Healing Betrayed Families

In this episode, Morgan gives a listener-friendly introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS), also known as parts work — the idea that we're each made up of an internal "family" of parts. She walks through the core roles: burdened or exiled parts that carry old pain, shame, and fear; protector parts that work to keep that pain hidden, including reactive firefighters (rage, numbing, addiction, shutting down) and proactive managers (perfectionism, people-pleasing, overfunctioning); and Self, the calm, compassionate, curious core beneath all of it that IFS founder Richard Schwartz says every person has access to, even when it's buried.

Morgan connects this framework directly to betrayal trauma — for betrayed partners, betraying partners, and children alike, parts work offers language for why someone can feel love and rage in the same breath, or why "acting out" behavior is often a protector doing its job, not a character flaw. Understanding parts doesn't excuse harmful behavior or replace accountability and repair, but it can build compassion for yourself and for others in the family system as everyone works toward healing. She recommends No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz and Altogether You by Jenna Riemersma for anyone wanting to go deeper, and points listeners to a companion parts-work handout linked below.

Parts Work Handout

No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz 

Altogether You by Jenna Riemersma

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Enjoyed This Episode?

If this conversation resonated with you, here are three ways you can support the show:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a Review — Reviews help other people in the betrayal trauma community find this podcast when they need it most. It only takes a minute and means the world.

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About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her supervised private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

Morgan sits down with newlyweds Kenly and Tyler Meek, who met at 16 — just three days after Kenly's parents announced their divorce following her father's infidelity. Kenly shares what it was like growing up as a "betrayed daughter" inside a faith community where her family's story became public knowledge, the years-long road to finding the right therapist, and how boundary violations compounded the original betrayal. Tyler reflects on stepping into a support role as a teenage boyfriend, the toll of unintentionally absorbing "every role" in Kenly's life, and how his own family's healthier communication patterns shaped his approach. Together they talk candidly about parts work, nervous system triggers, and what it takes to become a generational cycle-breaker. The conversation offers hope for anyone who fears betrayal trauma means they can't build a healthy relationship. 

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

Enjoyed This Episode?

If this conversation resonated with you, here are three ways you can support the show:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a Review — Reviews help other people in the betrayal trauma community find this podcast when they need it most. It only takes a minute and means the world.

📲 Share This Episode — Know someone who needs to hear this? Send it to them. Share it on your social media. You never know who might be waiting for exactly this conversation.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her supervised private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, Morgan Ellsworth explores why children need somatic tools, not just conversation, to process stress and trauma. Kids, especially younger ones, often don't yet have the language or emotional maturity to express what they're feeling, so betrayal trauma and other stressors tend to show up in the body first: stomach aches, sleep issues, meltdowns, shutdown, or big emotional outbursts. Morgan shares practical, playful practices parents can use at home, including belly breathing, wiggle breaks, five-senses scavenger hunts, safe ways to release anger (like a punching bag or trampoline), and sensory swings — many drawn straight from her own experience parenting her young kids.

Morgan also unpacks the concept of co-regulation, explaining why children's nervous systems are so attuned to their parents that self-regulation often isn't realistic at a young age, meaning parents modeling their own regulation is one of the most powerful tools available. She closes with guidance on creating predictable calm-down routines at home and a reminder not to push kids to "use their words" before their bodies are ready. This episode is a warm, practical guide for any parent wanting to better attune to what their child's body is communicating.

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

Enjoyed This Episode?

If this conversation resonated with you, here are three ways you can support the show:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a Review — Reviews help other people in the betrayal trauma community find this podcast when they need it most. It only takes a minute and means the world.

💬 Join the Community — Connect with others who are navigating this same journey. You don't have to do this alone. 

📲 Share This Episode — Know someone who needs to hear this? Send it to them. Share it on your social media. You never know who might be waiting for exactly this conversation.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her supervised private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, Morgan Ellsworth introduces brainspotting, a body-based trauma processing modality that uses fixed eye position to access stuck emotion and trauma stored in the brain and nervous system. Morgan shares the origin story of brainspotting (discovered by David Grand during an EMDR session with a professional figure skater), how it differs from talk therapy and EMDR, and why it's especially effective for betrayal trauma, which so often lives in the body as hypervigilance, flashbacks, and freeze responses.

Morgan also walks through what a typical brainspotting session looks like, from identifying an activation or resource spot to the wide range of ways clients process (verbally, internally, or through somatic release), and offers guidance on aftercare, journaling, and giving yourself grace as your body works through months or years of stored trauma. Whether you're new to trauma therapy or looking to deepen work you're already doing in coaching or support groups, this episode offers a compassionate look at how brainspotting can unlock healing that talk alone sometimes can't reach.

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her supervised private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, I sit down with Katie Padilla — family law attorney, certified family law specialist, and founder of Bloom Family Law in Oakland, California. With 12 years of experience across litigation, mediation, and consulting, Katie has built something truly unique: a law firm that also houses a team of vetted divorce coaches to support the whole person through one of life's most disorienting transitions. She shares how she came to see divorce not as a failure, but as an invitation to awaken — a catalyst for deep personal growth, boundary-setting, and intentional living.

We explore what the research actually says about how divorce impacts children (spoiler: it's conflict, not divorce, that causes harm), and how parents who do their own healing work end up modeling emotional intelligence and safety for the next generation. Katie also reflects on her own experience as a child of divorce, the Buddhist teaching that changed her relationship to self-awareness, and why humility, not perfection, is the true currency of cycle-breaking.

This conversation closes with a reminder that feels especially fitting for the work we do here: we are all just walking each other home. Whether you're in the thick of betrayal, navigating a family in transition, or simply trying to show up 1% better than you did before — you are not alone in that journey. 🎵Walking Each Other Home by Emma Nissen

About Katie Padilla

Katie Padilla is a Certified Family Law Specialist, founder of Bloom Family Law, and a collaboratively trained attorney, certified coach, and meditation teacher who has spent 12 years reimagining what family law can look like. As a child of divorce, she felt firsthand the cost of prolonged conflict, and that experience became the foundation of everything she has built at Bloom.

Katie believes divorce is not just an ending. It is an invitation to meet yourself more deeply than you ever have before. Her practice blends rigorous legal expertise with trauma-informed coaching and a genuine commitment to keeping families out of unnecessary conflict, and her clients leave not just with resolved cases, but with a renewed sense of who they are and what they are capable of.

