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	<title>Better Relationships &#187; emotional affair</title>
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	<link>https://www.better-relationships.com</link>
	<description>Marriage &#38; Couples Counseling, Psychotherapy, Premarital Counseling</description>
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		<title>When You Cheated on Your Partner, Is Disclosure the Best Option?</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/when-you-cheated-on-your-partner-is-disclosure-the-option/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/when-you-cheated-on-your-partner-is-disclosure-the-option/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jun 2018 22:25:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMITMENT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotional affair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ending a relationship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infidelity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust in relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.better-relationships.com/?p=4122</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So, you’ve cheated on your partner and are now struggling with the aftermath. You have guilt and lots of other emotions swirling around inside you. In fact, there are two different parts of you telling you to do vastly different things. On the one hand, you feel that you should tell your partner what happened and be honest. The other half says that you shouldn’t tell at all. In fact, you may have already convinced yourself that you will keep this hidden from your partner at all costs. What you decide to do now will have great ramifications for your relationship in the future. What should you do? Does Your Partner Deserve the Truth? One question to ask yourself is whether or not your partner deserves to know the truth. Note the keyword: deserves. This is different from whether or not your partner should or should not know the truth. In fact, the word “deserves” itself refers to worthiness. In any healthy relationship, your partner is deserving of knowing everything about you. Your partner ought to be the one person in your life that you can say anything to. But, if you have cheated on your partner, you can safely assume assume that your relationship is not healthy. So you need to take a good look at why you cheated and determine if its time for you to leave. If you want to continue the relationship and do your part to make it healthy, is not your partner worthy enough to know what happened? Don’t they deserve to know the truth? What Are the Consequences of Not Disclosing What Happened? You also need to weigh the consequences of what will happen if you do or do not disclose the affair. On the one hand, if you don’t say anything, your relationship stays as it has been. In fact, you may even feel that you have gotten away with the affair. So the short-term consequence could be favorable to you. This is especially true if you are seeking to avoid conflict with your partner. However, on the other hand, over the [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<title>Aftermath of Infidelity: How to Help Your Children Cope with Your Affair</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/aftermath-of-infidelity-how-to-help-your-children-cope-with-your-affair/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/aftermath-of-infidelity-how-to-help-your-children-cope-with-your-affair/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jun 2018 00:27:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FORGIVENESS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PARENTING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[children and divorce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotional affair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infidelity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=4086</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When a relationship is rocked by an affair, the betrayed partner is often the focus of attention. This is normal, since the hurt partner is traumatized. In the immediate aftermath of the affair, addressing this partner’s anger, pain, shock and confusion is of paramount importance. But if you have children they also feel the effects and need as much help coping with the painful situation as much as &#8211; or even more  &#8211; than your partner needs. So after your children learn about your affair, what can you do? Note: The worst possible scenario you could face would be that your child becomes suicidal. At the end of this article are the Warning Signs of Childhood Depression including what actions you would need to take. Prepare for Their Anger In the aftermath of your affair, your partner’s anger and pain can surge at any time, day or night. Sometimes it can seem like their emotions flood the home. If you have children, they too will struggle with their emotions. And if you’re unprepared for this you can get overwhelmed. Your child’s anger is a common reaction, especially if they are old enough to understand what an affair is. It&#8217;s also common for your child to immediately mistrust you about everything. And just like your partner, their pain and angry can erupt at any time. Sometimes children blame the hurt partner for allowing the affair to happen. If this happens try to be patient with your child. Refrain from overreacting if your child lashes out at either of you. During your affair you probably made excuses to the kids about not being able to spend time with them. Children will often do emotional somersaults in their mind in order to believe a cheating parent’s lies, despite knowing or feeling like they’re being lied to. Furthermore, they can feel unwanted and what’s worse, blame themselves for the affair. Once the affair is revealed a child can get very angry about having had to deal with these feelings and for wasting the energy trying to believe the lies. Regardless of what happens between [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<title>An Emotional Affair – What It Is and What It Isn’t</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/an-emotional-affair-what-it-is-and-what-it-isnt/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/an-emotional-affair-what-it-is-and-what-it-isnt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Apr 2018 04:45:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMITMENT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUPLES THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotional affair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infidelity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[intimacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=4007</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You may have heard the term “emotional affair.” Do you understand what it really means? Is it really &#8216;cheating&#8217;? Consider the following: What Is an Emotional Affair? An emotional affair can start off innocently but quickly develop into something more. How so? For instance, imagine that you are in a relationship. You feel satisfied with your partner and vice versa. Then someone new enters your life, or an existing relationship becomes more meaningful to you. For example, you begin to confide in a co-worker about your personal life; about your thoughts and feelings