Infidelity recovery / INF-A16-1
Intimacy without Pressure — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind intimacy without pressure and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Lee wants shared meals but is not ready for physical affection.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. Emotional or physical intimacy is optional and cannot be used as proof of forgiveness.
The idea
Emotional or physical intimacy is optional and cannot be used as proof of forgiveness.
An ordinary example
Lee wants shared meals but is not ready for physical affection.
What this can look like
Identify wanted, uncertain, and unwanted forms of connection, including a right to change one's mind.
Check the fit
How will consent and changing preferences be respected? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
Understanding relationship context does not transfer responsibility for deception to the hurt partner or require a particular relationship outcome.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- How will consent and changing preferences be respected?
Conceptual background
Integrative Model of Affair Recovery — American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.