Full Disclosure + Polygraph

A tool to faciliate healing and rebuild trust after sexual betrayal

What is a Full Disclosure?

A Full Disclosure is a crucial step in the recovery process for couples grappling with issues such as porn addiction, sex addiction, or infidelity. It involves the individual struggling with addiction providing their partner with a comprehensive account of their past and present behaviors related to the addiction, including any instances of pornography use, sexual acting out, or infidelity. This transparent disclosure aims to foster trust, honesty, and open communication within the relationship. By sharing the full extent of their actions, the individual acknowledges the impact of their behavior on their partner and takes responsibility for their actions. This process allows the betrayed partner to gain clarity, closure, and understanding, laying the groundwork for healing and rebuilding the relationship.

Why use a Polygraph?

"Sexual betrayal and deceit are incredibly destabilizing to one’s sense of self and security, and can cause one to question everything, including one’s own perception of reality or ‘gut’. Research has also shown that betrayal trauma is associated with more physical symptoms and mistrust than other types of trauma. Consequently, establishing safety and trust is essential if the relationship is to have any chance of surviving and if the partner is to heal. Because betrayal wounds go deep into the human psyche, healing interventions must address trust wounds on an equally deep level.

When prepared for in a thoughtful, therapeutically-minded manner, polygraph testing is one type of rigorous intervention that is helping a growing number of couples gain a foothold of trust and accountability in early recovery." (Dr. Jill Manning, Polygraph testing in sex addiction recovery: A foothold for rebuilding trust, affirming 'gut' and fostering accountability")

Benefits for the Betrayed Partner

The FD empowers the betrayed partner by restoring their sense of personal empowerment and reality.

It validates suspicions and restores the partner's sense of sanity, which may have been eroded by gaslighting and deceit.

The FD provides closure and clarity for the partner, enabling them to make informed decisions about the future of the relationship and their well-being.

The FD with a polygraph can restore a baseline of trust in the relationship.

It facilitates the restoration of emotional intimacy by dismantling walls of secrecy and allowing for a deeper connection.

Benefits for the Betraying Partner

The FD is essential for the addict's recovery process. It increases accountability to self, one's partner, and the treatment team.

It aids in reclaiming long-lost integrity and dismantling dysfunctional core beliefs such as "no one would love me as I am."

The FD reduces the power of secrets and shame associated with sex addiction, providing relief and reducing the likelihood of relapse. As the old AA adage says, "You're only as sick as your secrets"

It leads to a newfound sense of freedom and peace for the addict, as they are no longer burdened by the weight of their hidden behaviors.