about your life. Soon you begin to look forward to seeing them at the office. You realize that you “click” with this person. You feel open and vulnerable, connected to them in a way that you haven’t felt before, or lately. But instead of talking about these things with your partner, you talk about it with this new person. Even worse, you don’t tell your partner what’s going on. You’ve slowly slipped into an emotional affair. How Is Talking Considered an Affair? Talking with another friend or co-worker is obviously not an emotional affair. It is the level of intimacy involved with the conversation along with the emotions that can make it so. After all, you could easily talk to a friend about a personal topic without having this type of emotional reaction. In fact, you most likely would have already had the same discussion with your partner. But once you begin to have an emotional reaction, like looking forward to seeing the other person, you are no longer simply having a private conversation. Once your feelings are involved, your conversations take on a degree intimacy. And if the other person begins to feel and behave as you do, an emotional bond has formed. When this bond comes into conflict with the bond you’re supposed to have your partner and you keep it a secret, you are having an emotional affair. But I Thought Affairs Were Strictly Sexual! Yes, it’s true that many affairs are sexually-based. However, remember that many who participate in an emotional affair do so [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<title>Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater? Myths and Facts</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/once-a-cheater-always-a-cheater-myths-and-facts/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/once-a-cheater-always-a-cheater-myths-and-facts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Apr 2018 22:31:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMITMENT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUPLES THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FORGIVENESS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotional affair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forgiveness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infidelitiy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online affair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unfaithful]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3990</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Clearly, whenever you’ve been cheated on, there are many feelings that arise. However, some of these emotions could be based on myths about those who cheat. And that can cause you to make decisions based on faulty information. If you are trying to cope with a partner’s infidelity, get the facts and reject the myths. Myth: “My partner cheated, which means they don’t love me anymore.” FACT: In reality, many people who cheat report that they did not cheat just because the relationship was bad. It is completely possible that despite your partner&#8217;s infidelity, they still feel very strongly toward you. In fact, their reasoning behind the affair may have had nothing to do with how they feel about you and much more about how they feel about themselves. Myth: “People who cheat once will cheat again.” FACT: That kind of thinking only sets up your partner to fail again. Yes, they made a mistake. But that doesn’t mean they are doomed to make it again. Everyone has the capacity to make decisions that affect their future. Your partner made a poor decision for your relationship by cheating. However, what they do afterward can mean a lot. You can see their attitude, for example, if: Your partner takes responsibility for their behavior and thee pain it&#8217;s caused. They sincerely apologize and asks for forgiveness. They have permanently cut all ties to the other person. Your partner wants to participate in therapy with you. They make an earnest and sincere effort to repair your relationship. Myth: “If I stay, our relationship will always be defined by the affair.” FACT: Certainly, the affair will have an immediate impact on the relationship. A major factor is trust. With any affair, the wounded partner will feel a loss of trust to the other. Yet, the cheating does not have to define the relationship in the long-term. If both of you want to make things right it will take a lot of work and commitment to change. For your partner, this means putting in a sincere effort to rebuild the lost trust. Of course, this [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<title>Hooked on Porn? 3 Ways Porn Addiction Affects Your Relationship</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/hooked-on-porn-3-ways-porn-addiction-affects-your-relationship/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/hooked-on-porn-3-ways-porn-addiction-affects-your-relationship/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Feb 2018 01:17:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[ADDICTIONS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Porn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotional affair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infidelity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Porn Addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3907</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Porn has become a household subject within the past few decades. While most people aren’t sitting around the dinner table discussing it in detail, we are more aware of its existence now than ever. In fact, many people have invited porn into their lives “just for fun.” Maybe you thought viewing a little action to “spice” up your own libido wouldn’t hurt anything. Now, you’re hooked. You can’t get enough. When you first started watching porn you may not have intended for this to happen. As life plays out, though, it’s easy to see that porn is anything but harmless to a romantic relationship. Ways Porn Addiction Affects Your Relationship 1. Decreases Sexual Satisfaction It may seem like an oxymoron to say that porn decreases sexual satisfaction. This is a reality for porn viewers, though. It may even be a reality for you. For example, watching porn can quickly alter your expectation of sex. Meaning, you don’t think or feel about sex the way that you once did. Your partner used to turn you on, but now arousal is difficult for you. Furthermore, porn viewers learn to expect something new each time. It could be a new scenario, new characters, or new angle. Your partner can start to seem boring to you because he or she isn’t anything “new.” Sadly, your partner may feel cheated by the fact that you choose to view porn over making love to him or her. This feeling of betrayal can quickly pull the two of you apart. If you don’t address the issue, then the gaping distance in your relationship will progressively grow larger and larger. This leads us to the next problem. 2. Decreases Intimacy Many people use intimacy and sex interchangeably. They aren’t the same, though. While intimacy can be sex and sex can be intimacy, it’s not automatic. Sex is, however, one of the deepest forms of intimacy. This notion is what porn twists. In short, when you make love you make love to a person. When you watch porn you watch sex organs. Porn has diminished both men and women [&#8230;]]]></description>
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