Blog Posts

What Is a Silent Divorce? Insights From Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s Separation

The separation of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban after almost twenty years together has sparked global attention. Some of us may be shocked, disappointed, and others may say the writing was on the wall. While celebrity stories often focus on glamour or scandal, as a couple’s psychologist, I see something deeper: the universal dynamics of love, loss, and how relationships evolve.

Imago Relationship Therapy offers a powerful lens here. It teaches that we are drawn to partners who mirror both our childhood love and our deepest hurts. These unconscious dynamics provide enormous growth potential but can also create tension. Through this perspective, their separation offers lessons we can all learn from.

Separation as evolution is not ending

Media reports describe this as a “strategic separation” rather than a divorce. We can guess this is simply a tactic to handle marriage breakdown in a public arena by being in control of the messaging. Wise move. In Imago terms, this framing suggests an attempt to move beyond unconscious patterns into a more conscious decision about what the relationship needs. By speaking of evolution, they reduce shame and keep the door open for future possibilities. 

Public image versus private vulnerability

For years, the couple’s red-carpet affection may have contrasted with unspoken struggles behind the scenes. Big careers, time apart, and disconnection, living parallel lives.

This mirrors how many couples, not only celebrities, present a strong public face while silently suffering. This is the couple where you would say they seemed so good, so loving, we never saw that coming. Imago reminds us that real intimacy happens when masks drop and partners meet each other with honesty and empathy, not performance.

Life stage and accumulated pressures

After nearly two decades, pressures from careers, parenting teenagers, and personal transitions, grief and loss often converge. In Imago, we understand this as a natural stage, the move from romantic love into the power struggle, and then, if embraced, into a conscious relationship of deeper love. The key is whether couples choose to engage with these challenges or retreat from them. 

Communication and unmet needs

“I need space” often signals unmet needs that have not been voiced or heard. It’s the escape hatch to stepping further away from a marriage. Without safe dialogue, partners may turn to silence, and withdraw to survive. A lonely existence.  Imago Dialogue, with its emphasis on mirroring, validation, and empathy, offers a way back to being truly heard. Without it, distance replaces intimacy.

Silent divorce: when connection fades without words

Some couples separate with drama. Others drift apart quietly. The Kidman Urban separation has been framed as respectful and intentional, but it could also be seen as a kind of silent divorce – when disconnection builds slowly, with little outward conflict, until the bond quietly dissolves.

A silent divorce can be harder to notice than open fighting. Partners may live parallel lives, whilst they avoid conflict, the price paid is avoiding intimacy.

The absence of arguments does not mean health. It may mean both have stopped hoping to be understood. A death knell in romantic relationships.

The good news is that silence is not irreversible. If couples recognise it early, therapy can help them reintroduce dialogue and rediscover the desire to connect.

The first step is breaking the silence. This takes courage. How can Imago Relationship Therapy help? Imago counsellors assist couples in coaching tried, and true communication skills that get to the heart of the issues.

Family, dignity, and legacy

With two daughters, their separation highlights the importance of modelling dignity. Children learn about love, conflict, and repair from what they observe. Even if a couple does not stay together, they can show that endings need not be destructive. Respectful separation can create a legacy of care rather than bitterness. Children are the passengers in this and don’t get a choice. So it’s vital to share age appropriately and shift to co-parenting strategies of support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a silent divorce?

A silent divorce is when partners slowly disconnect emotionally, often without fighting or dramatic conflict. They may appear fine to others, but feel lonely and unheard inside the relationship.

Why do long-term marriages end?

Long-term marriages often end due to accumulated stresses: career demands, parenting, identity changes, or unspoken needs. Inability to share beyond complaint, forgotten fun, lack of novelty, those surprises which remind us of our special bond, and emotional loneliness are what I have seen and heard in my office. Over time, the distance can grow until separation feels like the only option. Or there’s a bombshell, like an affair, that goes off in the relationship.

How can couples avoid a silent divorce?

The key is intentional communication. Couples need safe ways to voice needs, frustrations, and longings before silence takes over. Approaches like Gottman, EFT, and Imago Dialogue help partners listen deeply and reconnect to unmet needs. A relationship coach can guide you beyond frustration patterns toward a fulfilling partnership.

Is separation always negative?

Not necessarily. For some couples, separation provides breathing space to reflect and reset. If there are children involved, there will be an ongoing connection. For others, it allows each partner to grow individually while still honouring the relationship’s history.

How can therapy help during separation?

Couples Therapy provides a structured and compassionate space to reduce blame, shame, lower barriers of protective parts, express emotions, and explore choices. Couples may use this time to repair and recommit, or to separate respectfully with clarity and care. Individual therapy can assist in learning and healing from the break-up whilst holding on to your dignity.

Reflections

The Kidman Urban separation reminds us that relationships are not static. They are living systems that require dialogue, intention, and care. 19 years for a successful celebrity couple like Nicol and Keith is a testament to their love and I would guess hard work in and on their relationship, no doubt with professional support along the way.

Whether couples stay together or part ways, the goal is not perfection but authenticity of self, meeting each other with empathy, compassion, and if necessary, choosing to separate with dignity.

With Love and light,

Philipa.

