Helping Couples Heal Podcast

In this episode, Marnie talks with Patty, a female betrayer, and Judith Nisenson, a betrayal trauma coach, to confront the often-ignored reality that women betray too. They dive deep into the unique patterns of female betrayal, the emotional drivers behind it, and the specific challenges women face when seeking recovery in a field traditionally focused on male betrayers.
The conversation explores:
Patty’s personal story: A brave and vulnerable account of a lifelong pattern of betrayal, from early childhood emotional detachment and teenage sexual trauma to two marriages and a secret sexual basement.
The nuances of female infidelity: Judith discusses why women's reasons for cheating often differ from men's, highlighting themes of emotional neglect, a lack of self-identity, and the chameleon effect of morphing to fit others' expectations.
The double standard of shame: A discussion on the societal and "Scarlet Letter" stigmas that create an extra layer of isolation and self-loathing for female betrayers.
A roadmap to recovery: Vital resources for healing are shared, including 12-step programs (SAA, SLAA) and specialized coaching groups.

Whether you are a woman or a man, a betrayer seeking to understand your own patterns or a betrayed partner navigating the trauma of betrayal, this episode offers a compassionate and honest space for healing and hope.
Resources:
Helping Couples Heal Services: Click here to learn more about our ongoing coaching group for female betrayers.
Connect with Judith Nisenson: Visit womenswrk.com to learn more about Judith’s work with female betrayers.
Join a Coaching Group: Explore Judith’s eight-week curriculum-based coaching groups for women by clicking here.
Tune in to "Women Cheat Too": Check out Judith's podcast for bite-sized episodes on navigating female betrayal here.
Resources for Men: To learn more about the male betrayed partners group led by Adam (Judith’s husband), click here.
Want to connect with us? Click here to book your free 15-minute call

In this episode, Marnie welcomes back her friend and longtime collaborator, Gemini Adams, a renowned somatic practitioner. Together, they explore a missing piece of the healing journey that many couples overlook: the body. While traditional talk therapy is vital, Marnie and Gemini discuss why cognitive understanding often isn’t enough to move couples out of the painful, repetitive cycles of betrayal trauma.
Gemini shares her personal journey from living with the effects of complex PTSD and chronic conflict avoidance to finding what she calls "conflict confidence." They dive deep into the science of the nervous system, explaining why the betrayed partner is often "flooded" with sensation while the betrayer may be completely numb or dissociated.
This conversation is a foundational look at the tools needed to move out of survival mode and back into what Gemini calls the "Green Zone," the place where relational connection and empathy actually become possible again.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The Power of Interception: Why many survivors lose the ability to feel their own physical needs and how to begin reconnecting with their body’s cues.
The Relational Nervous System: Why you literally cannot listen, retain information, or connect with your partner when you are in a state of fight, flight, or freeze.
Numbness vs. Flooding: How to understand the different trauma responses between the person who caused the harm and the person who was betrayed.
Building "Adult Self": How somatic skills help you stay grounded as an adult rather than being "ping-ponged" by inner-child survival responses.
Triggered to Together: An introduction to Marnie and Gemini’s new program designed to help couples manage triggers and crisis moments in real-time.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming 12-week Triggered to Together programs for couples and individuals. 
Want to connect with us? Click here to schedule your free 15-minute call.

In this landmark 100th episode of Helping Couples Heal, we take a moment to pause and reflect on the journey that brought us here. Healing from betrayal is often a lonely, exhausting path, but for 100 conversations, we have walked it together. What started as a mission to bring clarity to the chaos of betrayal trauma has grown into a global community of resilient survivors and recovering couples. To celebrate our 100th episode, we’re going back to the "Why."
Join us as we revisit the original mission that sparked this podcast: to provide a lifeline for those drowning in the aftermath of betrayal and broken trust. We discuss what this milestone means for our community, the lessons learned along the way, and why our commitment to your healing remains stronger than ever. We also explore the core values that have guided Helping Couples Heal since day one and why the work of healing and restoration is more important today than ever before.
Whether you’ve been with us since Episode 1 or are just joining the journey, this episode is a dedication to your courage and a promise for the future of this show.
Want to connect with us? Click here to schedule your free 15-minute Zoom call.

In December, I released a podcast called The Ten Core Wounds of Betrayal, which explored the deep and lasting wounds experienced by betrayed partners. In this follow-up episode, we turn toward the other side of the rupture - the often unseen and rarely discussed wounds carried by those who do the betraying.
This conversation is not about justifying or minimizing betrayal. Instead, it’s about understanding the internal landscape that often exists beneath betraying behavior. Drawing from clinical insight and relational patterns, this episode explores ten core wounds commonly experienced by people who betray - wounds that can show up in both men and women, while also acknowledging that some tend to appear more frequently in men due to socialization, attachment patterns, and emotional conditioning.
By naming these wounds - such as shame, emotional disconnection, unmet attachment needs, and identity fractures - we begin to see betrayal not as random or purely selfish, but as something that often emerges from unresolved internal pain. Understanding these wounds can be a powerful step toward accountability, empathy, and meaningful repair.
Whether you are a betrayed partner seeking clarity, someone who has betrayed and wants to understand yourself more deeply, or a couple navigating the long road of healing, this episode offers language, insight, and perspective to help move the conversation away from blame and toward connection, healing, and ultimately, transformation.
Click here to receive your free worksheet.
Want to connect with us? Click here to schedule your free 15-minute Zoom call.

In this episode, Marnie sits down with Scott and Laura, a couple who courageously share their journey of healing after betrayal. What followed Scott’s infidelity was not a quick fix or a straight path forward, but years marked by pain, rupture, and a slow, non-linear process of rebuilding trust and connection.
Together, Scott and Laura reflect on the early days after discovery - when fear, confusion, and disconnection felt overwhelming - and the hard truths they had to face along the way. Laura speaks openly about her struggle with boundaries and the painful realization that she had been tolerating more than she should have. Scott shares vulnerably about his own abandonment wounds, how they fueled a sense of righteousness, and the moment he recognized he was expecting Laura to carry pain that was his to heal.
They discuss the concrete steps that helped shift their relationship, including Scott joining a men’s group, learning to take responsibility for his emotional world, and the transformative impact of Imago dialogue. They also explore the power of couples recovery check-ins and the clarity that emerged through Laura’s second impact letter.
This conversation offers a hopeful and grounded look at what it takes to move from living in fear and survival to standing side-by-side in honesty, accountability, and connection. For anyone navigating the aftermath of betrayal trauma, this episode is a reminder that while healing is hard, it is possible.
Connect with us: Book a free 15-minute consultation call here.