Words Mean Things

By Dr. Eddie Capparucci

It breaks my heart when I sit across from couples whose healing journey has already been made more difficult—not only because of the deep wound of betrayal, but because of the careless words spoken by those they trusted to help them.

Over the years, I have listened to betrayed partners and struggling spouses repeat statements they have heard from therapists, coaches, or group leaders. Words like:

• “He is the worst sex addict I have ever encountered.”

• “I can tell by what he said that he loved his affair partner deeply.”

• “These men never get better.”

• “You will have to worry about his relapsing for the rest of your marriage.”

• “If I was you, I would never trust him again.”

• “You will never know if he is really telling the truth.”

Can you imagine hearing these words when your world is already in pieces? Instead of offering hope and direction, such statements slam the door on possibility. They stack the odds against reconciliation, planting seeds of fear, doubt, and despair.

To Hurting Couples

If you are a betrayed spouse who has heard words like these, please know this: those statements do not define your marriage, your partner, or your future. Healing is already a difficult road; you do not need to carry the unnecessary burden of a clinician’s personal bias or careless remark.

Yes, betrayal trauma is real and life-altering. Yes, rebuilding trust is one of the hardest journeys any couple can face. But no one—no therapist, coach, or leader—has the authority to declare with certainty that your marriage is doomed or that your spouse is incapable of change. Growth and restoration are possible. I have witnessed them time and time again.

For the betraying spouse: careless words from a professional may have made you feel hopeless or beyond redemption. Do not believe that lie. If you are willing to do the hard work—facing your brokenness, developing emotional maturity, and learning to engage with empathy—you can change. You are not defined by your worst mistakes.

To Professionals

We must remember that our words mean things. Every statement we make has the potential to either breathe life into a hurting couple or drive the wound deeper.

We are not prophets. We are not judges. We are guides on a very painful journey. Yes, it is our duty to speak truth, and at times that means naming destructive patterns clearly—especially if abuse or manipulation is present. But truth can be spoken without pronouncing hopeless verdicts.

I met with a client who had previously worked with a therapist widely recognized as a leader in the betrayal trauma field. Despite never meeting or speaking with the client’s partner, this therapist met only with the client and, after just a few sessions, declared: “Based on the information you’ve shared about your husband, I would say he is a full-blown narcissist.” Hearing this left the client devastated and hopeless about the future of her marriage.

We must avoid making broad assumptions about individuals we have not personally met. It is both unprofessional and unethical to evaluate a spouse’s character, intentions, or potential for change—regardless of whether we interact with them directly. Such practices violate our ethical responsibility to ‘do no harm’.

Why This Matters

I am writing this article because I am grieved by the additional pain that careless words inflict on couples already carrying unbearable anguish. Betrayed partners are desperate for safety. Betraying spouses often sit in shame and self-loathing. Both need careful guidance, steady truth, and compassionate direction.

When we as professionals speak with cynicism, despair, or reckless certainty, we risk crushing the fragile hope that may be the only thing holding a couple together. And when betrayed spouses internalize such comments, they may abandon hope before the real work of healing ever begins.

A Call for Care and Compassion

If you are a couple walking through betrayal:

• Hold fast to the truth that healing is possible

• Do not let someone else’s words define your journey; their story is NOT your story

• Seek out safe people who will walk with you in truth and grace

• Challenge serious claims made by professionals and ask for clarification of how they came to that assumption

If you are a professional:

• Slow everything down and think carefully about what you say

• Avoid assumptions and resist the temptation to make pronouncements about a marriage’s outcome

• Speak truth with compassion, humility, and a recognition of the power you hold in someone’s most vulnerable moment

• Be sure to keep your own biases out of sessions

Bottom Line

Words mean things. And when spoken to those dealing with betrayal trauma, words can either plant weeds of despair or seeds of hope. As professionals, we must never forget the power we hold. And as couples, you must remember: no single statement from another person has the right to determine your story.

Hope is real. Healing is possible. And while the journey is difficult, with care, accountability, and compassion, restoration can be pursued.

Eddie Capparucci is a licensed professional counselor in Texas and the creator of the Inner Child Model™ for treating addictive behaviors. He is the author of numerous book including Going Deeper: How the Inner Child Impacts Your Sexual Addiction. He can be reached at [email protected].