16/08/2026
In the shadow work theme, ive covered abandonment and rejection wounds, today i shall speak of the Betrayal wound, if youd like to catch up, have a scroll down my page ✨️
🖤 SHADOW WORK: THE BETRAYAL WOUND
The betrayal wound doesn’t always look like being unable to trust people.
Sometimes it looks like…
You analyse people’s words looking for inconsistencies.
You expect there to be something you haven’t been told.
You struggle to believe people even when they’re being genuine.
You need control because being caught off guard feels terrifying.
You notice the smallest change in someone’s behaviour.
You struggle to fully relax in relationships because part of you is always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
You test people without even realising you’re doing it.
You keep emotional walls up because vulnerability once came with consequences.
You tell yourself, “I knew it” when somebody disappoints you because expecting betrayal feels safer than being surprised by it.
You find it difficult to forgive because betrayal didn’t just hurt you… it made you question your own judgement.
And sometimes the deepest betrayal wound isn’t what somebody else did.
It’s the anger you carry towards yourself for ignoring what you already knew.
Shadow work asks you to look deeper…
🖤 When did I learn that trusting someone could be dangerous?
🖤 Do I struggle to trust others, or do I struggle to trust my own judgement?
🖤 Where am I trying to control outcomes because uncertainty makes me feel unsafe?
🖤 Am I responding to what is happening now, or what happened to me before?
🖤 What would trusting myself again actually look like?
Healing the betrayal wound doesn’t mean blindly trusting everybody.
It means learning that you can trust yourself to recognise what isn’t right, set boundaries and walk away when necessary.
You don't need to predict every betrayal to protect yourself.
The goal isn't to trust everyone.
It's to trust yourself enough to know you'll be okay when someone shows you they can't be trusted.
Lyndsey 🖤