2012

Counselors working with couples who have experienced infidelity report the difficulties in current treatments. Infidelity is said to be one of the top three reasons couples report for counseling. In a study by Whisman et al. (1997), infidelity was ranked as the third most difficult therapeutic problem to treat. According to the authors, counselors often approach infidelity cases with apprehension because of the intense emotional reactions infidelity elicits from couples (Whisman et al., 1997). Furthermore, in the treatment of infidelity, forgiveness is a crucial component that aims to help couples move forward from the painful emotions towards a healthier adjustment (Fife et al., 2008). However, introducing this concept to couples proves challenging for counselors, as clients have their own experiences, beliefs, and definitions of forgiveness. In fact, research suggests counselors must be meticulous even in the words they choose to portray the concept of forgiveness to couples, especially where the feelings of betrayal may still linger (Olmstead, Blick, & Mills, 2009).