Couples Recovery Guide: A 52-Week Journey to Hope & Healing

Written by Beth Denison and Mark Denison, the Couples Recovery Guide: A 52-Week Journey to Hope & Healing is a year-long workbook for couples navigating the aftermath of sexual betrayal. It is designed for the stage of recovery in which both spouses are ready to begin working deliberately on the relationship while still acknowledging the pain, confusion, and damage caused by betrayal.

Sexual addiction and betrayal often create two different but interconnected recovery journeys. The spouse who acted out must pursue honesty, sobriety, accountability, and meaningful change. The betrayed spouse must be given room to process trauma, establish boundaries, ask difficult questions, and recover a sense of emotional safety. This guide brings those two journeys together through weekly readings and exercises created specifically for couples affected by sexual betrayal.

The workbook does not assume that trust can be restored instantly. Trust is rebuilt gradually through consistent behavior, truthfulness, empathy, and difficult conversations handled with care. Its fifty-two-week format reflects the reality that marital healing is usually a long-term process rather than a quick series of apologies.

Who may find this helpful? This guide is intended for couples who want a structured framework for rebuilding after pornography use, sexual addiction, or another form of betrayal. It may work especially well alongside couples mentoring, individual recovery work, a support group, or counseling. Couples who feel stuck in repetitive arguments may benefit from having weekly topics and exercises that keep conversations purposeful. The goal is not merely to preserve a marriage at any cost, but to pursue honesty, healing, and the possibility of a healthier relationship.