P.S. Don’t leave it too late, reach out to repair today and book your appointment with Chris or me.

From the Workshop Chairs to the Front of the Room: Our Imago Journey

When Chris and I first attended a Getting the Love You Want workshop, we weren’t there as psychologists. We weren’t there to tick a professional box.

We were there as a couple, in marital trouble.

Two life partners who wanted to strengthen our relationship, communicate better, and stop tripping over the same old arguments.

Chris was there with his trademark dry humour, a bit tense but wholeheartedly showing up for us. That weekend changed everything.

For me, it opened up a new way of seeing and being in love. For Chris, who holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and brings over 40 years of wisdom to his work, it was a refreshing shift: to sit not as the professional, but as a husband, a partner, a learner.

That first workshop didn’t just help us. It inspired us. And it planted a seed that has grown into one of the pinnacles of our lives together.


🎉 The Milestone We’re Celebrating

Fast-forward years of training, study, and supervision, and here we are.

I’ve completed my final faculty assessment and written a full workshop manual, becoming a certified Getting the Love You Want Imago workshop presenter.

This milestone isn’t just about credentials. It’s about completing a circle: from sitting in the chairs as participants, to standing at the front of the room as leaders.

Chris’s Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology gives him the grounding wisdom that couples instantly feel safe with. I bring the spark, energy, and structure that help people lean into the process. Together, we’re more than the sum of our parts — a partnership that lives this work in our marriage, and now gets to share it with you.


❤️ Why Imago Matters Today

Relationships aren’t easy.

We fall in love, we fuse, and then differences surface. That’s when many couples get stuck in the “power struggle” you know it – circling arguments, silence, withdrawal, resentment.

Imago offers a way through.

With its structured dialogue process, couples learn to:

  • Slow down and truly listen
  • Validate each other’s feelings (even when you disagree, Yes)
  • Cross the bridge into your partner’s world with empathy
  • Move from blame, criticism, to curiosity
  • Reignite the safety and playfulness of love

This isn’t theory. It’s practice. Couples feel the shift in the room, in real time.


💬 What Couples Say

“We came in barely talking. We left holding hands with hope again.” – L & A, Sydney

“It felt like hitting the reset button. We laughed, cried, and remembered why we chose each other.” – J & M, Melbourne

“I was sceptical, but this workshop exceeded every expectation. Chris and Philipa create such a safe and inspiring space.” – K & T, Canberra


🔮 Looking Ahead – 2026 I Imago Workshops

With certification complete, we’re preparing to launch our Getting the Love You Want workshop retreats program in 2026.

We’ll only run a handful each year. They’re intentionally small and intimate, so every couple feels supported. And yes — they sell out fast.

Imagine it: two days away from phones, kids, and work. Just you and your partner, guided by two psychologists who live this work every day. A reset, a reconnection, a chance to find each other again.

Would Bali in June be an option – we are taking expressions of interest.


✅ Be The First to Know

If you’d like to be the first to hear when 2026 dates open, join our priority list today.

👉 Join the Priority List for 2026 Workshops

2026 Getting the Love You Want Couples Workshop, 7 & 8 March

We’re thrilled to announce that our first Getting the Love You Want workshop of 2026 will be held on 7 & 8 March in Crows Nest, Sydney Australia.

Unlike group therapy, this workshop is just for you and your partner. You’ll work privately together on structured dialogues, exercises, and reflections.

You never have to share anything with the group unless you genuinely feel moved to. Couples often tell us this gives them both safety and freedom, they’re not put on the spot, yet they feel the collective support of others on the same journey.

Over two transformative days, you can expect to:

  • Discover the hidden roots of recurring conflicts (the “why” behind your arguments)
  • Practise communication skills that turn criticism into curiosity
  • Move through the “power struggle” stage into conscious, intentional partnership
  • Reconnect with empathy, affection, and playfulness
  • Leave with a practical toolkit to keep your love strong long after the weekend ends

❓ Quick answers couples ask

What is the Getting the Love You Want workshop?
It’s a two-day Imago Relationship Therapy program created by Dr Harville Hendrix and Dr Helen LaKelly Hunt. Couples learn how to move from conflict to connection using dialogue, empathy, and relational tools.

Who will be leading the May 2026 Sydney workshop?
It’s facilitated by Philipa Thornton, psychologist, with trusty assistant husband, Chris Paulin, who holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and over 40 years of experience. Together, we bring both professional expertise, lived partnership, and fun.

Do we have to share with the group?
No. You’ll work privately with your partner. Sharing is optional — only if you feel moved to.

Where is the May 7–8 workshop held?
In Sydney, at a comfortable, welcoming venue designed for safety, learning, and connection.


✅ Reserve your place early

Our next Getting the Love You Want workshop will run on 7 & 8 May 2026 in Sydney.

These weekends are intentionally small, intimate, and sell out quickly. If you’d like to be the first to secure your spot, join our priority list today.


Reclaiming Joy Together: Small Rituals, Big Shifts

In a world that often feels uncertain and heavy, your relationship can become a safe harbour. When the seas are stormy, it’s easy for the stressed, anxious, or serious parts of us to grab the wheel. Yet, beneath the surface, your joyful, playful, and hopeful states are still there — waiting to be invited back on deck.

