What does it actually take to heal from infidelity? And what happens when the person who caused the betrayal isn't willing to end the relationship that caused it?
In Episode 8 of The Ask Jess & Dave Show, we are joined for the first time by a very special guest — our friend and colleague Lea Dawn, an expert in the terrain of infidelity — to respond to one of the most provocative listener questions we've received yet.
A man writes in after discovering his wife of 11 years had been having a secret affair with a coworker for nearly a year. After painful conversations, they both want to try to rebuild. But there's a catch: his wife doesn't want to end things with the other person.
She says the affair has led her to realize she wants an open relationship. He says it feels less like an invitation into non-monogamy and more like being asked to bless the betrayal.
Together, Jess, Dave, and Lea Dawn explore:
* What the actual process of healing from infidelity looks like — and what it genuinely requires from both partners
* Why the sequence of repair matters, and what gets lost when it's skipped
* The crucial difference between a conscious, mutual transition into ENM and using non-monogamy as an escape hatch from accountability
* Whether it's possible to do real healing work while the affair partner is still actively in the picture
* What the betrayed partner deserves — in terms of time, honesty, and genuine choice — before any conversation about restructuring can even begin
It gets juicy!
If you want to find out more about Lea Dawn's work, check out the following resources:
Website: www.LeaDawnLove.com
Quiz: LeaDawnLove.com/Quiz
Blog post: How to lose your hurt partner in 10 days (after an affair)
Got a question about love, relationships, or inner healing & transformation?
Send it to: AskJessandDave@theazuriteway.com
