After betrayal, both partners are caught in a storm of overwhelming emotions and survival responses. The betrayed partner feels the instinct to pull away for safety. The recovering partner often feels paralyzed by shame and the fear of doing more damage. Both are protecting themselves—and both feel alone.
In this episode, Geoff and Jody unpack why calming down together may feel impossible, but is actually key to long-term healing. They explore the natural push-pull dynamic created by betrayal trauma and offer a roadmap for how each partner can move toward stability, individually and together.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
For the Betrayed Partner: Why distance is a survival response and why still longing for connection doesn’t make you weak or “codependent.”
For the Recovering Partner: How your presence is what creates safety, and why allowing your partner to move toward and away from you is one of the most powerful repair actions you can take.
For the Couple: How to move out of a cycle of fear, shame, and reactivity and into a shared commitment to safety as the foundation of rebuilding trust.
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Download the Free Resource: You, Me, Us - A Way Forward After Betrayal
When betrayal has shaken your relationship, it can feel impossible to know where to begin. This free 15-minute video and companion worksheet will help you steady yourself, support your partner, and begin caring for the relationship between you. Get your copy here.
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Join the Courageous Together™ Program
Courageous Together™ isn’t just another course, it’s a trauma-informed roadmap that holds both of you in the healing process. If you’ve ever wondered “Where do we even start?” After betrayal, this program gives you the clarity and structure you need. It meets the betrayed partner’s need for safety while guiding the recovering partner toward real accountability, creating a path forward that neither of you has to figure out on your own.
You’ll have access to:
A structured healing framework with step-by-step guidance
Video lessons and worksheets to build safety, accountability, and connection
The option to join live group circles and support calls with me
A private, secure community of others walking the same path
Learn more and join us inside Courageous Together: www.geoffsteurer.com/courageous-together
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Stay Connected
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need it. And don’t forget to leave a review! We’d love to hear how this podcast is supporting your healing journey.
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Watch on YouTube
Prefer video? You can watch full episodes of From Crisis to Connection on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@FromCrisistoConnectionPocast.
______________________________About Geoff Steurer
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist and Certified Clinical Partner Specialist (CCPS) with 25+ years of experience helping individuals and couples heal from the devastation of sexual betrayal and broken trust. I am the founder of the Courageous Together program, co-host of the From Crisis to Connection podcast, and co-author of Love You, Hate the Porn. My work integrates trauma-informed care, attachment theory, and practical tools for creating lasting safety and connection. I’ve been married to my wife, Jody, since 1996 and we are the parents of four children.
About Jody Steurer
Jody is the co-host of the From Crisis to Connection podcast, where she brings her thoughtful, common-sense perspective to conversations about healing, trust, and connection. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University and is an ACA-certified coach. Jody has years of experience in corporate training, small business leadership, and family life, and raising four children (two of them n
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