Beyond Infidelity - by Lauren Larusso (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The first book that helps people transform the experience of infidelity into a catalyst for unparalleled personal growth--from the popular online therapist who has helped thousands do the same.

Cheating is a topic therapist Lauren LaRusso knows all too well, as both a professional who helps clients grappling with the realization of a partner's affair AND as a wife whose own marriage ended due to infidelity. Desperate for answers, LaRusso set to work learning every last thing she could about rebuilding her life and helping others do the same. Shocked by cheating's prevalence, she wondered: if millions of people are having affairs, why aren't we openly speaking about it? Why is the topic still so taboo? And most importantly: why isn't anyone talking honestly about how the partners left behind can rebuild their lives and reclaim themselves in the wake of it?

Most books on infidelity either focus on reconciliation OR they normalize cheating as a mere "warning sign" in a relationship. But the truth is, infidelity is cited as a reason for 60 percent of all divorces. And while that is a scary statistic, LaRusso is here to assure you that you can still find hope and even happiness on the other side of infidelity. In fact, great beauty and personal transformation awaits...if you know how to find it.

In Beyond Infidelity, LaRusso writes the book she wishes had existed when she was suffering in silence. With an interactive seven-step guide--taking readers from understanding what you're going through, to stabilizing yourself and curating your world, to breaking free and becoming whole--Beyond Infidelity meets readers where they are in their moment of crisis. With writing that is strikingly intimate, compassionate, and free of judgment, LaRusso's work flips the script on infidelity. Being cheated on, she explains, is not your fault. Even if your marriage ends, this moment can actually be an opportunity for lasting self-growth and healing. (Really!) This, LaRusso argues, is the true gift of infidelity--moving beyond betrayal and rising from the ashes of your relationship stronger than ever.

Review Quotes

"Beyond Infidelity is the book I wish I'd owned as I lived through my own infidelity trauma and recovery. Written with empathy, honesty, and the hard-won wisdom of her own life experience, Lauren LaRusso's book will be an invaluable guide for anyone in shock following the discovery of betrayal. Readers who open this book feeling lost and overwhelmed will find their way to healing and a new life." --Julie Metz, New York Times bestselling author of Perfection

"If your world has been shattered by infidelity, read this book NOW! Having been there herself, Lauren gets it on a personal level, but as a therapist she's seen what helps people climb out of the hole and build a new life they are proud of. Lauren is a writer after my own heart and mind--I'm such a massive fan of this book and can't recommend it highly enough!" --Dr. Lucy Hone, author of Resilient Grieving: How to Find Your Way Through a Devastating Loss

"Lauren LaRusso has written a rare and necessary book--one that meets the shattered heart with both empathy and wisdom. In Beyond Infidelity, she offers validation for the pain of betrayal while illuminating the possibility of growth, renewal, and wholeness on the other side. This book is both a map and a companion for one of life's hardest journeys." --Jessica Fern, author of Polysecure

"Part memoir, part clinical guide, Beyond Infidelity offers clear steps and prompts for navigating the devastating aftershocks of an affair. While centered on surviving infidelity, LaRusso's straight talk and steady hope make this a powerful guide for any betrayal--helping you navigate the darkness and find your way back to yourself." --Lindsey Dortch Brock, LCSW, author of After the Breakup: A Self Love Journal

"Discovering a cheating partner can be an enormously painful and reality-shattering experience. In Beyond Infidelity, Lauren LaRusso gently leads readers through the process of healing from an affair. Using personal stories and awareness-building questions, this book offers readers information, validation, and skills to grow through the experience." --Dr. Cortney S. Warren, Ph.D., A.B.P.P. Board Certified Clinical Psychologist, author of Letting Go of Your Ex

"Psychotherapist and relationship coach LaRusso, who is popular online, is an expert in the work of rebuilding oneself after infidelity, whether one is the victim or the perpetrator of betrayal...Her personal approach is driven home by the book's consistent use of the second person ("you will feel this..."; "you will need to do this..."), adding to its intimacy. Her simple aphorisms--change is neither bad nor good, just a matter of difference; wisdom equals emotion plus logic--carry within them kernels of practical truth...Practical words for moving forward after experiencing infidelity." --Library Journal

About the Author

Lauren LaRusso is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in extramarital affairs. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and creative writing from The College of the Holy Cross, and she received her master's degree in professional counseling from The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Lauren is licensed in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New York, and she also works with clients on a consulting basis around the world.