Love in Recovery: How Couples Therapy Supports Healing from Addiction
Addiction Doesn’t Just Impact the Person Struggling—It Affects the Relationship, Too.
When addiction enters a relationship, it becomes the third partner: shaping every decision, distorting trust, and fueling conflict cycles. Even when sobriety is achieved, many couples are left wondering, “How do we repair the damage and reconnect?”
This is where couples therapy for addiction comes in—not as a replacement for individual recovery, but as a critical companion to it. Couples therapy in San Diego, CA provides a space to grieve what was lost, name what still hurts, and build something new—together.
Addiction as an Attachment Injury
At its core, addiction creates an emotional wound in the bond between partners. Whether the struggle is with alcohol, drugs, compulsive behaviors, or emotional numbing, it often leaves the non-using partner feeling:
Betrayed or emotionally abandoned
Hypervigilant and burnt out from trying to manage everything
Afraid to trust again, even after recovery begins
Meanwhile, the partner in recovery may feel:
Ashamed and unsure how to make amends
Defensive, overwhelmed, or misunderstood
Longing for closeness but unsure how to offer it
In therapy, we give both partners language, tools, and space to move from survival mode into connection.
How Couples Therapy for Addiction Helps
Using evidence-based models like the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS), we focus on:
Rebuilding trust through transparency, consistency, and emotional presence
Understanding emotional triggers behind addictive cycles and codependent patterns
Learning new ways to co-regulate, so you can support each other without enabling
Processing grief and resentment that often get buried under "just be grateful it’s over."
You don’t have to tiptoe around each other anymore. Therapy helps you have the hard conversations with safety and structure.
Why Recovery Often Fails Without Relational Repair
Sobriety is a powerful milestone—but it’s not the finish line. Many relapses happen because the relationship environment hasn’t shifted:
Old wounds are still raw
Emotional intimacy hasn’t been restored
Partners are stuck in roles of pursuer vs. avoider, caretaker vs. rebel
Couples therapy helps you change not just the behavior, but the relational patterns that make lasting recovery possible.
A Personal Note on My Approach
I’ve spent over 20 years helping individuals and couples heal from the devastating effects of addiction, trauma, and codependency. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I bring a depth of experience shaped by advanced training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, EMDR for trauma resolution, and Internal Family Systems for working with wounded parts of the self.
My clients often describe me as both grounded and deeply compassionate. As a couples therapist, I create a space where both partners feel heard—not blamed—and where healing is always possible. I see clients in person in San Diego and online throughout California and Pennsylvania.
Your Relationship Deserves Recovery, Too.
Addiction doesn’t have to be the end of your love story. With the right support, it can become the start of a more honest, connected, and fulfilling partnership. Couples therapy for addiction at Amy Anderson Therapy offers a roadmap to rebuild—not just sobriety, but emotional safety and intimacy.
Let’s begin your healing journey, together.
Heal Together After Addiction with Couples Therapy in San Diego, CA
Rebuilding your relationship after addiction is possible—and you don’t have to do it alone. Couples therapy in San Diego, CA can help you restore trust, improve communication, and reconnect on a deeper level. At Amy Anderson Therapy, we’re here to support your healing every step of the way. Follow these three simple steps to get started:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if couples therapy is right for you
Begin meeting with compassionate couples therapist, Amy Anderson
Start healing together after addiction!
ADDITIONAL SERVICES OFFERED AT AMY ANDERSON THERAPY
At Amy Anderson Therapy, I offer compassionate, trauma-informed care for both individuals and couples ready to heal and reconnect on a deeper level. My work with couples often centers on restoring trust after infidelity, navigating the impact of ADHD or unresolved trauma, and fostering stronger emotional bonds. I also support individuals facing anxiety, betrayal trauma, infertility, and the nuances of neurodivergent identities. My practice is inclusive of polyamorous relationships, non-traditional family structures, and professionals in high-stress fields such as healthcare, the military, emergency services, and law enforcement. For those seeking alternative therapeutic options, I provide walk-and-talk sessions that blend movement with reflection, as well as psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) for deeper emotional healing. Visit the blog for insights on trauma recovery, relational growth, and holistic wellness.
