Linda is interviewed by Mike Hennessy about her book and her work helping couples recover from infidelity. Podcast is in two, one hour segments ..read more

THE WOLF AND THE SHEPHERD by Linda J. MacDonald   Betrayal has savaged your once happy family, Who lived on the hillside of love all aglow. The wolf of unfaithfulness smashed through your fences, And drooled rabid poison on all that you know.   Gone are the dreams of a safe bed to lie on, Innocence lost in the dark of the night. Trembling in pain, with no shoulder to cry on, Wishing for death before morning’s light.   You search through the woods for a cloak you can try on, To hide from the shame of your terrible plight.  Finding no cover or folks to rely on, You sink in de ..read more

PTSD is not only experienced by veterans of wars, but a number of other experiences can trigger PTSD symptom. In this workshop Linda explains how the shock of intimate betrayal can cause PTSD symptoms in betrayed spouses, which often goes undiagnosed ..read more

Roane Hunter interviewed Linda on his podcast, Sex, God and Chaos. In it she explains the fog of an affair and other relevant topics. First-hand experience with betrayal trauma is Linda MacDonald's superpower. An Infidelity Expert, Linda has dedicated her life to helping others through the post-affair fog. WIth a strong grip on her faith and clarity around who she is, Linda's ability help couples reconcile or dissolve well is a true gift. In this episode, she talks in detail about the subtle differences between acting out sexually and acting out an affair. Click HERE to listen ..read more

[NOTE: I wrote this several years ago. I am doing much better now, but further healing has taken a long time…]   THE PHANTOM LEG By Linda MacDonald   He told our mutual friend that I didn’t need protection. He said, “She’ll be OK.” OK? Easy for him to say. That all depends upon a person’s definition of “OK”.   You see, when I said, “I do,” my right leg became tied to a trusted, beloved partner to run a three-legged race going forward. We planned to be joined at the hip for the rest of our lives, learning the skills of operating as a team over whatever rugged terrain life brough ..read more

A Presentation I gave for Pierce County Counselors Association. While geared for professionals, general audiences may appreciate as well. Outline for Presentation on HOW TO HELP COUPLES RECOVER FROM INFIDELITY Introduction: Affairs: Symptom Model or Addiction Model? My GOALS for this seminar: --Grasp the idea that No One “Deserves” an Affair --Gain new insights so you won’t be “fooled” by an unfaithful partner --Increased ability to understand and normalize the intensely hurtful, traumatizing, dehumanizing experience of the betrayed spouse. --Ways to instill hope in couples looking for repair ..read more

Jonathan Dougherty of Be Broken ministries interviews Linda about her book. She shares a few new stories to illustrate how a former betrayer can repair the marriage and rebuild trust ..read more

Ever wondered how a decent, loving human being can turn into the kind of person who would coldly harm his/her spouse, upend their children’s lives, and turn away from God? A number of formerly unfaithful spouses have validated the following progression from faithful to unfaithful and rejecting:  THE EVOLUTION: You fell in love, got married and over time the illusions of endless evenings of fascinating, intimate conversations over candlelight dinners topped off with hours of steamy sex with your spouse are gone. Your dreams have been replaced with the tough realities of real life, relati ..read more

The Dawn of the Clueless Alien When Your Real Spouse Disappears… THE DAWN OF THE CLUELSS ALIEN By Linda J. MacDonald           [While both men and women may betray their spouses, I more often used the “he” pronoun to simplify my writing. Also, I wrote this mostly for the benefit of those who see such an attitude change in their spouses, when reconciliation is unrealistic. That does not mean I don’t think people can change. But for those who don’t, the betrayed partner can find the sudden turn-about in a formerly faithful spouse heart-wrenching ..read more

Here is an entry dedicated to betrayed spouses who are struggling with pain through the holidays. Triggers, painful reminders need not ruin Christmas forever. There is hope for your future.  I remember feeling empty and sad as I met with my small women’s support group of 10 years at Christmas time. While they had their own struggles, they were not living the disaster I was experiencing. When they talked about their holiday family vacations, remodeling their houses, and other such normal things, I’d be dying inside, thinking, “I don’t have a family to vacation with! Ours is torn apart! I a ..read more