What Summer House can Teach us about Navigating Betrayal.

Reality TV is often assumed to be ‘trashy’ or ‘mind numbing’ when it comes to the content on screen. However, there are moments within the reality TV lexicon that will resonate with the larger audience as something that feels more anthropological and sociological than light conflict. Summer House (on Bravo) is having one of those moments. 

If you are not caught up, here is the brief overview of the Ciara-West-Amanda drama that is permeating the pop culture atmosphere. West Wilson and Ciara Miller dated in 2023 and broke things off within the same year. During and after their split, West was dismissive of Ciara’s feelings and downplayed their connection. West also frequently discussed his feelings and joked about Ciara to everyone but her, which left Ciara feeling humiliated and hurt, as she expressed in a confrontation to him that subsequent summer (2024). In this most current season (Summer of 2025), West and Ciara are trying to find ways to navigate being in the shared house amicably, and viewers have noted that there have been moments of casual flirting between the two. Even though there has been a lot of heartbreak, their chemistry with one another seemed to be sparking early on in the season.

Which is why the reality TV realm was taken back in late March of 2026, when West released a joint statement with Amanda Batula, one of Ciara’s close friends, claiming that the two of them were dating. The statement was additionally odd since Amanda had just announced earlier in the year that she and her husband, Kyle Cook (who is also a cast member) were going to be separated. Obviously we can see how the relationship between West and Amanda can be hurtful to Ciara due to her history with West. But, Ciara has since stated that the more challenging betrayal to navigate is her deep friendship with Amanda. Ciara has been a close ally to Amanda through her recent separation with Kyle and several years of marital issues. While this is the wildly condensed version of what’s going on, it begs the question, how do you handle a friendship betrayal? 

Although we might not be dealing with the same ins and outs of the situation in the Summer House, it can be helpful to think of how you would handle betrayal/a large boundary cross just in case you might need to in the future. We’ve come up with a list of reminders and steps to take when it comes to navigating a breach of trust in a way that feels effective and regulated. 

1. Acknowledge your Feelings: we want to remember that pushing feelings down can make them worse. Let it out by journaling, talking to a friend, or even a therapist. Try to embrace the feeling and validate whatever comes up for you, it is okay to not be okay. 

2. Take Time: you don’t have to rush into being around this friend or mending the issue. If you aren’t feeling comfortable, take some time and space to yourself and with supports to allow yourself to feel and process through the situation. 

3. Assess the Quality of the Relationship: try to take stock in previous behaviors. Is this something that follows a pattern? Has this friend made you feel this way before? Try to take a wide view to see if there are other instances where this person has behaved in a way that hurts your feelings to assess relationship quality.

4. Communicate: if you feel rushed into talking with this person, it is okay to establish the boundary of not talking for the time being. If you feel like you want to have a conversation with this person, remember to be strong in your stance and know that you do not have to accept an apology just because one is being given. 

5. Moving Forward: this can mean moving in different directions or setting clear boundaries of how you want to be treated in the future. Remember that boundaries are subject to change and are not a binding contract in case you change your mind. 

Betrayal is such a complex feeling that can be really disruptive. While we all aren’t navigating what that looks like in the public eye, it can be helpful to consider these steps to have an understanding of how you would navigate a similar situation effectively. 

The information on this website is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or psychological condition and is not a substitute for therapy. If you are experiencing an emergency please call/text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.