When betrayal trauma hits, the initial discovery is rarely the whole story. The slow trickle of truth—known as staggered disclosure—inflicts continuous, compounding trauma on a spouse trying to find solid ground.

On this episode of Brazen Recovery, hosts Jacob and Miriam sit down with Dawn Knight, founder of Dawn Knight Coaching and co-creator of Sunlit Reflections. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach, Certified Grief Educator and APSATS CPC-Candidate, Dawn specializes in supporting women navigating relational betrayal—with a dedicated focus on women 50+ facing betrayal and major life transitions later in life.

Together, we unpack Dawn’s personal journey through marital betrayal, the non-negotiable importance of finding vetted, trauma-informed professional care for sex addiction and the delicate balance of parenting through relational crisis.

In This Episode

• The Agony of Staggered Disclosure: How partial truths and deception shatter safety and reset the trauma clock for betrayed spouses.
• Vetting the Right Professional Help: Why standard marriage counseling can cause harm and how to find specialists trained in sex addiction and betrayal trauma.
• Midlife Betrayal & Grief: Addressing identity disruption, ambiguous loss and life transitions for women facing betrayal later in life.
• Parenting Through Relational Crisis: Age-appropriate boundaries for children in the middle of betrayal.

Resources & Recommended Tools

• Connect with Dawn Knight: Discover Dawn's individual coaching and resources at dawnknightcoaching.com. And register for her new, virtual support group for women walking through betrayal trauma called Sunlit Reflections.
• Virtual 1-on-1 Recovery Coaching with Jacob Arnold: Ready to break free from compulsive sexual behaviors and rebuild trust through 100% online coaching? Book your free discovery call today and check out brazenrecovery.org for more information.
• Find Qualified Help: Building a team of professionals who specialize in what you are experiencing is mandatory for true healing to take place. Check out this provider directory maintained by the International Institute for Trauma & Addiction.

Episode Keywords

Staggered Disclosure, Betrayal Trauma Recovery, Trickle Truth in Infidelity, Sex Addiction Specialists, Women 50+ Betrayal Recovery, Grief Educator, Virtual Recovery Coach, Christian Sex Addiction Recovery.

Disclaimer: The content provided on Brazen Recovery is for informational, educational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care, clinical therapy or medical advice. Listening to this podcast or participating in coaching does not create a therapist-client relationship. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs clinical support, please consult a licensed mental health professional.