Infidelity
Infidelity is defined as a violation of the mutually agreed-upon expectations of exclusivity within a committed relationship. Rather than being limited strictly to physical acts, the American Counseling Association (ACA) and relationship experts recognize it as a "breach of contract" that encompasses emotional, physical, or digital betrayals that erode trust. It is categorized by a secretive diversion of intimacy, time, or resources toward a third party, which creates a traumatic rupture in the primary bond. Counselors treat infidelity not just as an event, but as a complex clinical issue involving a loss of safety, requiring interventions focused on transparency, emotional regulation, and the reconstruction of relationship boundaries.
