If you are someone who looks at social media, even glancingly, you've surely seen the rise of social media therapists. These are, in most cases, real therapists who talk openly about mental health issues and offer what is hopefully good advice for managing our emotions and our relationships. Lauren Laruso is one of these therapists.

She has amassed a huge following by talking specifically about infidelity,

to those who've been betrayed, to people who've had secret relationships outside of their monogamous relationships,

and to the secret partners in an affair.

Sometimes Lauren talks directly to camera, and other times she brings more theater kid energy to it.

Here's a video from her Instagram where she acts out a scene between a husband and wife.

Lauren plays both roles.

All right, bye. I'm leaving. I'll see you tonight. Oh, have a good day, love. I'll see you

later. Oh, don't forget I'm going to Philly tomorrow for that conference, okay? What?

The conference in Philly. No, I didn't know that. I don't know. That's strange. I told you

weeks ago. I definitely didn't know that.

Wait, the kids and I can come with you because they have a half day from school tomorrow.

And I actually don't have any meetings on my calendar tomorrow. That would be fun. No.

So she uses the conventions of comedic TikTok videos to show us something that's often private and can be so embarrassing,

how communication breaks down when one member of a relationship is lying to the other.

And Lauren knows the stakes here from her own life.

She was a wife and mother of a young child when she discovered an affair, and the life she knew blew up.

This week, Lauren and I talk about why affairs happen, even in non-monogamous relationships,

and how to move through the fallout when affairs are discovered.

I definitely get more unfaithful spouses who reach out to me saying,

I never in a million years thought I would have an affair.

And here I am.

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