Email Katie

Visit her Website

Follow her on instagram

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of the Choosing Different mini-series, Morgan is joined by her mom, Hali Roderick, and her sister, Mataia Robinson, for an honest conversation about betrayal trauma's impact on the whole family, not just the marriage. Hali reflects on what she believed she was doing right at the time (staying reassuring, keeping hard details between the adults) and what she's since learned she missed about how her daughters were actually experiencing it. Mataia and Morgan share what that season of family trauma recovery looked like from where they were standing as kids, and how it's shaping the choices they make now as young moms of their own.

Together they talk about the protective patterns that form in the middle of survival mode, why validating both the parent's experience and the child's experience matters for real healing, and what it looks like to break old patterns on purpose instead of by accident. The episode closes with an invitation to the Becoming Together mother/daughter retreat.

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her supervised private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, Australian therapist Karen Bieman explores the complexities of relational trauma caused by hidden sexualities and gender identities. She discusses the emotional impact on partners and families when one member conceals their identity, emphasizing the differences between sexual orientation, identity, and behavior.

Karen highlights the unique challenges of betrayal trauma in these situations, where partners often question the authenticity of their relationships. Through her insights, she encourages empathy and understanding, reminding us that despite the difficulties, healing and transformation are possible for every family system. Join us for this enlightening conversation about finding hope amidst chaos.

About Karen Bieman

Karen Bieman is an Australian therapist, APSATS Certified Clinical Partner Specialist (CCPS), and Certified Deceptive Sexuality & Trauma Therapist. She is the founder of Not My Closet, a platform supporting partners impacted by betrayal trauma related to hidden same‑sex attraction, concealed gender identity, and undisclosed sexual orientation.

Karen works with partners navigating the psychological and relational fallout of long‑term secrecy, including loss of sexual-relational reality and identity shock. Her work is grounded in trauma‑informed, partner‑centred care that prioritises truth, emotional safety, and recovery.

Connect with Karen

Email:karen@notmycloset.com

Karen’s Website

Facebook page

Instagram

Clinical supervision & consultation

Join Karen’s email newsletter.She offers support and encouragement for straight spouses, partners of trans people, grown children of mixed-orientation marriages, straight allies, and even therapists, coaches and peer workers

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, Morgan Ellsworth dives into what happens after a disclosure conversation between family members. When a person or system that once provided safety becomes the source of harm, the body and mind have to relearn how to trust, and that takes time and care. 

Drawing from trauma-informed family systems care, Morgan explains how best to approach relational repair after family disclosure. This episode emphasizes that healing requires more than insight alone—it requires repeated, embodied experiences of safety. Healing Betrayed Families is designed to support betrayed partners, parents, children, and professionals seeking language, understanding, and a compassionate path forward after relational rupture.

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

Enjoyed This Episode?

If this conversation resonated with you, here are three ways you can support the show:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a Review — Reviews help other people in the betrayal trauma community find this podcast when they need it most. It only takes a minute and means the world.

💬 Join the Community — Connect with others who are navigating this same journey. You don't have to do this alone. 

📲 Share This Episode — Know someone who needs to hear this? Send it to them. Share it on your social media. You never know who might be waiting for exactly this conversation.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, host Morgan Ellsworth explains why being witnessed is so imperative to healing. Not only does community help with emotional regulation, but being surrounded by those who can empathize with your experience interrupts the isolation trauma causes. Betrayal trauma impacts a person emotionally and physiologically, and being witnessed and seen in pain begins the healing journey for each individual.

Drawing from trauma-informed family systems care, Morgan explains how betrayal trauma disrupts brain functioning, narrows the window of tolerance, and activates fight, flight, or freeze responses. This episode emphasizes that healing requires more than insight alone—it requires repeated, embodied experiences of safety. Healing Betrayed Families is designed to support betrayed partners, parents, children, and professionals seeking language, understanding, and a compassionate path forward after relational rupture.

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

Enjoyed This Episode?

If this conversation resonated with you, here are three ways you can support the show:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a Review — Reviews help other people in the betrayal trauma community find this podcast when they need it most. It only takes a minute and means the world.

💬 Join the Community — Connect with others who are navigating this same journey. You don't have to do this alone. 

📲 Share This Episode — Know someone who needs to hear this? Send it to them. Share it on your social media. You never know who might be waiting for exactly this conversation.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

What happens when a child no longer has to convince their parent that their pain was real?

In this episode of Choosing Different Mini Series, Morgan sits down with her mom, Hali Roderick, for a short, unscripted conversation about one of the most healing things a parent can offer: belief. They talk about the three quiet ways parents unintentionally dismiss a child's experience — through differing memories, good intentions, and simple unawareness — and why none of those things make a child's pain any less real.

Mentioned in this episode: 

If you're ready for a deeper connection with your mother or daughter,learn more about my upcoming retreat - Becoming Together: A Mother Daughter Retreat - hosted by myself, my mom, and my sister in Sedona, Arizona on September 8 - 12th.

Join us:FREE Parenting Through the Wreckage Webinaron Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 5pm Pacific

Get support for your children: Witnessed Group Coachingprogram 

Connect with Hali Roderick: 

Join me on social media for continued conversation, encouragement, and resources between podcast episodes.

👉 Instagram:⁠ ⁠@rootedandrising.healing⁠⁠

👉 Facebook:⁠ ⁠Rooted and Rising Healing with Hali Roderick⁠⁠

👉 Website:⁠⁠ ⁠rootedandrisinghealing.com⁠

If you are a betrayed partner, I also host a podcast called Rooted & Rising Healing After Betrayal, created specifically for women healing from betrayal trauma.

This show offers grounded, trauma-informed conversations, solo reflections, and tools to help you reconnect with yourself, reclaim your voice, and rise with clarity and strength.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

Listen to Hali’s Podcast

In this powerful conversation, Morgan sits down with Dr. Debi Silber, founder of the Post Betrayal Transformation Institute, to explore why betrayal trauma is fundamentally different from other forms of trauma and why it requires a specialized, informed approach to healing.

Drawing from research she conducted during her PhD program, Dr. Silber shares her groundbreaking discoveries, including the five predictable stages of betrayal recovery. She explains why time alone does not heal betrayal, how many clients become unintentionally stuck in survival mode, and how well-meaning but untrained practitioners can inadvertently cause harm when betrayal is misunderstood.

