What is Betrayal Trauma and how can counselling help?

Betrayal trauma occurs when someone's trust is shattered by a partner's secret addiction or infidelity. In counselling, we focus on establishing safety and stabilization first, using psycho-education to normalize your experience of rage, hyper-vigilance, and paranoia before moving into deep healing and boundary work.

Do you offer in-person addiction counselling in Melbourne?

Yes. I provide face-to-face specialist counselling for addiction and betrayal trauma at my office in Croydon, in Melbourne’s South East. I also offer Telehealth sessions for clients Australia-wide.

How does lived experience improve addiction recovery outcomes?

Lived experience creates a 'bridge of trust' that clinical-only approaches often lack. By combining my Bachelor of Counselling with my own recovery journey, I offer an empathetic, non-judgmental space where clients feel truly seen while utilizing evidence-based frameworks like CBT and Motivational Interviewing.

Can you help with sex, porn, or gambling addictions?

Absolutely. I specialize in process addictions, including sex, porn, gambling, and shopping. We work together to identify unique triggers and use Polyvagal Theory and psychodynamic techniques to understand and rewire the neurological processes behind addictive cycles.

ABOUT

My path to becoming a counsellor didn’t start in a lecture theatre; it started in a park, sitting with my mum after a night of drinking. There was no cinematic rock bottom, just a deep and resigned exhaustion. I realised my life had become unmanageable, and I simply couldn't keep trying to fix it on my own.
That moment of clarity led to nearly eight years of recovery. In that time, I didn't just learn how to stay sober—I learned how to live. I transitioned from the chaos of active addiction to completing university studies, beginning a professional career in community health, buying my first home and realising that my lived experience was a tool I could use to help others navigating their own unmanageable lives.
Just as my life felt settled, I faced a second, different kind of trauma: discovering that my partner had been living a double life. The foundation I had built for my future crumbled instantly.
I know the horror that happens when the person meant to be your safe harbour becomes the source of your deepest pain. Processing betrayal trauma required a different kind of resilience. Through professional support and a lot of internal work, I found my way through that fog. It forced me to rethink intimacy, boundaries, and how we heal when our trust has been fundamentally broken.
I share these parts of my story because they are the why behind my practice. When you sit across from me, you aren't just talking to someone who has read the textbooks. You are talking to someone who:
Understands the grip of addiction and the hard work of long-term recovery.
Has lived through the "discovery phase" of infidelity and sex addiction.
Knows that recovery isn't just about surviving a crisis; it’s about building a life of integrity and joy.
Today, I live a life that once felt impossible. I’m raising my two children in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, enjoying a stable, happy relationship. My recovery is no longer a crisis I’m managing, but rather a learned set of skills I draw on to share with the clients I work with in my professional practice.
I provide specialised, evidence-based counselling for individuals navigating Addiction Recovery and Betrayal Trauma, with a clinical focus on supporting partners of sex addicts. I also offer generalist counselling, Borderline personality Disorder treatment, anxiety counselling, couples counselling and youth counselling.
Credentials & Memberships
Bachelor of Counselling (Majors in Addictive Behaviours and Group Counselling)
PACFA Registered Member
Clinically Supervised by CSAT and APSATS qualified practitioners (Specialists in Sex Addiction and Partner Betrayal)
Specialised Training & Frameworks
Somatic Psychotherapy: Addressing how trauma lives in the body.(EiseEducation)
Trauma-Focused Addiction Certification: (PESI Au).
MARAM Family Violence Framework: Ensuring safety and risk assessment.(DFFH)
Motivational Interviewing: Supporting the stages of change (American Psychological Therapies)
ASIST Accredited: Suicide intervention and awareness.

ABOUT

Sammy Molloy Counselling