Heart & Hope for Her

Home
Australia
Adelaide, SA
Heart & Hope for Her

Therapeutic support for women navigating partner infidelity and betrayal trauma.

23/10/2025

I hear this kind of advice so often from women trying to make sense of betrayal. It’s usually offered with good intentions, a hope to help things feel calmer, to ease the pain, or to support the couple in moving forward.

But for many, it lands like a second wound, leaving them feeling silenced, blamed, or unseen.
Often, it also creates confusion - leaving them feeling as though others see their pain and response as disproportional to what happened. Unfortunately, that can become the very thing that blocks healing and keeps them stuck.

That’s why I wanted to write about it. Not to criticise those offering support, but to bring understanding to what can help and what can hurt when someone is trying to rebuild safety, trust, and a sense of reality after betrayal.

Your need for truth, safety, and understanding isn’t too much. It’s part of recovering.

Safety sits at the heart of my work; creating space to make sense of what’s happened and begin to rebuild.
You can find out more about my work at www.heartandhope.com.au

08/09/2025

Boundaries can feel confronting.
After betrayal, they may stir up fear, anxiety, or even guilt, especially if you’ve learned to put others’ needs above your own.

But boundaries aren’t about shutting people out. They’re about staying true to your needs and values, protecting your safety, and creating the possibility of safe connection.

In recovery from betrayal, boundaries are essential. They help you rebuild a sense of self, remember where you end and others begin, and decide what is safe enough to allow in.

And this isn’t just about betrayal. Boundaries matter for all of us... in daily life, in relationships, at work. They’re the quiet internal structures that give us steadiness, protect our wellbeing, and shape how we show up in the world. This is why boundaries are woven into the work I do: they are not just limits, but tools for rebuilding identity, safety, and connection after betrayal.

04/09/2025

Healing after betrayal isn’t about quick fixes. It really is more of a consistent practice, and it’s built on the everyday basics: sleep. Rest. Making decisions. Boundaries. Needs. Focus.
The deceptively simple things that suddenly feel complicated, fragile, or even impossible after betrayal.

You’re not alone if these feel out of reach. Research has found that between 30–60% of betrayed partners report trauma symptoms at moderate to severe levels, often similar to those seen in PTSD. Trauma changes how the body rests, how the mind processes, and how safe it feels to trust yourself or others.

This series is about those deceptively simple building blocks of recovery - why they’re so hard, and how we can begin to understand them with compassion.

First up: Sleep 💤 Follow along for more 🤍

* References re studies Steffens & Means, 2009; Lonergan et al., 2020.

01/09/2025

After betrayal, even ordinary moments can feel overwhelming. Your mind may race, the images may replay, or your body might shut down and feel far away from you.

And when you’re in that state, it can feel impossible to do anything “big” to ground yourself. That’s why I’ve put together a set of tiny, sensory anchors you can experiment with.

This isn’t about fixing. It’s about having a few small practices you can turn to when things feel too much. Some may land, others may not - and that’s okay. You can always come back, try again, or choose something different next time.

Swipe through to find the “I feel → Try this” ideas. Notice which ones speak to you, and keep a few tucked away for the days you need them most.

29/08/2025

What I hear from many women is:
“It’s so confusing - I had no idea who to turn to for support.”
“I don’t even know what I should be looking for.”

And I get it. After betrayal, you’re already trying to make sense of so much. Adding the question of who to see for help can feel overwhelming.

It’s great that there are so many diverse helping professionals and supports out there. But that also brings a challenge, especially when you’re in a trauma response. We know trauma can affect memory, focus, and decision-making. So the very skills you’d usually rely on to weigh up options may feel harder to access in the moment.

This carousel is a simple guide to help make sense of the landscape. Not to tell you the “right” answer, but to give you clarity so you can ask the right questions and find what feels safe and supportive for you.

Different trainings = different lenses. What matters most is the connection, safety and feeling you’ve found a fit that matches and respects your needs.

And remember, you don’t have to decide straight away. I strongly encourage making use of discovery or connection calls, asking questions, and giving yourself permission not to feel pressured into choosing until it feels right.

Address

Adelaide, SA

Website

http://www.heartandhope.com.au/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Heart & Hope for Her posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Adelaide?