From an Imago perspective, we care deeply about the issues that divide couples — conflict, disconnection, or unhealed hurts. But just as important is rekindling joy and nurturing the parts of us that celebrate, laugh, and feel most alive. Without joy, repair doesn’t last. Without rituals, love feels adrift.


The Science of Joy and Rituals

The Gottman Institute’s neuroscience research in their relationship lab shows that couples who create rituals of connection, whether a daily hug, a shared coffee, or a playful check-in, activate oxytocin and dopamine pathways. These “feel-good” chemicals build emotional safety and resilience, making couples better able to weather stress.

From a Resource Therapy lens, you can see this as giving voice to the joyful parts of you. When these states steer for a while, the ship of your relationship feels lighter, steadier, and more loving. Now, for some of us, this might be a stretch. I personally grew up in an environment where criticism was seen as encouragement to better yourself. A relic of old thinking, you might notice your own.


Try this Joy Imago Dialogue tonight 🌸

Sit down together, take a deep breath, and explore these prompts:

  • A small joy I’d love to share with you more often is …
  • A time I felt most alive and connected with you was …
  • What helps me celebrate our love is …

💡 Tip: As you listen, notice which part of your partner is speaking. Is it their playful state? Their tender state? Their hopeful state? Mirror back what you hear, and appreciate the part that has shown up.


Why Joy Matters

Every joyful moment is a conscious choice to steer your ship with intention. When couples honour the parts that want joy and fun, they strengthen their love story, creating ripples that echo out into family, friendships, and community.


👉 Your turn: What has recently brought you joy, laughter, or a small celebration in your relationship? Share it in the comments — your story might inspire another couple to reclaim joy, too.


Philipa’s Joy and Celebration Imago Dialogue PDF download here.

Engaged? Taylor & Travis just did it—here’s how to make your “yes” last

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce just announced their engagement 💍—cue the glitter, champagne, and endless playlists. If you’re newly engaged, too, congratulations! It’s a magical time, but let’s be honest: planning a wedding can bring as much stress as sparkle.

That’s where Imago Relationship Therapy gives you tools to laugh more, fight less, and grow a marriage that lasts.

At Marriage Works, we believe love lives in the everyday moments—what we call Love in the Real World. Here’s a playful guide to get started.


Talk so love doesn’t get lost in the planning

Wedding chat can turn tense fast (hello, guest lists 🙃). Imago dialogue slows things down so both of you feel heard:

  1. Mirror: “I hear you saying…”
  2. Validate: “That makes sense or I can understand …”
  3. Empathise: “I imagine you might be feeling…”

Try this tonight: Pick one tiny topic (cake flavour, song choice) and practise the three steps. If you end up laughing—bonus points.


Zero negativity (ZNP) = maximum fun

Stress brings snark. Imago’s Zero Negativity Pact helps keep it kind.
Swap: “You never help!”
For: “Would you be willing to call the florist by Friday?”

Couple cue: If negativity sneaks in, one of you says, “Reset?” and you both start fresh.


Small rituals, big connection

Engagement isn’t just planning—it’s practice for the life ahead. Build mini-rituals now:

  • Daily appreciation: one thing you love about your partner (tiny and specific). E.g. I love you, bring me coffee in the morning, you are so thoughtful.
  • Weekly check-in: 30 minutes on connection, logistics, and dreams. E.g. What wins did we have this week? How can we celebrate?
  • Stretching: do one thing that matters to your partner—even if it’s not your style. (Yes, slow dancing in the kitchen counts 💃🕺.)

Why start before the wedding?

Because wedding stress is like a training ground. If you can practise dialogue, zero negativity, and tiny rituals now, you’ll be better prepared for the everyday joys (and bumps) of married life.


💌 Want more?

  • Join our newsletter Love in the Real World for bite-sized inspiration, real stories, and practical tips to keep your relationship thriving.

Getting the Love You Want: A Psychologist’s Journey Into One of the World’s Most Transformative Relationship Workshops

After decades of working as a psychologist, couples therapist, and trainer, I thought I had seen it all when it came to helping people reconnect. Then I experienced the Getting the Love You Want weekend Imago couples workshop. It was unlike anything I had ever encountered: powerful, practical, and deeply moving, and it changed the way I think about relationships, both in my professional work, and in my marriage.

Grounded in Imago Relationship Theory, and Therapy, this internationally acclaimed program is not only for romantic couples. It is equally powerful for therapists, friends, colleagues, parent–adult child pairs, and adult siblings anyone who wants to communicate more effectively, understand each other more deeply, and build a relationship that lasts.


Where it all Began – A Love Story with Challenges

The Getting the Love You Want workshop was created by Dr Harville Hendrix, and Dr Helen LaKelly Hunt in the late 1980s. Their vision grew from both professional expertise, and personal crisis.

At one point, Helen, and Harville’s marriage was on the brink of collapse. They had even flown to New York to tell their children they were divorcing. Before meeting them, they wandered into a bookstore. That chance moment sparked deep conversations about love, safety, and connection. From that turning point, they developed the concepts and practices that became Imago Relationship Therapy (Hendrix & Hunt, 2017).