This episode is essential listening for clinicians, coaches, and anyone impacted by betrayal who wants language, clarity, and a path forward that leads not just to stabilization but to true post-traumatic growth.

Dr Debi Silber, PhD Transpersonal Psychology

Dr. Debi Silber, Founder and CEO of The PBT (Post Betrayal Transformation) Institute and National Forgiveness Day, is an award-winning speaker and 2-time #1 International bestselling author. Her podcast, From Betrayal to Breakthrough, ranks in the top 1.5% globally. Her groundbreaking PhD study revealed 3 discoveries that completely revolutionized our understanding of betrayal—and how to achieve full healing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Creator of the world's #1 betrayal recovery certification for life, business, health, and leadership coaches, Dr. Debi equips practitioners globally with her evidence-based framework so they can deliver exponentially better results with their existing clients. Featured on FOX, CBS, The Dr. Oz Show, and TEDx (twice), she equips practitioners with the missing framework-helping them move from uncertainty to confidence, from using general tools that keep clients stuck to specialized approaches that create genuine transformation.

Connect with Dr. Debi: 

Website 

The latest TEDx: “Do You Have Post Betrayal Syndrome?“

TEDx: Stop Sabotaging Yourself

The From Betrayal to Breakthrough podcast

Morning Minutes with Dr. Debi podcast

TikTok

Facebook 

Linkedin

Instagram

Youtube

Read her newest book

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this bonus episode of the Choosing Different mini-series, Morgan sits down with her mom and sister Mataia for an honest, unscripted conversation about how their relationship has evolved from Morgan's teenage years into adulthood. They talk through:

How trust and closeness shift once kids become adults — and why "too cool for you" eventually turns into missing your mom

Navigating marriage and relationship challenges as an adult child, and the boundaries that make it safe to share

Leading with curiosity instead of criticism when a child brings something hard to you

Why healthy repair after rupture matters more than never having conflict at all

Letting your kids make their own choices (even the ones you're scared of) — and trusting them to walk their own path

Redefining identity and purpose as a parent once the kids are grown and gone

This is a raw, real look at what it takes to keep choosing connection and repair as a family — even after everything's already been said and done wrong once.

Announcements in this episode:

🌿 Witnessed — a new educational & support group for teens (14–17) and adult children (18+) of betrayed families, launching in August.

🌵 Becoming Together Mother-Daughter Retreat — September, Sedona, AZ. A space for breathwork, sound healing, nature, and intentional connection.

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, Morgan sits down with Coach Katherine, a betrayal trauma coach, to explore the profound and often overlooked impact of betrayal on children. Katherine shares her deeply personal story of navigating parenting after her own intimate partner betrayal. She reflects on how each of her children responded differently to the trauma and how, in her own survival mode, she lacked the emotional capacity she wishes she could have given them at the time.

Together, they highlight how children often carry silent burdens, sometimes directing anger toward the betrayed parent, and how many feel unseen or forgotten during the crisis.

The conversation ultimately centers on healing, accountability, and hope. Katherine emphasizes the importance of self-forgiveness for betrayed parents and the possibility of repairing relationships over time through intentionality and presence. This episode offers validation for both parents and children, reminding listeners that while betrayal impacts the entire family, healing and reconnection are still possible.

About Coach Katherine

Certified Professional Life Coach through the American Association of Christian Counselors. 

Many women silently carry deep trauma after discovering their husband’s pornography use or sexual addiction, often with little understanding or support. I know this journey personally. After 34 years of marriage, my own relationship ended in divorce following years of betrayal connected to sexual addiction. Along the way, I also witnessed the pain it brought into the lives of my children, which deepened my understanding of how profoundly these struggles can affect an entire family.

Today, drawing on both my own personal journey, professional training, and experience, I provide a safe, compassionate space for women to share their stories, process their pain, and begin healing. Together we work through the trauma, apply practical tools for restoration, and move toward renewed strength, faith, and a life marked by clarity and joy.

I am also the grateful mother of four amazing adult children and grandmother to six wonderful grandchildren.

Check out Katherine’s Website

Read her bio

Email Katherine

 Check out Katherine’s free ebook

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In the final episode of the family disclosure series, we dig into the actual content of a disclosure conversation, what to say, what to leave out, and how to support kids before, during, and after. Parents often land on one of two extremes: sharing too much graphic detail (which can put kids in an inappropriate emotional caretaker role) or sharing too little (leaving kids doubting their own perception of what's happening at home). Instead, disclosure should rest on three pillars: naming what the child has already witnessed, real accountability from the parents involved, and concrete, actionable next steps rather than vague promises.

We also revisit the series' core idea of witnessing as a "dance." The goal isn't just informing kids of adult failures, but helping them feel truly seen in their confusion and pain, and inviting them into their own healing process. A 24-hour loop-back conversation is presented as essential, not optional, since that's often where real repair begins.

Finally, the episode covers how to help a dysregulated child return to baseline, and why parents' own self-care and nervous system regulation matter just as much as what they say to their kids. This wraps the three-part family disclosure series, with more episodes on the topic possible down the road.

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this follow-up to our episode on why families choose disclosure, we're diving into the how. Morgan walks through what it takes to prepare for a family disclosure conversation, from getting clear on what to share, to doing the emotional groundwork parents need before they can hold space for their kids' reactions. A recurring theme: disclosure isn't safe unless the parent can stay regulated through shame, discomfort, and their child's emotional response.

The heart of the episode breaks down age-appropriate approaches across four developmental stages, young children (3-7), elementary/preteen (8-12), teenagers (13-17), and adult children (18+), with guidance on what to share, what to protect kids from, and how to avoid turning children into emotional caretakers for their parents. Morgan also touches on why teens especially tend to already sense more than parents realize, even without the specifics.

The episode closes with guidance on what comes after the conversation: making space for ongoing questions, treating disclosure as a process rather than a single event, and connecting kids with professional support to help them process what they've heard. Morgan mentions her companion resource, Moving Children from Confusion to Clarity: Age-Appropriate Disclosure Language in Betrayal Trauma, as well as her upcoming Witnessed support groups for teens and adult children navigating family disclosure or discovery.

Disclaimer: This episode offers general education, not therapeutic or coaching advice specific to your family. Please consult a qualified professional to apply these concepts to your situation.

