09/05/2026
The moment you name the betrayed partner's experience as "trauma," the addict's shame fires, leading to minimization or self-flagellation. Both end the work.
Clinical intervention: Introduce the trauma framework before confronting the partner's pain. Reframe the job: "Your job is not to talk her out of it. Your job is not to add to it."
This shift gives them a concrete, non-defensive task.
https://drchrissamuels.com/f/pacing-as-the-key-to-working-with-trauma-responses-in-betrayal-im?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com
*xaddiction