Empathy Is the Foundation of Healing
Move beyond apologies and build trust through understanding and compassion.
Unpacking Betrayal Trauma: Learning Empathy is a self-paced, six-lesson course for people in recovery who want to move from survival into stability by developing empathy as a daily practice. Through self-awareness, listening skills, and practical tools, you’ll learn how to create emotional safety and connection that can support real healing—for you and your partner.
Here's What You'll Learn in
Unpacking Betrayal Trauma: Learning Empathy
What Is
Betrayal Trauma?
Understand the devastating impact of betrayal trauma, why empathy matters more than apologies, and common mistakes addicted partners make when trying to show care.
Self-Awareness
& Mindfulness
Learn practical techniques for identifying your triggers, regulating your emotions, and becoming more present and resilient in charged moments.
Reflective Listening
& Validation
Discover active listening skills, nonverbal cues, and validating words that can calm, reassure, and rebuild connection.
Empathy Mapping & Perspective Taking
Practice putting yourself in your partner’s shoes and rebuilding trust by learning to map and understand their emotional experience.
Why Trust Is a
Felt Experience
Explore how trust is rebuilt through emotional safety, clear boundaries, and consistent respect.
Applying Empathy in Daily Interactions
Integrate empathy into everyday conversations, conflicts, and problem-solving so that empathy becomes your natural response.
Who This Is For:
- You’re in the early stages of recovery and want to strengthen your relationship
- You’ve apologized, but your partner says they still don’t feel it
- You struggle to manage your own emotions in hard conversations
- You want to replace defensiveness and shame with empathy and compassion
This course is honest, practical, and hopeful. You’ll gain the tools to build trust and emotional safety—not by “fixing” her pain, but by learning to sit with it.
Begin Your Healing Today
ENROLLÂ in
Unpacking Betrayal Trauma: Learning Empathy
What’s Included…
- 6 video lessons (10–20 minutes each)
- Downloadable worksheets and tools to practice empathy in real life
- Reflection exercises to apply each lesson
- 6 months of course access so you begin your recovery journey right away
- Practical skills that support your personal recovery and rebuild your relationship
You can begin right now. Healing your relationship begins with learning empathy.
START THE COURSE FOR ONLY $47Note: Hope & Freedom University recommends beginning your recovery journey with our foundational courses, in this order: 1)Â Sex Addiction 101, 2)Â iRecovery 101, and 3)Â Beginning Recovery for the Addicted 111.
Then, move into Unpacking Betrayal Trauma 111: Learning Empathy to strengthen your relationships and begin your transition from Survival to Stability.
However, if you’re already established in your recovery journey, this course is perfect to dive deeper into relationship rebuilding and enhance your understanding and practice of empathy in real-life situations.
Meet Your Instructor
Tina Wehner, MTSC, LCMHCS, CSAT-S, CCBRT, CPTT-S, CMAT, CHFP
Tina has walked with hundreds of couples and individuals through betrayal trauma recovery. Her compassionate, clinically grounded approach helps partners regain safety, self-worth, and hope.
Learn More →Tina Wehner
MTSC, LCMHCS, CSAT-S, CPTT-S, CCBRT, CMAT, CHFP
A Leading Sex Addiction Expert
Tina Wehner is the president and executive director of Hope & Freedom Counseling Services in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Supervisor (CSAT-S), Certified Partner Trauma Therapist Supervisor (CPTT-S), Certified Couple Betrayal Recovery Therapist (CCBRT), Certified Multiple Addiction Therapist (CMAT), and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor (LCMHCS).
Tina received her Bachelors of Arts in Human Services from Elon University and received a Masters of Theological Studies in Counseling from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She served as a Licensed and Ordained Minister with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and spent over 10 years in varying roles within a ministry capacity.
Tina’s professional expertise and extensive training includes treating compulsive behaviors and addictions (substance and process addictions – including sex/love/romance, food, finances (gambling/shopping), and work related addictions; all aspects of sexuality; trauma (including PTSD); abuse survivors; anxiety disorders; eating disorders; codependency; family issues; life transitions; mood disorders; and individuals and their loved ones who are affected by addictions and/or personality disorders. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), including advanced EMDR methodology Feeling State Protocol (FSAP); skilled in 12-step therapy; trained in multiple levels of Gottman Method Couples Therapy; and currently serves as a Director of Prepare-Enrich for couples seeking premarital/marriage assessment, enrichment, and therapy.
Tina has personally studied with Dr. Patrick Carnes, (the foremost authority on sexual addiction) and Dr. Milton Magness, having received over 240 hours of specialized treatment training within the field of Professional Trauma and Addiction Recovery. She is a current and active member of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP).