Meeting Helen in Las Vegas

A few years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Helen at the Imago International Conference in Las Vegas. She shared that story with me in person, and her openness, humour, and hope struck me. Hearing directly from one of the founders reminded me that Imago is not just a therapy model. It is a lived experience, forged in the fire of real-life relationships.


From Pain to a Global Movement

Since its creation, Imago Relationship Therapy has grown into a worldwide movement helping couples, families, and communities. In recent years, Helen, and Harville have refined their work into the 5Rs framework, a clear roadmap for creating and sustaining safe, connected relationships (Hendrix & Hunt, 2021).


The 5Rs: a Roadmap for Re-Connection

When you attend the workshop, you are guided through five key steps:

  1. Re-Commit – Making a conscious choice to invest in your relationship.
  2. Re-Image – Seeing each other with fresh eyes, free from past assumptions.
  3. Re-Structure – Learning the Intentional Dialogue, a structured way to speak and listen without defensiveness.
  4. Re-Romanticise – Rebuilding joy, appreciation, and playfulness.
  5. Re-Vision – Creating a shared vision for the future you both want.

Each step is practised in real time with your partner, colleague, or family member, so you leave not just inspired but equipped with tools you can use immediately. The bonus of having your personal workshop manual to refer to post-workshop is undeniable.


Common Fears

Many people hesitate before attending, wondering:

  • Will we have to share personal details in front of strangers?
    No. This is not group therapy. All personal work happens privately in your pair.
  • Is group sharing mandatory?
    No. Group sharing is optional and focuses on insights, not private stories.
  • What if we argue?
    The safety and structure of the Intentional Dialogue mean reactive patterns are stopped before they spiral. Our team will be there to assist you. You don’t have to go it alone.

While you work privately, seeing others practise can be inspiring. Many participants say that witnessing another pair’s courage helps them believe change is possible in their relationship.

Each step is practised in real time with your partner, colleague or family member, so you leave not only inspired but also equipped with practical tools you can start using straight away. You will also take home your own workshop manual, a valuable resource you can return to again and again to keep building your connection long after the workshop ends.


Is it Only for Couples?

While many people attend with their romantic partner, the workshop is equally powerful for:

  • Therapists attending with a colleague for professional development
  • Parent, and adult child pairs
  • Adult siblings
  • Friends or business partners wanting a deeper understanding and improved communication

Why this Work Matters to Me

As psychologists, and as a married couple, Chris, and I do not just teach relational skills; we use them. The Getting the Love You Want tools have helped us navigate differences, dramas, disconnects, deepen our understanding, and stay connected through the ups and downs of life.

Attending this weekend workshop with Chris years ago was so powerful, I am now on the journey to becoming a certified Getting the Love You Want Workshop presenter. My goal is to share this life-changing work with couples, families, and colleagues here in Australia soon.


Be the First to Know

If you are curious about the Getting the Love You Want workshop and would like to be the first to hear when I offer it, you can join my mailing list here for updates. I would love to one day meet you and share this wonderful journey with you.


References

Hendrix, H., & Hunt, H. L. (2017). Doing Imago relationship therapy in the space-between: A clinician’s guide. Routledge.


Hendrix, H., & Hunt, H. L. (2019). Getting the love you want: A guide for couples (20th anniversary ed.). St. Martin’s Griffin.


Hendrix, H., & Hunt, H. L. (2021). The space between: The 5Rs of safe and connected relationships. Penguin.


Johnson, S. M. (2019). Attachment theory in practice: Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) with individuals, couples, and families. Guilford Press.


Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (2015). The seven principles for making marriage work (2nd ed.). Harmony.


Tatkin, S. (2016). Wired for love: How understanding your partner’s brain and attachment style can help you defuse conflict and build a secure relationship. New Harbinger.

🧠 Why Deep Brain Reorienting Shifted Me Away From Polyvagal Theory

A psychologist’s reflection on the next evolution in trauma therapy

For years, I felt deeply aligned with Polyvagal Theory.
Stephen Porges’ work gave language to something many of us intuitively sensed in our clients: that trauma lives in the body. It offered a compassionate, neurobiological framework for understanding collapse, freeze, and our innate drive for safety. As a psychologist and trauma therapist, I found it invaluable.

But over time, something didn’t quite sit right.

Despite the framework and all the beautiful somatic tools, some clients weren’t shifting. They could explain their nervous system states, name when they were in dorsal vagal shutdown or sympathetic activation, and yet the core trauma imprint remained untouched.

They were working hard. I was working hard. But something was missing.

That’s when I discovered Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR).


✨ What DBR Showed Me That Polyvagal Theory Didn’t

DBR, developed by Scottish psychiatrist Dr Frank Corrigan (2017), is a neurophysiological trauma therapy that focuses on the moment of orienting that split-second reflex in the brainstem when the body turns its attention to something new, often unexpected.

In trauma, this orienting response is interrupted. The body tenses. The system prepares. Then something happens neglect, betrayal, pain, and the natural sequence is never completed. The emotion arrives before the body is ready.
The result is a neurological imprint: stuck, unfinished, and often beneath conscious awareness.