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Register for “Witnessed”coaching groups for teens and adult children 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this first episode of a multi-part series on family disclosure, Morgan Ellsworth explores why so many parents fear telling their children the truth about betrayal in the family, and offers a reframe: disclosure isn't the wound, secrecy is. Drawing on the concept of the "witnessing grid," Morgan illustrates the different positions family members can occupy — aware/unaware, empowered/disempowered — and how children often end up in the "black box": aware that something is wrong, but without the language, information, or power to process it. She introduces the idea of "ethical loneliness," the isolating experience of carrying a truth no one will confirm, and explains how thoughtful disclosure helps close the gap between a child's internal sense that something is wrong and a family's insistence that everything is fine.

Also in this episode: enrollment details for the Witnessed educational and support groups for teens and adult children of betrayed families (launching in August, early bird pricing through July 20th), and an invitation to the Becoming Together Mother-Daughter Retreat in Sedona, AZ, September 8–12.

Witnessing Grid(Weingarten, 2000).

Access the Weingarten article

Witnessed group information

Email Morgan for details on registration for the Witnessed groups.

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this heartfelt conversation, Morgan welcomes Cat Etherington, Director of Recovery at The Naked Truth Project — a UK-based nonprofit working to free lives from the damaging impacts of pornography and problematic sexual behavior. Cat shares openly about her own journey through substance addiction, early motherhood, and the betrayal trauma she later navigated in sobriety. With nearly two decades of recovery behind her, Cat offers a rare and powerful perspective on what it looks like to parent through chaos, rebuild trust with your children, and break generational cycles — not perfectly, but persistently.

Together, Morgan and Cat explore the profound impact addiction and betrayal have on the whole family system, and what it really takes to create safety for your kids — not just as an idea, but as a lived experience. Cat speaks candidly about parenting from shame, learning to regulate herself before she could attune to her children, and the hard-won lesson that repair matters more than perfection. She also introduces the concept of "60% good enough parenting" as a grounding reminder that you don't have to have it all together to be enough for your kids.

If you are a parent in the thick of trauma or early recovery and wondering how you can possibly show up for your children while you're barely keeping your head above water, this episode is for you. Cat's message is both honest and deeply hopeful: it's a marathon, not a sprint, and there is nothing you can't go back and apologize for. Connect with Cat and The Naked Truth Project at nakedtruthproject.com.

About Cat Etherington

Cat Etherington is the Director of Recovery for Naked Truth Project, she lives in Durham in the North East of England and is married with two daughters. Cat is a certified professional life coach and integrative counselling practitioner, working with individuals and couples impacted by problematic sexual behaviour and betrayal. Cat was the first ever European practitioner to be certified by the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS) and now serves on their Board of Directors. With personal experience of both addiction and betrayal, Cat has unique insight into the journey of recovery and healing.

Connect with Cat 

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Join us for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

Morgan is joined by Ellia Marcum, certified coach and founder of Mood Well Coaching, for a powerful conversation about what teens need most after family betrayal.

Ellia brings both professional expertise and lived experience to this discussion, sharing how betrayal impacts teens emotionally, behaviorally, and relationally, and how parents can support their children without forcing conversations, minimizing pain, or losing necessary boundaries.

Together, they explore the importance of emotional safety, consistency, validation, and witnessing a teen’s experience, as well as signs that a teen may be struggling even when they aren’t talking. The conversation also highlights common parenting missteps after betrayal, when to bring in outside support, and small, doable ways parents can rebuild trust and connection with their teens.

This episode offers reassurance, practical guidance, and hope for parents navigating betrayal while trying to show up well for their children.

About Ellia Marcum:

Ellia Marcum is a certified coach and founder of Mood|Well Coaching, where she helps teens transform emotional pain into personal growth and resilience. She is also the creator of Turning To Peace Magazine (ttpmagazine.org), a faith-based resource supporting partners healing from betrayal trauma. Through her coaching and writing, Ellia guides parents and individuals in cultivating presence, emotional regulation, and purposeful living after life’s most difficult experiences. 

Learn more at www.moodwellcoaching.com and www.ttpmagazine.org

Discount code for the magazine HEALING10

Free resource: How to talk to your children about family infidelity

Complete the interest list for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, host Morgan Ellsworth sits down with Hali Roderick and Monifa Ellis-Addie to explore how ADHD shows up across every part of the betrayal trauma family system–from the person with problematic sexual behaviors, to the betrayed partner, to the children caught in the middle. 

These three discuss what standard betrayal trauma treatment gets wrong when ADHD isn’t factored in, and what it looks like for a family to truly heal when both ADHD and betrayal trauma are part of the picture. This episode emphasizes that healing requires more than insight alone—it requires repeated, embodied experiences of safety. Healing Betrayed Families is designed to support betrayed partners, parents, children, and professionals seeking language, understanding, and a compassionate path forward after relational rupture.

Check out Monifa’s website: Banyan Therapy Group 

Check out Monifa’s podcast: Hope & Healing Chats

Check out Monifa’s Instagram: @intimateanswers

Check out Hali’s podcasts: Choosing to Stay After Infidelity and Betrayal & Rooted and Rising Healing After Betrayal

Complete the interest list for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, host Morgan Ellsworth discusses how to navigate difficult conversations with your children. When a question from your child catches you off-guard, there are tools you can use to make sure the child is heard, empathized with, and that their question is answered.

Drawing from trauma-informed family systems care, Morgan explains what your child is really asking for when they come to you with difficult questions. This episode emphasizes that you do not need to be a perfect parent, but that meeting your child where they’re at, while not compromising your own health, will lead to the best outcome. Healing Betrayed Families is designed to support betrayed partners, parents, children, and professionals seeking language, understanding, and a compassionate path forward after relational rupture.

Complete the interest list for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this conversation, Morgan is speaking with Amie Woolsey to discuss the often-overlooked impact of betrayal trauma on teens, young adults, and the entire family system. This episode was previously posted on Amie’s podcast “Choose to Be” as part of their series on supporting children through betrayal. In the conversation, Morgan shares both personal and professional insight as someone who experienced betrayal trauma as a teenager and now specializes in helping betrayed families heal through trauma-informed, family-centered care.

Together, they explore how children internalize relational rupture, why many trauma responses in teens are misunderstood, and the importance of giving kids language for their experience without overwhelming them with details. They also discuss emotional regulation, family culture, co-regulation versus punishment, and the delicate balance between protecting children and allowing them space to process their own healing journey.

