Date

7-21-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Rodney Phillips

Keywords

Forgiveness, Infidelity, Marital Restoration, Christian Couples, Wounded Partner

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

Infidelity can inflict substantial damage to a marital relationship, specifically emotional trauma, broken trust, instability, and possibly divorce. However, some choose to extend forgiveness and work towards restoration of the marital relationship. The problem addressed by this study is the absence of known factors contributing to marital restoration from the perspective of wounded partners among Christians in the Mid-Atlantic United States. The purpose of this study is to understand which factors promote marital restoration from the perspective of the injured spouse in the Christian community from the Mid-Atlantic United States. The theoretical perspectives for this study are the Enright Process Model of Forgiveness (Enright, 2001) and the Worthington REACH Forgiveness Model (Worthington, 2006) as they are both psychospiritual and were helpful in gaining an understanding of the elements of forgiveness, emotional injury, healing, and reconciliation from the Christian viewpoint. A sample of twelve participants were recruited for semi-structured and focus group interviews. Findings revealed seven key themes: emotional and psychological impact, preexisting relationship vulnerabilities, meaning-making, catalysts for change, forgiveness as a process, barriers to forgiveness, and the significant role of spirituality. Participants characterized restoration as an intentional and evolving process, marked by personal reflection, relational effort, and spiritual influence, rather than a return to pre-infidelity state. These findings contribute to the field of marriage and family therapy and Christian counseling by providing a more nuanced understanding of forgiveness and marital restoration.

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