Corrigan’s model reframes fragmentation as an adaptive survival strategy rather than pathology. “Parts” develop to protect against overwhelming threat and attachment trauma. Through a neurobiological lens, he shows how subcortical orienting and defence systems including the brainstem, periaqueductal grey, and amygdala, drive dissociative phenomena, and how high-arousal procedural memory underpins many trauma symptoms. This understanding shifts the focus from story to sequence.

From a treatment perspective, Corrigan advocates prioritising safety, titration, and bottom-up processing. Rather than pushing clients into narrative exposure, the work involves tracking orienting reflexes and micro-movements until the nervous system can complete what it could not finish at the time of trauma. This approach aligns perfectly with DBR and explains why it reaches places other methods cannot.

Polyvagal Theory tells us: “We must help the body feel safe to regulate.”
DBR shows us: “We must help the body complete the sequence to heal.”

This isn’t just a theoretical difference.

Working with DBR, I began to understand that what’s often labelled as dysregulation or shutdown isn’t only about vagal tone. It’s an incomplete processing loop in the subcortical regions of the brain. It is pre-emotional, pre-narrative, and pre-interpretive.

And in session, when clients stay present with the orienting tension often felt in the forehead, eyes, jaw, neck or spine, we can gently help the system finish what it started. When that happens, the emotional charge dissolves. The trauma unwinds and processes naturally with the deep brain’s wisdom. There’s nothing to reframe, because there’s nothing left to process. Refreshingl,y clients often end the session with a new perspective on themselves aligning well with the work of Bruce Ecker (2012) on memory reconsolidation.


🧩 Why I No Longer Lead With Polyvagal Theory

I still value Polyvagal Theory. It opened the door to body-based work for many therapists and brought needed attention to the role of the autonomic nervous system in trauma.

But DBR has taken me, and my clients, deeper.

Here’s why I now lead with DBR:

  • It targets the origin of the trauma sequence, not just the symptoms
  • It bypasses narrative, allowing direct access to the body’s healing intelligence
  • It works at the subcortical level, before survival responses
  • The results are profound. Clients often say, “I didn’t know that was still in me, but now it’s gone”

As Corrigan, Fisher, and Nutt (2021) describe, trauma resolution isn’t about accessing memory content. It’s about restoring the sequence: orienting → affect → resolution. When that sequence is interrupted, no amount of insight or reprocessing will touch the core.


🧭 From Maps to Territory

Polyvagal Theory gave us a valuable map of the nervous system.
But DBR feels like the territory.

As a trauma psychologist, I care deeply about ethical, effective, and embodied healing.
I believe our work must remain curious, evidence-informed, and responsive to what the body needs — not just what our models tell us to look for.

DBR has shifted my clinical compass. It has helped me work more precisely with complex trauma, dissociation, and preverbal imprints.
I’ve never seen anything else reach so far beneath the surface with such gentle precision and long-term results.


📚 References

Corrigan, F. (2017). Personality fragmentation and complex trauma: A new perspective. London: Karnac Books.
Reframes fragmentation as adaptive, explains subcortical mechanisms such as the brainstem, periaqueductal grey, and amygdala, and advocates for safety, titration, and bottom-up processing in complex trauma work.

Corrigan, F., Fisher, J., & Nutt, D. (2021). Neurobiology and treatment of traumatic dissociation: Toward an embodied self. Cham: Springer.

Ecker, B., Ticic, R., & Hulley, L. (2012). Unlocking the emotional brain: Eliminating symptoms at their roots using memory reconsolidation. New York: Routledge.

Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. New York: W. W. Norton.


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Why the Betrayed Partner Feels Stuck


Understanding Post‑Infidelity Stress Disorder (PISD) Through a Resource Therapy Lens

After infidelity, many betrayed partners report feeling paralysed, emotionally frozen between fear, longing, rage, and grief. This experience is often misunderstood as simply being “unable to move on.”

In reality, it reflects deep psychological trauma, increasingly recognised as Post‑Infidelity Stress Disorder (PISD).

Using a parts-based framework, such as Resource Therapy (Emmerson, 2014), we can make sense of this stuckness, and offer compassionate, targeted strategies for healing.


What Is Post‑Infidelity Stress Disorder?

Post‑Infidelity Stress Disorder (PISD) is a non-diagnostic term originally coined by clinical psychologist Dennis Ortman to describe PTSD-like symptoms experienced after discovering infidelity (as cited in Gupta, 2023). While not recognised in the DSM-5, PISD has gained traction among therapists and betrayed partners as a meaningful way to understand the intense emotional trauma that can follow a relational betrayal.

Symptoms of PISD often mirror those of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may include:

  • Hypervigilance and scanning for danger
  • Emotional reactivity or shutdown
  • Nightmares or mental replays
  • Anxiety, confusion, and numbness
  • Difficulty regulating trust—even in future relationships

These are not overreactions. They are survival responses from parts of the self trying to protect against further emotional injury (Emmerson, 2014; Gupta, 2023; Mays, 2023).


The Resource Therapy Perspective: Who’s on Deck?

In Resource Therapy, these trauma responses are understood as the voices of different Resource States—distinct personality parts that step forward to manage overwhelming emotional experiences.