This episode is an important reminder that betrayal trauma does not stay contained within the couple relationship. Children are deeply impacted too and healing becomes possible when families create space for honesty, emotional safety, validation, and repair.

Read Amie’s Bio

Listen to the“Choose to Be”podcast with Amie Woolsey and Alana Gordon

Listen to Amie“Empowered Divorce”Podcast

Complete the interest list for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

Welcome to the final episode of the Healing Betrayed Families podcast's DBT Skills series! In this episode, Morgan dives into interpersonal effectiveness, a critical set of skills for enhancing communication and relationships. Morgan emphasizes that these skills play a vital role in healing and relational repair in betrayed families. Mastering interpersonal effectiveness can create safety and help each member of the family system navigate the turbulent relationships after betrayal. By practicing these DBT skills, you can create deeper connections while maintaining your self-respect and values. Thank you for joining us on this journey through the DBT series!

Interpersonal Effectiveness Handout

Complete the interest list for theBecoming Together: Mother-Daughter Retreat

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

What does it look like when a mother and daughter do the healing work together? In this special episode, I'm joined by my mom and my sister to pull back the curtain on the Becoming Together Mother-Daughter Retreat, an intimate gathering just outside Sedona, Arizona, designed for moms and daughters who are both actively doing their personal growth work and ready to bring it into their relationship.

We talk about the heart behind this retreat, who it's truly for (and who it isn't), what makes it different from a conference or a girls' trip, and why the stunning off-the-grid location near Sedona, AZ is part of the healing itself.

If you're a mother or daughter who feels the pull to go deeper in your relationship while honoring your own becoming — this episode is for you.

If you're ready for a deeper connection with your daughter(s),⁠ ⁠complete this interest list⁠⁠ for more information about our upcoming retreat - Becoming Together: A Mother Daughter Retreat - hosted by myself and my two daughters near Sedona, Arizona on September 8 - 12th.

Check out Mataia's Podcast: Good Day with Tay

Check out Hali's Podcasts: Choosing to Stay After Infidelity and Betrayal

Rooted and Rising Healing After Betrayal

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit Morgan’s coaching website

For those looking for therapeutic support in Arizona, connect with Morgan at her private practice, Ellsworth Family Therapy

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, we delve into emotional regulation, a crucial skill for everyone, especially those navigating betrayal trauma or recovery journeys. This episode serves as a foundational guide to understanding and managing emotions, making it ideal for both adults and children.

Key Concepts:

Understanding Emotions: Emotions provide valuable information about our experiences, similar to a car's dashboard. They signal when something is off and help us communicate with ourselves and others.

The Importance of Emotional Regulation: Learning to identify, name, and manage emotions is essential for personal well-being and healthy relationships.

Challenges in Regulation: Factors like biology, lack of education, and environmental reinforcement can complicate emotional regulation.

Practical Skills:

Feelings Wheel: Use this tool to identify and articulate your emotions. Understanding secondary and primary emotions can enhance self-awareness.

Mindfulness Check-In: Regularly assess where you feel emotions in your body to create space between feelings and reactions.

Model for Describing Emotions: Analyze emotions through a step-by-step process to understand their origins and impacts.

Opposite Action: Identify the opposite of the emotion you’re feeling and create an actionable plan to invite in a more positive feeling.

Takeaway Message: Emotional regulation is a skill that can be developed with practice. Everyone, especially those in betrayed families, can benefit from learning these techniques to improve their emotional awareness and relationships. Join us next week for the final episode in our DBT series, where we'll explore interpersonal relationships.

Emotional Regulation Handout

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, we dive into the crucial topic of distress tolerance as part of our ongoing DBT Skills series. Building on last week’s foundational episode on mindfulness, we explore practical skills for managing emotional pain and distress. If you haven't listened to the previous episode, we encourage you to pause and catch up for a comprehensive understanding.

Key Concepts:

Understanding Distress Tolerance: Learn how to cope with emotional pain by accepting your reality, thereby preventing distress from turning into suffering.

SUDS Thermometer: We introduce the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) to help you gauge your emotional state and identify when it’s time to take action.

Recognizing Symptoms of Stress: Gain insights into physical, emotional, and behavioral signs of stress, emphasizing the importance of awareness and acknowledgment in your healing journey.

Practical Skills:

STOP Skill: A powerful acronym to help you pause, assess, and proceed mindfully in moments of distress.

TIPP Skills: Techniques for quickly altering your emotional state through temperature changes, intense exercise, paced breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation.

Radical Acceptance: Explore the concept of fully accepting your reality to regain control over your emotions and circumstances.

Takeaway Message: This episode equips you with essential tools to navigate emotional distress effectively. Whether you’re experiencing trauma or relational challenges, the skills discussed aim to empower you in your healing journey. Join us next time as we continue our DBT series with a focus on emotional regulation, perfect for those looking to deepen their emotional awareness. Thank you for listening!

Distress Tolerance Handout

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, we guide you through a DBT mindfulness meditation focused on trauma awareness and emotional regulation. This practice is designed to help you connect with your breath, acknowledge your feelings, and create a safe mental space for healing.

Review Morgan’s mindfulness handout

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, we introduce Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)—a practical, skills-based approach for navigating intense emotions, reducing reactivity, and improving relationships. You’ll learn the core concept of “dialectics,” or holding two opposing truths at once, and how this shows up in the idea of Wise Mind—the balance between emotional and logical thinking. DBT is broken into four key areas: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, all of which are especially helpful in betrayal trauma recovery.

This episode focuses on mindfulness, the foundation for all other DBT skills. Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present with your thoughts, emotions, and body sensations—without judgment. You’ll learn the “what” skills (observe, describe, participate) and the “how” skills (nonjudgmentally, one-mindfully, and effectively), along with a simple 4-step exercise to start noticing and relating to your thoughts differently.

Whether you’re new to DBT or looking to strengthen your skills, this episode offers a clear, approachable starting point. In the next episode, you’ll be guided through a mindfulness meditation to help you begin practicing these tools in real time.

Review Morgan’s mindfulness handout

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, I sit down with Pam Blizzard to talk about betrayal from multiple angles—her experience as a betrayed wife, the child of a sex addict, and now a professional supporting women and couples healing from betrayal trauma. Pam shares her powerful story of growing up in a home shaped by secrecy, addiction, and betrayal, and how those early experiences impacted her relationships, marriage, and healing journey later in life.

