Dr. Debi Silber, Founder & CEO of The PBT® Institute | Speaker, and the World's Leading Expert on How Betrayal and Shattered Trust Affect Human Performance 

The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

One betrayal from my family. Another from my husband. Within a short time, my life was in crisis.
Health, work, relationships — it all unraveled. I found myself in the ICU with a stress-related illness and realized: something had to change.

Turning Pain into Purpose: My Healing + Research Journey

I didn’t just want to heal—I wanted to understand betrayal on a deep, scientific level.
So, I enrolled in a PhD program in Transpersonal Psychology. Through my research. 

I made three groundbreaking discoveries that changed what we thought we knew about healing, trust, and human potential:

• Betrayal is its own distinct type of trauma — and it can't be healed the same way as other life challenges.
• It produces a specific, measurable cluster of symptoms — physical, mental, and emotional — now known as Post Betrayal Syndrome® (PBS®).
• Recovery follows a universal, predictable pathway — The Five Stages of Betrayal Recovery™ — that I've now validated across 100,000+ people in 50+ countries.

These weren't theories. They were research discoveries — and they changed everything.

Creating a Proven Path: The PBT® Institute

Once I cracked the betrayal code, I knew I couldn’t keep it to myself.

I founded The PBT® Institute — the world's leading organization devoted to betrayal recovery research, education, and transformation — a safe, supportive space where people could:

• Process their betrayal
• Heal physically, mentally, and emotionally
• Rebuild trust — in themselves and others
• Transform their lives and relationships

Our approach is research-based, trauma-informed, and action-oriented. We don't just help you feel better. We help you become someone stronger than before the betrayal happened.

The Mission Behind the Work

Since founding the Institute, I've:

• Guided thousands through our betrayal recovery methodology
• Trained and certified coaches and practitioners worldwide through the world's #1 betrayal recovery certification program for coaches
• Built a vibrant global community of brave, bold, and healing humans
• Spoken to audiences across healthcare, HR, legal, and leadership sectors worldwide
• Delivered two TEDx talks with 2M+ combined views
• Been featured on FOX, CBS, and The Dr. Oz Show
• Founded National Forgiveness Day (September 1st)
• Hosted the top-ranked podcast From Betrayal to Breakthrough (top 1.5% globally)
• Authored multiple books, including my latest: UNSTUCK: The Practitioner's Guide to Moving Betrayal Clients from Survival to Transformation

But most importantly — I've helped people just like you find peace, purpose, and power after betrayal.

Beyond the Research and the Work...

I would never have chosen this path of trauma — but I'm so deeply grateful for where it led. It brought me to a stronger, healthier, more aligned version of myself. It also brought me back to my husband, Adam. After we both did the work to heal and grow, we married each other…again — not as the same people, but as two transformed individuals committed to building something new.

I'm also the proud mom of four amazing kids — Dani, Dylan, Camryn, and Cole — and lucky to have their equally amazing partners in my life too.

At home on the East and West Coasts with our Bi-Coastal lives, we're surrounded by love and fur — with our two Labs on the East Coast, our Golden Retriever sisters and Dachshund on the West Coast and a whole lot of joy. We lost six beloved dogs during COVID, and our pups today are joyful reminders to stay present, celebrate life, and always make room for fun.

Want to Hear from Others Who've Worked with Debi?

Dr. Debi’s work has helped thousands of people rebuild trust, reclaim their health, and transform their lives after betrayal.

See what clients, coaches, and community members are saying!