For example:

  • The hypervigilant part may be a Retro Protector State constantly scanning for betrayal to prevent more pain.
  • The confused or foggy part may be a Vaded in Confusion State, frozen in endless loops of “Why did this happen?”
  • The collapsed or despairing part may be a Vaded in Rejection or Fear State, reliving past attachment injuries.

Each part has a role, a voice, and a need. When these parts are unacknowledged or unsupported, they dominate the inner world—leaving the person feeling overwhelmed, stuck, and emotionally hijacked.


Why the Tug-of-War Feels Impossible

One of the most painful patterns in betrayal trauma is the internal push-pull between:

  • “I want to stay, rebuild, and feel loved again…”
  • “I cannot trust them or feel safe anymore.”

In Resource Therapy, we understand this as either:

  • A Conflicted State, where two opposing Resource States are active at the same time—one pushing for reconnection, the other retreating in fear or anger
  • Or a Vaded in Confusion State, where a part is paralysed in uncertainty and emotional fog, looping endlessly through “Why?”

These States cannot be “thought out of” with logic. They require part-specific access, emotional witnessing, and therapeutic relief (Emmerson, 2014).


When Early Attachment Wounds Reactivate

Infidelity rarely exists in a vacuum. For many, it reactivates older attachment injuries—from inconsistent parenting, abandonment, conditional love, or emotional neglect. These early wounds get stirred up, making the betrayal feel existential (Johnson, 2019; Levine & Heller, 2010).

Resource Therapy allows us to identify and work with the exact part that holds those early experiences. That part can be accessed, heard, and updated with new corrective experiences—creating genuine healing repair, not just coping.


Hypervigilance Is Not “Crazy”—It’s Protective

Betrayal often leads to a surge in behaviours like:

  • Checking phones, emails, or locations
  • Replaying conversations
  • Watching for signs of micro-expression shifts or tone changes

These behaviours are sometimes labelled as “controlling” or “irrational.” But in Resource Therapy, we recognise these as the actions of Retro States—protector parts doing their best to avoid being blindsided again (Emmerson, 2014).

This is not pathology—it is protection.


The Physical Cost of Betrayal Trauma

Betrayal does not just affect the mind—it shows up in the body. A 2024 study found that individuals who experienced infidelity were significantly more likely to report long-term physical symptoms such as:

  • Migraines
  • Cardiovascular strain
  • Gastrointestinal issues
  • Sleep disruption
  • Increased inflammatory responses (Oh & Hoy, 2024)

Even with strong external support, these physical manifestations can persist if the inner Resource States holding trauma are not accessed and treated.


Healing Is Possible—When the Right Part Is Heard

Traditional talk therapy may not reach the part of the self carrying the pain. This is where Resource Therapy offers a unique and effective solution.

Rather than working generically, RT provides part-specific, trauma-informed access:

  • Vivify the part that needs help
  • Bridge to the original wound or belief
  • Express safely and fully
  • Update the part with new resolution
  • Anchor the person back in conscious control and present-day safety

When the right part is seen and heard, the stuckness begins to shift. Integration replaces paralysis. Peace becomes possible.


You Are Not Broken—You Are Carrying Too Much

If you are a betrayed partner, know this: the way you feel makes sense. You are not weak. You are not overreacting. Your Resource parts are working hard to protect you.

And if you are a therapist, Resource Therapy gives you the tools to guide this healing journey with clarity, safety, and profound results.


🛋️ Want to Help Clients Heal After Betrayal?

Join the Clinical Resource Therapy Training
📅 Starts 31 August 2025 – Online
👩‍⚕️ With Philipa Thornton, Psychologist & RTI President
🌐 www.resourcetherapy.com.au


📚 References

Emmerson, G. J. (2014). Resource Therapy Primer, Old Golden Point Press.

Freyd, J. J. (1996). Betrayal trauma: The logic of forgetting childhood abuse. Harvard University Press.

Gupta, S. (2023, November 15). Post-infidelity stress disorder: Symptoms, causes, and coping. VeryWell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/post-infidelity-stress-disorder-6374057

Gunther, R. (2017, September 29). How infidelity causes post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201709/how-infidelity-causes-post-traumatic-stress-disorder

Johnson, S. M. (2019). Attachment theory in practice: Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) with individuals, couples, and families. Guilford Press.

Levine, A., & Heller, R. (2010). Attached: The new science of adult attachment and how it can help you find—and keep—love. TarcherPerigee.

Mays, M. (2023). The betrayal bind: How to heal when the one you love the most hurts you the worst. Central Recovery Press.

Oh, V. Y. S., & Hoy, E. Q. W. (2024, May 10). Being cheated on is linked to lasting health problems, study shows. PsyPost. https://www.psypost.org/new-infidelity-research-shows-being-cheated-on-is-linked-to-lasting-health-problems


💔 When Something Breaks Between You: Why Relationship Ruptures Can Feel Like Trauma

By Philipa Thornton | MarriageWorks.com.au

You may have seen the viral kiss-cam clip from a Coldplay concert. A couple is caught on screen. Instead of leaning in, they freeze. Pull away. Their faces say it all—shock, fear, panic.

