Kintsugi Workshop - Betrayal Trauma

This weekend, Michelle Powell and I facilitated a workshop for betrayed spouses. We thank everyone that joined us.

Kintsugi, the Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with gold-dusted lacquer, is a beautiful metaphor for our lives and relationships. Imagine turning life’s cracks and breaks into glittering seams that make us more beautiful than before. This practice began in the 14th century when a shogun named Ashikaga Yoshimasa broke his favorite tea bowl. When it came back from China, fixed with ugly metal staples, he asked his artisans to find a more pleasing method. They invented kintsugi, which highlights repairs, making them a part of the piece’s unique story.

Kintsugi reminds us that repair can be a beautiful part of life. We all face setbacks and heartaches, and what truly influences our happiness is how we embrace the chance to heal and bounce back. For those who’ve felt shattered, especially by betrayal, kintsugi resonates deeply. People often wonder if they’ll ever feel the same after such pain. The truth is, you may not feel exactly the same, as you’ve lost that initial innocence or blind trust. But, by piecing your life back together, you can find a richer, fuller existence.

In a way, therapy acts like kintsugi, supporting you as you piece yourself back together, creating harmony and beauty along the way. It's about finding beauty not despite the damage, but precisely because of it. Like us and our relationships, we become more beautiful for having been broken and repaired.