Q&A How Can I Help My Mate Stop Living in the Past?

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Question

I am the unfaithful and my wife and I are 10 months from D-Day. This week has been very difficult as that day looks closer. My spouse keeps referring to what I was doing and how I was acting out. She continues to ask, “how could someone who says they loved me do this?” I continue to apologize and show empathy but it gets to a point where the blame and answer to all questions are, “You caused this to happen”. These instances bring large amounts of guilt and shame so much so that I either shut down and retreat or get upset and lash out. I am at wits end. I don't know what else to do to help my spouse. I know that her pain and hurt are as a result of my actions. I see she suffers from PTSD caused by me. She has now started to look at my affair as a taint on other past days before the affair including our marriage date (married for 15 years). How can I help her to stop living in the past or at least to only occasionally visit it and recognize it as the past?

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I would highly recommend giving this a try.
 
-D, Texas