For many people who experience betrayal in an intimate relationship, the devastation does not begin with the discovery of a single behavior. It begins with a realization that the person standing beside them may have been living a parallel existence — one filled with secrets, deception, and choices they never knew existed.

In-home separation can either be a structured healing pause or a confusing limbo — here are 3 do’s and 3 don’ts to keep your home calmer, clearer, and safer while you figure out what’s next.