Online therapy for women carrying the weight of betrayal, secrecy or infidelity

Whether you're still in the relationship or not, you don’t have to make sense of it alone.

Hi, I’m Rachel. Welcome.

If you’re here, something deeply painful may have shattered the ground beneath you. Maybe it was infidelity, pornography use, or sexual behaviours that were hidden from you - until they surfaced and changed everything.
Whatever may have brought you here, your pain is valid. And you don’t have to make sense of it alone.

I work with women who are navigating the emotional and relational impact of betrayal, including affairs, compulsive sexual behaviours, hidden online activity, or the slow unravelling of trust in a relationship.

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Through a steady, evidence-informed approach, I work with you to support a sense of safety, reconnection, and healing - at your pace.

I'm a Registered Occupational Therapist and an APSATS Clinical Partner Specialist Candidate, offering online therapy across Australia.
Whether you're still in the relationship or not, this space is for you. Take your time looking around. I hope this can be a safe starting point on your healing path.

The impact of intimate partner betrayal…

… when you discover a betrayal whether it’s an affair, compulsive pornography use, secret sexual behaviours, or something slowly uncovered over time, it’s not just heart-breaking. It can feel earth-shattering.
Betrayal trauma is often gut-wrenching, disorienting, and isolating. It shatters not only the relationship, but also your sense of safety, your identity, and your understanding of the past and present.
The emotional pain runs deep, but it’s the confusion about what was real, who you are now and what the relationship truly was - that can be the most disorienting.

A person walking barefoot on the wet sand at the beach, carrying a hat, with their reflection visible in the shallow water.

So what is intimate partner betrayal trauma?

Betrayal trauma occurs when someone you deeply trust, often a long-term or intimate partner, violates that trust through deception, secrecy, or sexual acting out. This may include infidelity, compulsive pornography use, hidden behaviours, emotional betrayals, or the uncovering of a long-kept double life. These betrayals are often deliberately concealed, leaving you to question everything you thought was true. Because the trauma comes from the person who was meant to be safe, the impact is uniquely distressing and complex.

Following discovery of betrayal(s) it is not uncommon to experience some of the following:

Beginning the work of healing

Whilst the path of healing from betrayal trauma looks different for each woman, there are few key components that are important to know about and seek support with. One of the most important steps is finding the support that suits you. You may not know who to turn to, or perhaps you’ve already tried various forms of support, but none have fully resonated. Navigating the devastation of intimate partner betrayal - especially when it involves sex or porn addiction - can feel like navigating an entirely different world and speaking a foreign language.

Finding the right therapeutic fit - someone who understands the complexities of betrayal trauma and has specific training in this area is essential. This kind of support can feel deeply validating; helping you to make sense of your experience in a way that truly resonates and that supports you along your own path towards healing.

My approach is grounded in working with you to…

(click through the below headings to read more)

    • Understand betrayal trauma and how it can impact the brain, body and relationships

    • Explore and understand the impact of compulsive secret sexual behaviour

    • Explore and map your triggers

    • Identify your current needs for safety, support and stabilisation

    • Be able to acknowledge and express the unique pain that is betrayal trauma

    • Recognise and appreciate your resilience and coping abilities

    • Explore realistic expectations for your healing and the possible relationship recovery

    • Build and access a safe support community

    • Re-write narratives about your story so that they serve you

    • Separate your self and worth from the choices and behaviours of your partner (understand and believe you did not cause the betrayal)

    • Create small, manageable steps that feel safe and empowering

    • Find safe and do-able ways to stay connect to life and self - even when it’s hard

    • Develop boundaries that protect your nervous system and emotional wellbeing

    • Create ways to ‘live in question’ during the acute stages of trauma (when making life changing decisions may not be feasible)

    • Shift the focus back on to your self care and your needs

    • Reconnect, discover and get to know your core values, strengths and aspirations

    • Begin rebuilding trust in yourself as you navigate this unfamiliar terrain

There’s no single path… it is about creating the one that makes sense for you.

At the heart of this work, we hold space for three guiding focuses.

  • A gray heart with cracks running through it, symbolizing a broken or fractured heart.

    Her Knowing

    Support to explore the depth and complexity of betrayal trauma and, if relevant, the impact of sex or pornography addiction.
    This work creates space for awareness, reflection, and meaning-making. It offers a beginning place to reconnect with what your body, mind, and story may already be telling you.

  • Illustration of a heart with visible cracks, some of which are dark and others are light yellow, symbolizing a broken heart.

    Her Voice

    A safe, steady space for when things feel dark, chaotic, or disorienting.
    Here, you don’t need to carry things alone or in silence. This is a place where your voice is welcomed, respected, and heard - without pressure or judgment.

  • A heart with visible cracks and lightning-like lines indicating damage or illness.

    Her Way

    There is no one path forward.
    This space supports you to reconnect with your internal compass - your values, needs, and identity - so you can move through this experience in a way that feels clear, supported, and true to yourself.

Wondering if working together is right for you?

If you're a betrayed partner and curious about connecting, you're welcome to complete the contact form below.

I offer a free 15-minute phone call to help us both explore whether this support feels like the right fit for you.

Before getting in touch, I encourage you to read the About section of my website, where you'll find more about me and my approach.

There’s no pressure - just a quiet space to start the conversation.
I look forward to hearing from you when you’re ready.

Download my free

‘Surviving the Storm’ worksheet

I hope this is a useful tool to help you start to navigate the early stages of betrayal trauma.

A quiet space between the noise.
Follow along for moments of calm, gentle reflections, language for the things that feel hard to hold, and reminders that healing is possible.

  • Sunrise over a misty forest with tall trees and rolling hills.

  • A young woman with long light brown hair smiling outdoors in front of lush green trees and shrubs, wearing a light beige button-up shirt.

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