We talk about generational patterns, betrayal trauma in children, and what it really means to become a cycle breaker in your family. This conversation focuses on the importance of education, emotional validation, professional support, and creating a family culture where emotions are acknowledged instead of hidden. Pam shares practical wisdom for parents, partners, and adult children navigating betrayal and reminds listeners that healing is possible and cycles can be broken.

This episode is especially helpful for anyone who grew up in a family impacted by betrayal, is navigating betrayal in their own relationship, or wants to create healthier patterns for the next generation.

About Pam Blizzard: 

Pam Blizzard is a trauma-informed recovery coach, consultant, writer, and educator specializing in betrayal trauma and sex addiction recovery since 2017. Her work is shaped by her own personal experiences with betrayal trauma and addiction in her family, which now fuel her passion for helping others heal and rebuild their lives.

She is the founder of Recovered Peace, an educational platform offering online courses, coaching, and support groups for wives of sex and porn-addicted men. Pam also serves as the Director of Couples Care at Choose Connection Academy, where she works with couples using Dr. Jake Porter’s Couple-Centered Recovery® model.

Pam is the cofounder and cohost of the Hope for Wives podcast, which provides faith-based education, tools, and encouragement for women healing from betrayal. She has been a featured speaker for organizations including Helping Couples Heal and APSATS.

Her training includes APSATS, the Gottman Institute, Door of Hope, Early Recovery Couples Empathy Model (ERCEM), and Couple-Centered Recovery.

Connect with Pam: 

https://RecoveredPeace.com 

https://www.facebook.com/pamela.blizzard.35 

https://www.instagram.com/recoveredpeace/ 

Check out herBoundaries After Betrayal Quick Start

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, we continue the boundary series by focusing on what it looks like for parents to be on the receiving end of their teen or adult child setting boundaries. While this can feel uncomfortable or even painful at times, boundaries are not a sign of rejection—they are a form of communication and a crucial step toward safety, healing, and healthy differentiation. This is especially important in families impacted by betrayal, where children need space to process, grow, and reestablish a sense of security.

You’ll learn how to reframe your child’s boundaries as an invitation into a healthier relationship rather than a threat to connection. We walk through common emotional reactions parents experience and offer a practical framework for responding: stay calm, validate, respect the boundary, and avoid punishing the attempt. These skills help foster trust and create an environment where your child feels safe to express their needs.

As family dynamics evolve, so does the parent-child relationship—shifting from authority to mutual respect. While this transition can bring grief, it also opens the door to deeper connection and generational healing. You are not expected to navigate this perfectly, but with awareness and support, you can show up in ways that strengthen your relationship and model healthy boundaries for your family.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, we begin a two-part mini series all about boundaries within families. This first episode is geared towards teenagers and adult children, focusing on how to begin setting healthy, respectful boundaries with parents. 

Many teens and adult children feel like they are not allowed to have boundaries with their parents because it feels disrespectful, selfish, or ungrateful. But boundaries are actually a normal and healthy part of development, healing, and becoming your own person. Boundaries help create safety, agency, and healthier relationships over time.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why boundaries with parents are often the hardest boundaries to set

The difference between boundaries and emotional cutoff

How boundaries help with safety and stabilization in trauma recovery

Common areas where teens and adult children may need boundaries

A simple boundary formula for communicating limits

Practice language for setting boundaries respectfully

The DBT skill DEAR MAN for assertive communication

The JADE concept (not needing to justify, argue, defend, or explain)

Why boundaries are not rebellion, but emotional maturity

This episode is especially helpful for teens, adult children, and families navigating betrayal, divorce, family conflict, or changing family relationships as children grow into adulthood.

In Part 2 of this series, we will talk directly to parents about how to respond when your child sets a boundary, and how parents can set healthy boundaries with teens and adult children as well.

Boundaries done well do not destroy relationships, they make relationships safer, healthier, and more honest.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, I’m sharing part of a conversation I had with Melissa Macomber as part of her upcoming interview series focused on supporting children and families impacted by betrayal. Melissa is interviewing professionals and adult children who have walked this journey to better understand how families can support children emotionally after infidelity and relational betrayal.

In our conversation, we discuss one of the most important concepts for family healing: witnessing. Children in families impacted by betrayal are often aware that something is wrong but feel powerless and confused. Healing begins when children are both seen and heard in their experience, and when parents are willing to be honest, authentic, and emotionally present. We talk about how developmentally appropriate honesty, emotional validation, and open communication help children make sense of their story and move toward healing.

We also discuss common misconceptions parents have—especially the belief that keeping children in the dark protects them. In reality, children often carry confusion, anxiety, and responsibility when they don’t understand what’s happening. Giving children appropriate language and space to process is one of the most important steps families can take after betrayal.

We also talk about adult children, boundaries, anger, and how parents can support their children even when the other parent is not taking responsibility for their behavior. Parents cannot control the relationship between their child and the other parent, but they can support their child by helping them develop emotional awareness, boundaries, and coping tools.

This conversation is full of insight for parents, adult children, and professionals who are working with families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Melissa Macomber

Check outMelissa's Blog Postabout our interview

Summary of Interview Series

Subscribe to Melissa’s channel on Youtube

Follow her onInstagram

Melissa Macomber helps adult children navigate the emotional turmoil that follows a parent’s infidelity and rebuild healthier relationships with their families. A former therapist with 10 years of experience, Melissa’s work is deeply informed by her own healing journey after discovering her mother’s long-term affair.

In this episode, Melissa shares why older teens and emerging adults are uniquely positioned to process the fallout from a parent’s affair in ways that support healthier romantic relationships later in life. In her spare time, she is working on a memoir about her experience of healing from parental infidelity.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, Morgan is joined by Melissa Macomber, a former therapist and parent infidelity expert, for a deeply meaningful conversation about how parental infidelity impacts teens and young adults, and why this stage of development can actually be a powerful window for healing.

Together, they explore why adolescents and young adults are often at a developmentally ideal age to process a parent’s affair. Melissa breaks down what healing work can look like at this stage, including how young people can make sense of what happened, reconnect with their internal compass, and intentionally interrupt generational patterns of secrecy, shame, and relational trauma.

