Grieving through Burbles, Triggers, and Trauma-Anniversaries,

with Dr. Karen Strange

Episode Summary

Grief is something every human experiences—but grief after betrayal trauma carries a unique kind of pain. In this episode, MaryAnn Michaelis LCSW, CSAT, CPTT and Dr. Karen Strange PhD, LMFT, CSAT, CPTT continue their powerful series on grief and betrayal, exploring why healing feels messy, unpredictable, and often overwhelming.

If you’ve ever wondered why emotions hit you out of nowhere, sometimes even decades later… why you feel numb one day and furious the next… or why your body seems to remember things your mind tries to forget—this conversation will help you feel seen, validated, and less alone.

Together, they discuss the truth many betrayed partners discover: betrayal can feel like a death—not only of a relationship, but of identity, safety, and the future you thought you were building.

This episode is compassionate, raw, and deeply grounding for anyone navigating the emotional aftermath of sexual betrayal.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why grief is not linear—and why it often feels like a “squiggly mess”

• How betrayal trauma mirrors the death of a relationship and the loss of reality

• Why people often experience grief as confusion, powerlessness, and loss of self

• What “delayed grief” is and why emotions can resurface years later

• Why numbness is a normal survival response (and not a sign you’re broken)

• How “trauma-versaries” can affect the body even when you don’t realize it

• The importance of having your story witnessed—without someone trying to “silver line” your pain

• How anger and rage can show up in grief, and how to safely discharge that energy through the body

• Why acceptance is often the moment emotions begin to intensify—not disappear

A Powerful Reminder:

Grief doesn’t end. It evolves.

And healing doesn’t mean you never feel pain again—it means learning how to honor what you’ve lost, hold compassion for yourself, and create space for your story to land.

If This Episode Resonated With You…

Please like and share it with someone who may be silently carrying grief after betrayal. You are not alone, and you were never meant to heal alone.

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Resources and References

• Kübler-Ross, E. (1969). On Death and Dying.

• Kessler, D. (2019). Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief.

• Perel, E. (2017). The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity.

• Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly.

• Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger.

• Levine, P. A. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice.

• Neff, K. (2011). Self-Compassion.

• Doka, K. J. (1989). Disenfranchised Grief.

• Freyd, J. J. (1996). Betrayal Trauma.

• van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score.

• Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body.