience, and the right support, it is possible to rebuild trust and create a healthier foundation than before.

This guide explores what trust really means, why betrayal is so painful, and how couples counseling can support the healing process.

Why Betrayal Hurts So Deeply

Trust is the emotional glue that holds a relationship together. It allows partners to feel safe, secure, and emotionally connected. When trust is broken, the sense of safety disappears, often triggering intense emotional responses such as:

• Anger or resentment

• Shame or guilt

• Anxiety or hypervigilance

• Withdrawal or emotional numbness
  
  
  

For the partner who was betrayed, the pain often goes beyond the specific act; it can shatter their sense of reality and emotional security. For the partner who caused the betrayal, guilt and fear of losing the relationship can make it difficult to know how to respond or repair the damage.

This emotional imbalance is one reason why working through betrayal alone is so challenging.

Can a Relationship Survive Betrayal?

Yes—but not without intentional effort.

Healing after betrayal isn’t about “getting back to normal.” In many cases, normal wasn’t working. Instead, healing is about building something new, rooted in honesty, emotional awareness, and mutual responsibility.

Couples who successfully recover often share a few key traits:

• Willingness to face uncomfortable conversations

• Commitment to transparency and accountability

• Patience with the healing timeline

• Support from a trained mental health professional
  
  
  

This is where professional counseling becomes a powerful resource.

How Couples Counseling Helps Restore Trust

Couples counseling provides a structured, neutral environment where both partners can express their emotions safely and productively. At Lartey Wellness Group, couples counseling focuses on helping partners understand why the betrayal happened, how it impacted both people, and what needs to change moving forward.

Through counseling, couples can:

• Identify underlying relationship patterns

• Learn healthy communication skills

• Rebuild emotional and physical intimacy

• Establish clear boundaries and expectations

• Create a realistic path toward forgiveness and trust
  
  
  

You can learn more about this specialized support by visiting our Couples Counseling services page.

Steps to Rebuilding Trust After Betrayal

1. Take Full Accountability

Healing cannot begin without accountability. This means acknowledging the betrayal without minimizing, deflecting, or blaming circumstances or your partner.

Statements like “It didn’t mean anything” or “You shouldn’t feel that upset” can deepen the wound. Instead, accountability sounds like:

• “I understand how deeply this hurt you.”

• “I take responsibility for my actions.”

• “I’m committed to rebuilding trust, even if it takes time.”
  
  
  

2. Allow Space for Emotions

The betrayed partner may experience waves of grief, anger, and confusion long after the betrayal is revealed. These emotions are not signs of failure; they are part of healing.

Couples counseling helps partners learn how to hold space for these emotions without becoming defensive or overwhelmed.

3. Rebuild Transparency Gradually

Trust isn’t restored through promises; it’s rebuilt through consistent actions over time. Transparency may include:

• Open communication about feelings and triggers

• Willingness to answer questions honestly

• Clear boundaries with others

• Follow through on commitments
  
  
  

Counseling helps couples determine what level of transparency feels supportive rather than controlling.

4. Address the Root Cause

Betrayal often points to deeper issues such as unmet emotional needs, avoidance of conflict, or unresolved personal struggles. Without addressing these root causes, trust cannot fully return.

Licensed therapists help couples explore these dynamics safely and constructively, creating lasting change rather than temporary repair.

When Individual Counseling Matters Too

Sometimes, individual counseling alongside couples therapy is essential, especially for partners dealing with shame, trauma, anxiety, or past relationship wounds.

At Lartey Wellness Group, we offer comprehensive counseling services that support both individual and relational healing. Addressing personal growth can significantly strengthen the couple’s progress together.

What If Forgiveness Feels Impossible?

Forgiveness is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean forgetting, excusing, or rushing the process. Instead, forgiveness is about releasing the emotional grip of the betrayal when, and only when, you’re ready.

Counseling helps couples redefine forgiveness in a healthy and realistic way, without pressure or artificial timelines.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you’re experiencing any of the following, couples counseling can be especially beneficial:

• Repeated arguments without resolution

• Emotional withdrawal or constant tension

• Intrusive thoughts or mistrust that won’t fade

• Difficulty communicating without conflict

• Fear of repeating the same patterns
  
  
  

Early support often leads to faster, more meaningful healing.

Taking the First Step Toward Healing

Rebuilding trust after betrayal is not easy, but it is possible with guidance, commitment, and compassion. Choosing counseling is not a sign of failure; it’s a sign that your relationship matters.

If you’re ready to take the next step, you can:

• Explore our Couples Counseling services

Learn more about our holistic counseling approach at Lartey Wellness Group