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.

Approach

ADDICTION

For the person with addictive behaviours, we will work together to identify your unique triggers and develop a practical toolkit for high-risk situations.

I use psycho-education, and poly-vagal theory to help you understand the neurological processes that take place in the addicted brain. I teach you ways to rewire the parts of the brain that are hijacked by this addictive cycle and we work to repair the dysregulation of your brains reward system.

I draw on psychodynamic therapy techniques to explore past experiences that may have lead to the misuse of substances or the addictive behaviours in the begining. This in term, eases some of the shame that arises from repeatedly doing things we don’t want to do, and hurting those around us.

I draw on attachment theory and Pia Melody’s Facing Codependency, as we explore common relationship and attachment styles such as avoidant and anxious. Through this work you learn ways to become securely attached with yourself and those around you.

BETRAYAL TRAUMA

For the person experiencing betrayal trauma we establish safety and stabilisation before any deep processing can occur. I use psycho-education to normalise your experience through teaching you the biology behind betrayal trauma. This helps you understand why you may be experiencing rage, hyper vigilance, sleep disturbances, paranoia and other manifestations of this trauma.

We then do boundary work and explore what you need in your relationship to feel safe and begin healing. We workshop the next steps you can take navigating your damaged relationship and identify the nature of the relationship you want with the betraying person.

Throughout your healing journey you may wish to engage with other forms of support alongside our work. I have strong referral pathways to:

specialist support groups for other betrayed partners
CSAT-certified partner support
community supports if you are facing family violence or financial hardship.

‍ ‍

Approach

ADDICTION

BETRAYAL TRAUMA

Sammy Molloy Counselling