Expert advice: What you can do to regain your spouse’s trust

Trust is one of the most important ingredients needed for a marriage to be successful. However, sometimes the very same people who vowed to be faithful to us can break our trust.

From being dishonest about finances to infidelity, there are many things that can break trust in a marriage. But your marriage doesn’t have to end just because trust has been broken. There are many couples who have managed to work on their marriages and restore trust.

If you are one of those who has been given a second chance, you may be wondering how to regain your spouse’s trust? We spoke to Chantal Ferreira, a marriage counsellor, and below are the three things she advises couples to do to work through trust issues.

Be patient
“Sometimes it takes time to regain the trust, so don’t expect it to happen overnight,” Ferreira says. Although your spouse may have said they forgive you, trusting you again may take time. So allow them to learn how to trust you again.

Be open and truthful
Dishonesty and hiding certain things might cause friction in your marriage and delay the process of winning your spouse’s trust back. So be honest about your dealings and feelings. Ferreira adds that it is important to “talk openly about all 'trust breakers' in your relationship.” So apart from infidelity, speak to your partner about what the things are that would contribute to them not trusting you again.

Set boundaries
After agreeing on what the trust breakers are in your relationship, set boundaries. “Forgive and agree upon implementation of healthy boundaries that can assist in eliminating 'trust breakers' in the future,” advises Ferreira.

Have you had to overcome trust issues in your marriage? Share your story with us below.

Also read: 7 things you should never say to your spouse