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Approaching The Known Perpetual Affair: Couple Therapy Possibilities During Ongoing, Open Infidelity
Many prominent models of couple therapy have described ongoing affairs as a rule-out for treating the couple, and some even when the affair is openly known. One assumption is that progress cannot be made for the couple given the lack of agreement on the boundaries of the relationship and related lack of emotional safety resulting from the ongoing affair. Open, ongoing, “perpetual” affairs—where at least one partner of a monogamous couple is involved in an extradyadic affair about which the other partner is aware but not permissive—may pose a particular situation in which treating the couple rather than turning them away is beneficial. Couple therapy has been shown to be useful to improve communication, increase affection, and increase satisfaction within relationships, and couples facing open affairs also seek help for their relationships. A review and application of specific approaches applied to these couples demonstrates the benefits of treating the couple who are choosing to stay together while a perpetual affair (ongoing and known) is occurring. Further research may better guide and direct the application of these and other theories to couples experiencing a perpetual affair.
Abstract as published by the authors. Sanatio indexes the published record and links to the source.
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