The story of a year after infidelity, moving from total emotional collapse to slow, self-directed healing. As her husband begins his own work and gains diagnoses that add context (not excuses), she discovers the real breakthrough is forgiving herself, not just him. Recovery becomes a homecoming to who she is now: stronger, clearer, and finally choosing herself.

How infidelity shattered her sense of self, plunging her into fog, panic, and eventually a diagnosis of complex PTSD that finally explained her unraveling. She describes the painful tension of staying, breaking, and slowly beginning to heal while still unsure of what remains.

After her husband’s affair, “Rising Phoenix” struggles with the intrusions of the AP, and trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Rising Phoenix shares her first year after betrayal, realizing that knowing about healing isn’t the same as living it. Only when she stopped pretending and faced her pain with honesty did true healing begin.

As recovery continues, Rising Phoenix describes the experiences and lessons learned during the first year after Discovery Day.

“Rising Phoenix” writes about the day she first found out about her husband’s affair. This is Part 2 of her writing about Discovery Day.

“Rising Phoenix” writes about the morning she first found out about her husband’s affair. This is Part 1 of her writing about Discovery Day.

In this open essay, the author examines betrayal’s aftermath and the hard work of self-forgiveness. Healing from infidelity becomes a reckoning with ignored boundaries, silenced instincts, and the choice to heal even when it isn’t fair.

The first post from a new contributor! “Rising Phoenix” is a betrayed woman who writes honestly about the hard work of healing from betrayal.