The conversation also covers:

Why teens and young adults are uniquely positioned to integrate truth, nuance, and emotional complexity

Practical steps for beginning the healing journey after discovering a parent’s affair

How to identify safe people to process with and why community is essential to recovery

Ways to build support systems that foster resilience, self-trust, and emotional safety

Melissa shares thoughtful insights on how both the betrayed parent and the involved parent can support their children during this process, offering guidance on accountability, repair, emotional attunement, and age-appropriate honesty.

This episode is for anyone navigating the ripple effects of parental infidelity, supporting a teen or young adult through betrayal trauma, or wanting to understand how healing at this stage of life can create lasting change for future generations.

Connect with Melissa Macomber

Check out Melissa's interview with Morgan

Summary of Interview Series

Subscribe to Melissa’s channel on Youtube

Follow her onInstagram

Melissa Macomber helps adult children navigate the emotional turmoil that follows a parent’s infidelity and rebuild healthier relationships with their families. A former therapist with 10 years of experience, Melissa’s work is deeply informed by her own healing journey after discovering her mother’s long-term affair.

In this episode, Melissa shares why older teens and emerging adults are uniquely positioned to process the fallout from a parent’s affair in ways that support healthier romantic relationships later in life. In her spare time, she is working on a memoir about her experience of healing from parental infidelity.

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

Registerfor our upcoming course for parents:Intentional Parenting After Betrayal 

In this episode, we share details about our upcoming Intentional Parenting After Betrayalcourse, a five-week course designed to support parents who are navigating the impact of betrayal trauma while also trying to show up in healthy, intentional ways for their children. Betrayal impacts the entire family system, and many parents feel overwhelmed trying to manage their own healing while also supporting their kids. This course is designed to provide guidance, structure, and support during that process.

Throughout the five weeks, we will cover understanding the impact of betrayal on the family system, how to move children into awareness through developmentally appropriate disclosure, rebuilding safety in the family, relational repair and empowerment for children, and creating a new family culture that allows for healing and post-traumatic growth. Space is limited to allow for meaningful discussion and individualized support. If you are interested in joining, please use the registration link provided in the show notes.

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, Sarah breaks down gaslighting in a way that is clear, practical, and deeply validating—moving beyond buzzwords to help listeners understand what gaslighting actually is, what it isn’t, and why it is so damaging to self-trust.

Together, Morgan and Sarah explore gaslighting through Sarah’s “equation” framework, explaining what must be present on both sides for gaslighting to occur, why covert behaviors are key, and how survivors can stop doubting their own thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.

This conversation is especially powerful for betrayed partners and parents navigating co-parenting or family systems impacted by gaslighting. Sarah shares how parents can support their children without bad-mouthing the other parent, why not gaslighting your kids is critical for their emotional development, and how teaching children to trust their inner experience builds lifelong resilience.

The episode closes with a hopeful reframe: gaslighting recovery is not just about survival—it’s about freedom, self-definition, and living authentically.

About Sarah Morales:

Sarah Morales is a Certified Professional Coach, Certified Relationship Coach, APSATS Certified Partner Coach, and the founder of Sarah Morales Coaching. She is also the creator of the Deconstructing Gaslighting® Academy, a groundbreaking educational and training resource that provides programs for every facet of Gaslighting experiences, with programs for the victims of gaslighting, the perpetrators of gaslighting that are in recovery and helping professionals. Her passion to empower others to transform their lives fuels her work with her clients and pushes her to continue developing new programs on the cutting edge of helping others grow to know, trust, and love themselves more than they knew was possible.

Connect with Sarah: 

www.deconstructinggaslighting.com 

Facebook and Instagram: @sarahmoralescoaching 

Email: sarah@sarahmoralescoaching.com 

Free Webinar Deconstructing Gaslighting™ Conversations 

Take Your Power Back (Video course or workbook) 

My "merch" (mantra-based stickers, journal, card deck, etc.) 

Registerfor our upcoming course for parents:Intentional Parenting After Betrayal

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this follow-up episode, we continue equipping parents with clear, age-appropriate language to support their children, and offer teens and adult children insight into critical concepts on the healing journey. The focus of this conversation is psychological abuse, using an umbrella lens that includes mental and emotional abuse. This episode is not about blaming or pathologizing a parent or partner, but about increasing awareness of patterns that can create real safety concerns within families and relationships. Listeners are guided through what psychological abuse is, how it differs from simple conflict or poor communication, and why understanding these patterns is essential for protecting emotional well-being and self-trust.

The episode explores common forms of psychological abuse such as gaslighting, blame-shifting, stonewalling, minimizing emotions, confusing circular arguments, and weaponized “honesty,” along with the emotional impact these patterns can have over time. It also outlines what healing looks like: rebuilding trust in yourself, learning and holding healthy boundaries, seeking support, restoring confidence, and creating safer, more respectful relationships. Above all, this episode offers reassurance and validation, reminding listeners that psychological abuse is real, that recognizing it is a powerful step toward healing, and that everyone deserves relationships that foster safety, growth, and emotional security.

Registerfor our upcoming course for parents:Intentional Parenting After Betrayal

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked reality that children can, and do, experience betrayal trauma when a parent’s infidelity, addiction, secrecy, or relational rupture enters the family system. Drawing from both personal reflection and clinical insight, this conversation breaks down the emotional, cognitive, behavioral, relational, spiritual, and sexual impacts betrayal can have on children. From heightened emotional reactivity and distorted beliefs about safety and trust, to acting out behaviors, withdrawal, and shifts in family roles, this episode offers a compassionate and validating framework for understanding what may be happening beneath the surface for kids in these families.

The episode also highlights key concepts from A Light in the Dark by Ken Adams and colleagues, outlining five common survival stances children may adopt after betrayal: the Parentified Child, the Invisible/Lost Child, the Loyal Protector, the Truth-Seeker/Vigilant Child, and the Acting-Out or Identified Child. These stances are not personality flaws, but adaptive responses to emotional instability and broken trust, and they can follow children into adulthood if left unaddressed. Whether you’re a parent seeking insight into your child’s world or an adult child recognizing your own story in these patterns, this episode emphasizes a powerful truth: you are not broken. With awareness, support, and safe relationships, healing is possible for both children and families impacted by betrayal.

Join theInterest Listfor our upcoming course for parents: Intentional Parenting After Betrayal 

ReadA Light in the Dark

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

Betrayal trauma is often talked about as a couple’s crisis, but betrayal is never contained to the marriage alone.

