How do I forgive my partner for cheating and move forward?

Hi, 

Trust is indeed very difficult to re-establish in a relationship when infidelity occurs. It often leads one to believe that they have not met their partners needs in some way, which is a misconception more often than not. Infidelity is more about the person who has decided to make a decision to look beyond their relationship for emotional or sexual connections. Infidelity is complex and requires evaluation in each individual case. Please see below for a few factors related to infidelity:

1. Simple desire to have sex with other people.

2. Unmet sexual needs - the need or desire to explore sexual avenues that may not be conventional or socially acceptable.

3. Dissatisfaction with one's self - general unhappiness with one's life overall.

4. Life events (e.g. recent birth of a child, loss of a job, death of a loved one, etc.....) - couples often experience stress related to changes in lifestyle. An example would be the birth of a child. One partner may feel that the focus and attention has been placed more on the child, and they are no longer receiving the attention or emotional connectedness that was experienced prior to the birth. 

5. Social media - social media has provided a platform for a lot of really good ways of connecting with others that we may not have otherwise communicated with on any level, or reconnecting with friends and family. However, we are often inundated with the illusions of perfectionism displayed on social platforms. This can lead to a longing or desire for the lifestyles portrayed on social media. 

6. Commitment issues - everyone does not have the same ideas regarding commitment. This is an issue that needs to be discussed in the very beginning stages of any relationship.

7. Low self-esteem - may lead to a need or desire to seek emotional and/or sexual connections with others to fulfill a void in one's own life. 

In closing, help is available to you to explore how you can develop the tools needed to address relationship issues. Please reach out if you have any further questions. I look forward to helping you navigate through this process if you wish to pursue assistance.