The Courage to Stay: How to Heal From an Affair and Save Your Marriage

Rebuild the lost trust in your relationship, heal from the trauma of infidelity, and create a stronger, more resilient marriage with a proven program based on 22 years of clinical experience.

Nothing hurts more than discovering your partner has been unfaithful. But an affair doesn’t mean your partner doesn’t love you or that your relationship is over. Many couples have recovered from infidelity and saved their marriages. You can too.

From nationally recognized relationship expert, Dr. Kathy Nickerson, comes a step-by-step guide to help couples stay together and recover from an affair. The Courage to Stay leads both partners through each phase of their healing process –– from suspicion and discovery to rebuilding and recovery.

Pulling from over two decades of experience working with thousands of couples as a licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Kathy gives you a powerful blueprint for healing from the trauma of infidelity. You will be compassionately and expertly guided through the anguish, resentment, and overwhelm of an affair –– towards safety, trust, and a renewed relationship.

In this revolutionary affair recovery book, you will learn how to: Tell your partner you know about the affair, so you can stop it and start healing. Discuss the details of the affair, so you both feel safe and heard. End all contact with the affair partner and increase transparency, so you can rebuild trust. Explore why the affair happened, so you can move towards forgiveness. Manage triggers and build trust, so you can feel more comfortable and secure. Uncover the trauma or pain that caused the affair, so you can make sure it never happens again. Navigate the 8 critical steps to healing and what to do if you hit some roadblocks along the way.
ADVANCE PRAISE for THE COURAGE TO STAY:

"The most comprehensive book about healing from affairs that I have professionally come across. In today's world of discarding families in favor of divorce, every couple that values their family staying together and healing should read this."
-Dr. Teralyn Sell, Psychotherapist and Forbes, NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC Contributor

"The exact book I’d recommend to anyone working to save their relationship from the discovery of an affair. Readers will find plenty of solid information on what to do and what not to do, based on Dr. Nickerson’s years of experience and the science of relationships."
-Dr. Stephanie Buehler, Director, The Buehler Institute, Psychologist, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, & ISSWSH Fellow

“This book—part instruction manual, part warm hug—finally shows us that marriage after infidelity isn’t binary. One needn’t be either the scorned divorcé or tortured spouse. It lays out the work that must be done to heal the trauma that caused and resulted from the affair. It’s a blueprint for healing; a blueprint for love.”
-Joanna Beeman, Author and Health Literacy Advocate

"The Courage to Stay is beyond insightful and helpful for those going through an affair. This book gives play-by-play instructions for both betrayer and betrayed. Dr. Nickerson’s wise words and calming tone come through these pages, as couples can engage throughout this book and navigate this difficult situation together."
-Rece, Affair Recovery Specialist

“The Courage to Stay is a robust and worthy guide to help you heal from an affair. It is jam-packed with things to DO if you want to heal from an affair, including how to address your moments of broken-heartedness, despair, guilt, rage, and shame and how to talk to each other assertively but with compassion and kindness. This is a treasure trove, written with gentleness and force, designed for two people who want to stitch a marriage back together.”
-Dr. Nancy Young, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Gottman Master Trainer