The Five Stages of Betrayal Recovery with Dr. Debi Silber

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast, Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Dr. Debi Silber, founder and CEO of The PBT Institute, betrayal recovery expert, researcher, speaker, author, and host of the From Betrayal to Breakthrough podcast.

Dr. Silber shares the deeply personal story that led her to study betrayal: first a painful betrayal by her family, and later by her husband. Determined to understand why betrayal felt different from other kinds of trauma, she entered a PhD program and began research that would lead to her work on Post Betrayal Syndrome and the five stages from betrayal to breakthrough.

Robin and Debi explore why betrayal can shatter not only a relationship, but the self—damaging trust, safety, confidence, worthiness, and even a person's ability to discern what is real. Debi explains the physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that can follow betrayal, including rumination, hypervigilance, exhaustion, sleep disruption, digestive issues, anxiety, sadness, anger, and difficulty trusting again.

Together, they discuss why many people get stuck in survival mode, what true healing requires, and how betrayal can become an invitation to rebuild the self—not just the life around the wound. Debi also shares the hope at the center of her work: that with the right roadmap, healing is possible, predictable, and deeply transformative.

To check out this and other episodes, head over to robinstern.com.

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Dr. Robin Stern's Books:

The Gaslight Effect

The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide

Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders

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