Publications
It’s great to be in love, but once you’re past that giddy fairytale phase things can get pretty challenging.
Money worries, different parenting styles, having the same petty arguments over and over again, infidelity – these are just some of the obstacles that may need to be navigated in long-term relationships.
A little help figuring out how to deal with them is always welcome. If you don’t feel you need a therapist but want more than just a chat with a friend, a good podcast might be just the ticket.
Whether you’d like advice about something specific or just need to know you’re not alone, there’s bound to be a podcast you’ll find useful in this selection.
Plug in and have a listen.
Where Should We Begin?
Each episode of this podcast is a one-off couples- therapy session in which psychotherapist Esther Perel helps the couple work through an issue. If you’ve ever thought about going to couples counselling but weren’t sure about it, this series gives great insight into what a good therapist can help you unpack in the space of 45 minutes.
It’s also fascinating to be a fly on the wall and see just how complex the dynamics of a relationship can be. Perel has a special interest in relationships and sexuality and is the author of Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence and The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity. Episodes are 35-45 minutes long.
Available on iTunes, Google Podcasts and other podcast players supported by iOS or Android devices.
I Do Podcast
Hosted by couple Chase and Sarah Kosterlitz, this podcast focuses on providing advice and tools to improve your relationship.
They interview relationship experts, therapists and couples dealing with a variety of issues, and discuss everything from emotional manipulation in a relationship and learning to be more intimate to coping with in-laws, money worries, becoming parents and infidelity.
The Kosterlitzes’ podcast has been going since 2014 so there are hundreds of topics from which to choose. Episodes range from 35-60 minutes.
Available on iTunes, Google Podcasts and other podcast players supported by iOS or Android devices.
Love is Like a Plant
This podcast is more focused on the early stages – dating issues, how to tell if a relationship will work, jealousy about exes, making long- distance dating work and so on. While it’s not specifically about marriage, the focus is on the fact that love is like a plant and needs certain things to make it grow – and in that sense the podcast applies to relationships at any stage.
It’s hosted by Elle Huerta, founder of Mend, an app that helps you through a breakup, and Sarah May B, who also hosts the Help Me Be Me podcast. Episodes are short, ranging from 12-25 minutes, so they’re a quick listen.
Available on iTunes, Google Podcasts and other podcast players supported by iOS or Android devices.
The Knowledge Project
This isn’t a podcast about relationships, rather host Shane Parrish interviews a variety of experts “to help you master the best of what other people have already figured out”.
In an episode titled Cracking the Code of Love he interviews clinical psychologist and researcher Sue Johnson. It’s two hours long but definitely worth a listen if your relationship is going through a rough patch or if you’re feeling out of touch with your partner and trying to find a way to reconnect. Parrish is a great interviewer and Johnson pulls no punches about what you need to do if you want a fulfilling relationship.
In a recent episode Parrish also interviews psychotherapist Esther Perel about the best ways to handle conflict, rewriting stories that damage relationships and breathing new life into your romantic partnership.
Available on iTunes, Google Podcasts and other podcast players supported by iOS or Android devices.