Social media lit up with theories. Was it an affair? A secret? A mistake caught live?

As a couples therapist, I saw something deeper:
A trauma response.
A nervous system overwhelmed.
A moment where the body said, “This is not safe.”

Because when trust is broken—publicly or privately—it can feel like an emotional earthquake.


🧠 Betrayal, Infidelity, and Secrets Can Mimic PTSD Symptoms

You do not need to go to war to experience trauma.
You only need to feel helpless, unsafe, or deeply hurt.

In relationships, this can look like:

  • Flashbacks or obsessive thoughts about what happened
  • Difficulty sleeping or eating
  • A constant feeling of walking on eggshells
  • Feeling numb, frozen, or overly reactive
  • Panic, dread, or emotional shutdown when triggered

These are not “overreactions”—they are your nervous system trying to protect you.


💬 “Why Can’t I Just Get Over It?”

I hear this all the time in my practice.
You may love your partner and still feel unsafe.
You may desperately want to move forward—but feel stuck in replay, confusion, or mistrust.

That is not weakness.
That is a trauma wound, calling for care—not criticism.

Whether it was a betrayal, infidelity, emotional withdrawal, or a rupture you cannot name—your pain is valid. And repair is possible.


🪷 The Healing Power of Therapy and Couples Work

When a relationship injury happens, many couples do not know how to repair it, especially when both are hurting.

That is where therapy or a workshop can help you:

  • Understand and name what happened (and what it meant to each of you)
  • Learn how to regulate intense emotions and triggers
  • Rebuild emotional safety, one interaction at a time
  • Create new ways of connecting with honesty and care

Therapy provides a safe, structured space for your nervous systems to settle—and for your hearts to open again.


💛 Your Pain Is Real. And So Is the Possibility of Repair.

If the kiss-cam story hit a nerve for you…
If you are still carrying the aftershocks of betrayal, secrecy, or silence…
Please know this:

You are not broken. And you are not alone.

With support, couples can navigate even the deepest pain toward trust, truth, and emotional reconnection.

If you are ready to begin, Chris and I are here.

Reach out today by calling or emailing us. We are here for you.

It’s Not About The Glass… Or Is It?

Why This Is How Your Marriage Ends Hits Home

By Philipa Thornton, Relationship Psychologist & Imago Couples Therapist
President, Resource Therapy International

If I could hand every couple I see one book to read before the wheels fall off, This Is How Your Marriage Ends by Matthew Fray would be high on the list.

Not because it is full of fluffy romantic advice. Not because it gives you a 5-step formula to “fix” your partner. But because it gets painfully real, surprisingly funny, and devastatingly accurate about what actually erodes love.

And spoiler alert – it is not the big betrayals or dramatic moments. It is the empty glass left on the bench after you have asked – again – for it to be put in the dishwasher.


📖 Featured Book: This Is How Your Marriage Ends by Matthew Fray

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The Glass Isn’t The Problem – It’s What It Symbolises

Fray knows this because he lived it. A man who lost his marriage not in one catastrophic moment, but through hundreds of tiny, seemingly insignificant moments of “not getting it.” He thought he was a good husband. He was a good guy. But good intentions do not equal good impact.

The book opens with the story of the glass, how his wife asks him to put his used glass in the dishwasher. He doesn’t. She stops asking. And if you’ve ever had a partner, this hits you square in the chest. We all have our ‘glass’.

You can see both sides: the person who thinks “it’s just a glass, what’s the big deal?” and the partner who feels dismissed, disrespected, and unseen – again.

Fray writes with wit and self-deprecating charm, and beneath the humour lies something deeper: a call to wake up to how our everyday behaviours either build trust or slowly dismantle it. There’s hope here.

We Haven’t Been Taught How To Relationship

One of the most refreshing aspects of this book is that Fray doesn’t shame anyone. Instead, he shows us that most of us simply haven’t been taught the skills we need to do relationships well. This fits in with Imago Relationship Coaching beautifully –

  • We assume love is enough
  • We assume good intentions matter most
  • We assume that if something doesn’t make sense to us, it shouldn’t really matter

That – Fray argues – is where so many of us go wrong.

It is this lack of empathy in action that leads to resentment, disconnection, and heartbreak.

What I Love, And What I Recommend

As a couples therapist, I see this dynamic play out in session after session. It is rarely “infidelity”, “money”, or “sex” that is the true issue, though they may be symptoms.

The underlying cause is often this exact pattern Fray describes:

  • One partner raises a concern (e.g. the glass)
  • The other minimises it (“It’s not a big deal”)
  • The first feels dismissed, not heard
  • The cycle repeats
  • Resentment builds
  • Intimacy fades
  • And finally, someone says, “I just can’t do this anymore”

Fray writes in a way that is particularly accessible, especially for men and anyone who struggles to see how their good intentions can still cause harm. His voice reminds me of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson, and the relationship wisdom of The 5 Love Languages.

I especially offer this book to the men I coach who want to understand the nuances – what went wrong, and how to get it right moving forward. It invites insight and ownership, and it does so without shame or blame. It opens up reflection in a way that is honest and transformative.