In this episode, Morgan Ellsworth and her mother, Hali Roderick, explore the often-overlooked impact of parental betrayal on children and the entire family system.

As both professionals in the betrayal trauma field, and as a mother and daughter who have lived this experience firsthand, they invite listeners into an essential conversation on generational healing, witnessing, and family recovery. 

They discuss how children often feel the impact of betrayal in the family, without the truth to give language to their experience. Without support, they often carry confusion, self-blame, distorted beliefs, and unprocessed grief into adulthood.

Together, they discuss how children often sit in an unaware and disempowered place and why compassionate witnessing, emotional validation, and developmentally appropriate disclosure are essential for restoring agency and safety.

Healing is messy. It is courageous. And it is possible across generations. 

View the Typology of Witness Grid mentioned in this episode HERE.

Join theInterest Listfor our upcoming course for parents: Intentional Parenting After Betrayal 

Read“Witnessing Wonder and Hope” 

Weingarten, K. (2000). Witnessing, wonder, and hope. Family Process, 39(4), 389–402. 

 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2000.39401.x.

About Hali: 

Hali is a Certified Partner Coach who supports women and couples navigating the painful and disorienting impact of betrayal trauma. She helps clients find solid ground again by reconnecting with their truth, setting and holding healthy boundaries, rebuilding trust in themselves, and reclaiming their voice. Whether someone is rebuilding a relationship, feeling unsure about next steps, or choosing to move on independently, her work centers the client’s healing first, empowering them to reclaim their story and move fully into the rest of their life.

Connect with Hali: 

Instagram: @rootedandrising.healing

Facebook: Rooted and Rising Healing with Hali Roderick

Website: www.rootedandrisinghealing.com

Listen to her podcasts! 

For couples: 

Choosing to Stay After Infidelity and Betrayal

For female betrayed partners in healing: 

Rooted and Rising Healing After Betrayal

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, Morgan addresses one of the most common questions parents ask during seasons of relational crisis: How do I explain what’s happening to my kids? She offers clear, age-appropriate language (geared toward teens 14+) to help families talk about two complex topics—betrayal trauma and compulsive sexual behavior.

This episode equips parents with practical language to foster honesty, reduce shame, and create clarity during difficult conversations, while reminding both parents and children that healing is possible.

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, Morgan Ellsworth offers a gentle, trauma-informed guided meditation designed to support individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

This practice invites listeners to slow down, reconnect with their bodies, and honor their emotions as they arise, without judgment, suppression, or self-blame. Through grounding, compassionate awareness, and nervous system regulation, this meditation helps cultivate internal safety and emotional resilience in the midst of relational rupture.

Whether you are navigating betrayal as a partner, parent, or child, this episode provides a quiet space to pause, breathe, and practice self-compassion on your healing journey.

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, host Morgan Ellsworth explores emotional regulation after betrayal and why dysregulation is a normal, nervous-system response to relational harm. When trust is broken within a family system, both adults and children experience a loss of safety that can lead to heightened reactivity, shutdown, confusion, and emotional overwhelm—often in different but interconnected ways.

Drawing from trauma-informed family systems care, Morgan explains how betrayal narrows the window of tolerance for parents and children alike, disrupts co-regulation, and activates survival responses such as fight, flight, or freeze. This episode emphasizes that healing within families requires more than emotional insight or explanations—it requires regulated adults, predictable environments, and repeated, embodied experiences of safety. Healing Betrayed Families is designed to support betrayed partners, parents, children, and professionals seeking clarity, validation, and a compassionate framework for restoring regulation and stability after relational rupture.

**Link to ⁠my favorite emotion wheel⁠

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist (CCPS) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, host Morgan Ellsworth explores what betrayal trauma is and why its impact reaches far beyond emotional pain. When a person or system that once provided safety becomes the source of harm, the nervous system shifts into survival, affecting physical, emotional, relational, mental, spiritual, and sexual safety across individuals and families.

Drawing from trauma-informed family systems care, Morgan explains how betrayal trauma disrupts brain functioning, narrows the window of tolerance, and activates fight, flight, or freeze responses. This episode emphasizes that healing requires more than insight alone—it requires repeated, embodied experiences of safety. Healing Betrayed Families is designed to support betrayed partners, parents, children, and professionals seeking language, understanding, and a compassionate path forward after relational rupture.

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist (CCPS) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, host Morgan Ellsworth explores why betrayal must be understood not simply as a relationship issue, but as a family-wide trauma that disrupts safety across an entire system.

When a person or relational system that once provided safety becomes the source of harm, the nervous system shifts into survival. This shift impacts not only emotional well-being, but physical, relational, mental, spiritual, and sexual safety, often affecting partners and children, in ways that go unrecognized or unnamed.

Drawing from trauma-informed family systems care, Morgan explains how betrayal fractures the sense of safety within a home, alters emotional climate, and leaves families feeling stuck, confused, or pressured to “move on” before true healing has occurred. This episode emphasizes that healing does not begin with repair or reconciliation, it begins with acknowledgment, safety, and understanding.

Healing Betrayed Families exists to provide language, validation, and a compassionate framework for families navigating the aftermath of relational rupture.

Who This Podcast Is For

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

Parents working toward accountability, repair, and reconnection

Teens and adult children experiencing parental betrayal

Clinicians, coaches, and caregivers supporting families through betrayal trauma

What to Expect in Future Episodes

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist (CCPS) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this introductory episode of Healing Betrayed Families, host Morgan Ellsworth shares the vision behind the podcast and the personal and professional experiences that led to its creation. This episode centers on the often-overlooked reality that betrayal, whether through infidelity, addiction, secrecy, or relational rupture, impacts the entire family system, not just one individual or relationship.

Drawing from trauma-informed family systems care and lived experience, Morgan explains why acknowledgment, witnessing, and accountability are essential for healing. This podcast is designed to support betrayed partners, parents, children, and professionals who are navigating the complex and long-lasting effects of betrayal trauma.

Who this podcast is for:

Betrayed partners seeking validation and support

What you can expect in future episodes:

Conversations on betrayal trauma, attachment, and family systems

Clinical insights alongside lived experience

Discussions on accountability, repair, and relational healing

A focus on restoring safety, agency, and dignity within families

About the host:

Morgan Ellsworth is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate and Board Certified Coach with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist-Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Partner Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.