Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel cover art
Podcast · 60 episodes

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, page 2

by Esther Perel Global Media · English

Every Monday morning step into the office of iconic psychotherapist Esther Perel on "Where Should We Begin" and listen in as real people in search of insight bare the raw, intimate, and profound details of their stories. From breakups and open relationships to workplace conflicts and fractures in the family, it’s a place to hear our own stories reflected in the lives of others. So…where should we begin? For an ad-free version of our podcast, plus bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and more, visit our Office Hours section.

All episodes, page 2

Love, Loneliness, and AI: Where Should We Begin? Live with Esther Perel and Spike JonzeA live conversation on AI companions and modern loneliness, anchored in Esther Perel’s therapy perspective and Spike Jonze’s film Her.23 Mar 2026 · 57 min · 23 chapters
My AI Loves Me Better Than Anyone Ever CouldA one-time Esther Perel therapy session with a man in a “couples therapy” dynamic with his GenAI chatbot companion, Astrid, exploring whether feelings of love, loyalty, and intimacy are “real,” and…16 Mar 2026 · 1 h 4 min · 20 chapters
Am I Letting My Jealousy Ruin This?Whether jealousy is ruining a relationship in an ethically non-monogamous setup, and how to reinterpret jealousy as a story about worth, not a verdict on the relationship.9 Mar 2026 · 55 min · 14 chapters
Can We Repair After a 25 Year Affair?A one-time Esther Perel therapy session about repairing after a 25-year affair inside an arranged marriage, focusing on secrecy vs transparency, betrayal’s ripple effects, and rebuilding chosen…2 Mar 2026 · 55 min · 18 chapters
Trapped In Their Own StoryA one-time Esther Perel “Where Should We Begin” session about a long-term couple trapped in repeating cycles of betrayal, sexual disconnection, and unmet needs for attention, communication, and…23 Feb 2026 · 47 min · 17 chapters
What if Dating Isn't For Me?Whether dating/relationships are right for a 26-year-old introverted perfectionist who feels most fulfilled when single, but fears abandonment and being alone in old age.16 Feb 2026 · 53 min · 15 chapters
I Have a Crush on a CoworkerA newly divorced woman (6 months) has a crush on a coworker on the same team and worries about dating too soon, repeating past relationship patterns, and workplace awkwardness.9 Feb 2026 · 55 min · 14 chapters
Our Sex Life is a DisasterA couple’s sex life collapses into an “erotic stalemate” marked by escalating emotional conversations, especially during pregnancy and IVF-related stress.2 Feb 2026 · 54 min · 18 chapters
I Told My Friend I Was in Love with Her, Then She Told EveryoneIn this episode of "Where Should We Begin?" renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel engages with a young man who navigates the aftermath of confessing his love for a close friend while both are in…26 Jan 2026 · 49 min · 18 chapters
It's Very Hard to Live with a SaintWhere Should We Begin? with Esther Perel19 Jan 2026 · 43 min · 16 chapters
Was I Used for a Visa?In this episode, a woman grapples with the end of a five-year relationship marked by love, deceit, and manipulation.12 Jan 2026 · 55 min · 26 chapters
Can Our Love Survive Our Differences?A couples counseling session about whether love can survive major differences—especially political ideology, religion, and life priorities—when the relationship is also under time pressure due to…5 Jan 2026 · 1 h · 18 chapters
He Loves Her, His Family Rejects HerA couple navigates remarriage after one partner immigrated from Brazil to small-town America, facing ongoing family/ex-wife tensions, guilt, and fear of “backfire,” especially around whether to have…22 Dec 2025 · 44 min · 15 chapters
The Permission to Be and Not Just the Pressure to DoIn this episode, Esther Perel engages in a deep conversation with an anonymous caller who struggles with self-worth tied to professional achievements and racial identity.15 Dec 2025 · 49 min
Love in War - Where Are They Now?“Love in War – Where Are They Now?” revisits two partners Esther Perel counsels in a one-time session series, focusing on how reunion after long separation during the Ukraine war still leaves couples…8 Dec 2025 · 53 min · 16 chapters
Mothering My Mother Into Mothering MeParentification and “mothering my mother” after immigration; how the guest became the family’s emotional intermediary, felt responsible for mom’s feelings, and now struggles with resentment, guilt,…1 Dec 2025 · 51 min · 15 chapters
You Need Help to Help HerA one-time Esther Perel counseling session with parents whose daughter has withdrawn for two years (staying in her room ~22 hours/day, not working or going to school) after a mental health crisis.24 Nov 2025 · 49 min · 11 chapters
One Relationship. Two Truths.In this episode, a woman grapples with the aftermath of a relationship filled with both profound love and betrayal.17 Nov 2025 · 51 min
The One Who Stays and the One Who GoesA one-time Esther Perel counseling session about a couple struggling to talk about starting a family while one partner travels frequently for international vet research/PhD work.10 Nov 2025 · 53 min · 18 chapters
In Loving You, I Learned to Love MyselfThe episode explores “unrequited love” after a childhood crush is rejected, and how that longing becomes a catalyst for self-love, gratitude, and resilience.3 Nov 2025 · 48 min · 17 chapters
I Accidentally Dated An OnlyFans StarA 34-year-old man processes grief, anger, and jealousy after unknowingly dating a woman who previously made OnlyFans content.27 Oct 2025 · 49 min · 15 chapters
The Chronic PhilandererA one-time Esther Perel counseling session about a wife confronting her husband’s long-running infidelity, including online chat rooms and an ongoing “other relationship” that the husband won’t…20 Oct 2025 · 47 min · 10 chapters
He Doesn't Believe in Marriage, But I Can't Let Go of the HopeIn this episode, Esther Perel conducts a session with a woman grappling with feelings of grief, frustration, and longing as her younger sister gets engaged.13 Oct 2025 · 47 min
Is It Our ADHD, OCD, and PTSD? Or Is It Us?A one-time Esther Perel counseling session with a couple exploring whether their relationship problems are driven by ADHD, OCD, PTSD/CPTSD, autism, and other “neurodivergence” labels—or by deeper…6 Oct 2025 · 56 min · 13 chapters