The recent headline of Arnold Schwarzenegger revealing his secret of fathering a child out of wedlock in between his marriage got many women so furious over the Hollywood actor and former California governor.
The man was known to have gotten involved with several women in the past but the revelation that he had an affair with his own house staff without the knowledge of his wife Maria Shriver was just too much to take.
It was not surprising at all that Maria Shriver would walk away from their 25 years of marriage.
She felt so betrayed about what happened and leaving their home gracefully was just the best solution for her.
Infidelity remains to be a common problem in marriage with many relationships ending in separation or divorce.
But again, couples experiencing rocky marriages still have every opportunity to rebuild the relationship if only for the sake of the children.
It all depends on the spouses themselves.
Marriage therapists explain that betrayal can occur in two ways.
It can be that the guilty person is not aware that his behavior is betraying his or her partner.
It can also be that although the person knows what he's doing, he is overpowered by his emotions and could not control himself.
The other kind of betrayal is deliberate whereby the person knows exactly his behavior and does not care if he continues with it as long as he's fulfilling his selfish needs.
The lying and deceit that take place is what can cause so much pain to one partner.
Marriage therapists even consider a deep betrayal, such as in the case of Arnold and Maria, as a death wound that could be difficult to heal.
The humiliation suffered by the wife was just too deep as she was the last to know about the illicit affair that happened right inside her house.
During this very difficult time, particularly in the case of a betrayed wife, the support provided by family and close friends is very important.
Moral support can provide her comfort as she finds a way to protect herself.
Marriage counselors point out that public and family support can go a long way in helping people feel understood as they suffer from the pain and trauma.
Somehow, a wife also feels the need to be validated that indeed his man was unfair in committing the infidelity.
Where children are involved, therapists strongly recommend that parents not talk about the infidelity that happened.
Should a separation is unavoidable, both father and mother should tell the children that they will continue to cooperate to make things easier for them and that you will always be there to support them.
Be ready as well to anticipate anger and disappointment.
It is vital that the family members go through the healing process together.
On the part of the wronged spouse, allow yourself to feel the anger and disappointment.
It is absolutely fine if you are not willing to forgive your partner immediately after the break-up.
You have to let your spouse know how much he or she has hurt you and that it's not easy to just accept an apology.
Take the time to go through the process of healing and talk it out with a close friend or a professional if necessary.