You will laugh, and you will cringe. You might want to throw the book across the room (especially if your partner is reading it and starts underlining passages). But more than that, you will see yourself, and that is what makes this book so powerful.

Final Thoughts, And A Gentle Invitation

What Fray learned the hard way is something many of us need to learn, ideally before we lose what matters most. It is not just about putting the glass in the dishwasher. It is about showing that your partner’s feelings matter. That their needs matter. That they matter.

And yes, we can learn that.

Whether through books like this, or guided support such as our Imago workshops, therapy, or intensives, healing is possible – and deeply rewarding.

Because maybe – just maybe – this is how your marriage begins again.

Happy reading !

How Your Couples May Be Getting Stuck & What You Can Do About It

Last updated on August 14th, 2025 at 07:25 am

If you work with couples, you know the feeling.

You’ve introduced great tools. You’ve taught active listening, mirroring, and validating. You’ve helped them identify their cycles.

And yet… something still feels stuck.

One partner keeps shutting down. The other grows more reactive.

You’re managing emotional flare-ups, dissociation, blank stares – and despite your best efforts, it feels like you’re not getting to the root of the issue.

Sound familiar?

You are not alone.

Whether you are a seasoned couples therapist or new to relational work, these challenges are increasingly common. We know this from the ACES studies and neuroscience advances – trauma is everywhere. And they are often not a sign of clinical inadequacy, but of something deeper: unmet trauma showing up in the room.

That is why trauma-informed couples therapy is not just a buzzword – it is becoming an essential skillset for every therapist who works with relationships.


When Talk Therapy Is Not Enough

The traditional communication-based models – like Imago, EFT, Gottman, or PACT – are powerful. But when a client’s nervous system is overwhelmed by unresolved trauma, insight alone often does not land.

That is when you see:

  • Looping arguments that never resolve
  • One partner freezing or becoming flooded
  • Outbursts that seem out of proportion to the topic
  • Sessions where you leave drained or uncertain

This is where trauma-informed, body-aware approaches can create real shifts.

As trauma specialist and senior Imago therapist Maureen McEvoy says:

“When we integrate nervous system awareness and parts work into our couples sessions, we meet people where they are – not just where we want them to be.”


Why This Workshop Is A Must-Attend

We are thrilled to welcome Maureen McEvoy (Canada) to Sydney this November for a rare two-day workshop designed specifically for couples therapists:

🧠 Healing Trauma, Restoring Connection
🗓️ 8–9 November 2025 | 📍 Crow’s Nest Community Centre, Sydney
🌐 Book now to avoid disappointment

This is Maureen’s only Australian appearance in 2025, and it is a chance to learn directly from one of the field’s most integrative, compassionate, and experienced trainers.

She brings over 30 years of experience in:

  • Imago Relationship Therapy (Certified Senior Advanced)
  • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
  • Somatic Experiencing
  • PACT
  • Creative approaches such as art therapy
  • Justice Institute trauma counselling education
  • Clinical supervision and therapist mentoring

Whether you are Imago-trained, PACT-oriented, EFT-inspired, or creatively curious, this training will enrich your practice.

How Your Couples May Be Getting Stuck – And What You Can Do About It
Trauma healing. How Your Couples May Be Getting Stuck – And What You Can Do About It

What You Will Learn

In two experiential, practice-rich days, you will explore how to:

  • Work safely with trauma activation in the couple space
  • Identify trauma responses like freeze, fight, and dissociation in session
  • Use somatic and parts-based techniques to reach stuck clients
  • Integrate co-regulation tools and nervous system language into your framework
  • Support both partners while staying grounded and present yourself
  • Combine Imago, EFT, PACT, and other approaches through a trauma-informed lens

This workshop is not just about information – it is about transformation.

You will walk away with practical skills, renewed confidence, and a fresh sense of what is possible in your couples’ work.


Who It’s For

💪 You’re a couple’s therapist who has hit roadblocks in sessions
💪 You want to integrate body-based and trauma-informed tools into your relational work
💪 You feel a calling to deepen your presence and precision with complex couples
💪 You crave a training that is warm, experiential, and deeply practical

This training is open to therapists of all models and modalities. And if you are newer to couples work? It is the perfect foundation to build your confidence from the ground up.


Bonus Benefits

🟡 A beautiful Sydney weekend
Enjoy time with colleagues, connect with the Imago and wider therapy community, and take a tax-deductible CPD trip to a fabulous city.

🟡 Connection & Collegiality
Maureen’s teaching style is warm, inclusive, and collaborative. You will learn in a space where your experience is valued, and your questions are welcomed.

🟡 Practical Tools You Can Use Right Away
You will leave with worksheets, practices, and somatic tools ready to bring into your next session.


Final Places – Register Now

🎟️ Early bird price: $995 (ends 31 August)

This event is hosted by Philipa Thornton and Chris Paulin, wife and husband co-directors of the Australian Resource Therapy Institute. We are proud to bring this rare opportunity to the local community, and we look forward to welcoming you.

🌿Secure your seat now, spaces filling fast! Transform your couple’s work from stuck… to healing.

Book an appointment
0434 559 011
Weekdays 9am - 5pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)

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