Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 14 hours ago
On this week's episode of Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel: This week, Esther invites you into a conversation about desire, disruption, and what it means to stay alive to one another in a rapidly changing world.
Recorded live at Sessions Live, Esther is joined by journalist and Head of Content at Esther Perel Global Media, Mary Alice Miller, for a look back on twenty years of Mating in Captivity and explore how our ideas about intimacy, desire, and relationships have evolved.
Also, just for you, inspired by the anniversary of Mating in Captivity, Esther has also curated a special playlist of Where Should We Begin podcast sessions exploring themes from the book: open.spotify.com/playlist/4d1AeEj4uypRpUnrgv6dlm?si=cIw37dzLTMaoBeagQPi1Cw
Chapters
00:00 Why Is Today's Episode Special?
01:21 Why Does Audio Feel So Intimate?
03:14 What Happens When Therapy Has an Audience?
08:39 Where Does Relationship Curiosity Begin?
14:28 How Did Esther Become a Therapist?
17:15 When Did Sex Enter the Conversation?
22:17 Why Is Talking About Sex Still So Difficult?
25:48 What Still Surprises Us About Mating in Captivity?
26:55 Can Divorce Become a Different Kind of Love Story?
30:57 What Makes Repair Possible After a Rupture?
35:26 What Questions Should We Ask About the Next 20 Years?
36:49 Is Technology Keeping Us Alive or Keeping Us Apart?
About Where Should We Begin?:
Every Monday morning, step into the office of iconic psychotherapist Esther Perel 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.
About Esther Perel:
Psychotherapist, relationship expert, and New York Times bestselling author Esther Perel is recognized as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships. Fluent in nine languages, she helms a therapy practice in New York City and serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies around the world. Her celebrated TED Talks have garnered more than 40 million views and her bestselling books, Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, are global phenomena translated into more than 30 languages. Esther is also the host of the hit podcast Where Should We Begin? which is available on Apple Podcasts. Learn more at EstherPerel.com or by subscribing to her Substack Entre Nous.
On this week's episode of Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel: This week, Esther invites you into a conversation about desire, disruption, and what it means to stay alive to one another in a rapidly changing world.
Recorded live at Sessions Live, Esther is joined by journalist and Head of Content at Esther Perel Global Media, Mary Alice Miller, for a look back on twenty years of Mating in Captivity and explore how our ideas about intimacy, desire, and relationships have evolved.
Also, just for you, inspired by the anniversary of Mating in Captivity, Esther has also curated a special playlist of Where Should We Begin podcast sessions exploring themes from the book: open.spotify.com/playlist/4d1AeEj4uypRpUnrgv6dlm?si=cIw37dzLTMaoBeagQPi1Cw
Chapters
00:00 Why Is Today's Episode Special?
01:21 Why Does Audio Feel So Intimate?
03:14 What Happens When Therapy Has an Audience?
08:39 Where Does Relationship Curiosity Begin?
14:28 How Did Esther Become a Therapist?
17:15 When Did Sex Enter the Conversation?
22:17 Why Is Talking About Sex Still So Difficult?
25:48 What Still Surprises Us About Mating in Captivity?
26:55 Can Divorce Become a Different Kind of Love Story?
30:57 What Makes Repair Possible After a Rupture?
35:26 What Questions Should We Ask About the Next 20 Years?
36:49 Is Technology Keeping Us Alive or Keeping Us Apart?
About Where Should We Begin?:
Every Monday morning, step into the office of iconic psychotherapist Esther Perel 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.
About Esther Perel:
Psychotherapist, relationship expert, and New York Times bestselling author Esther Perel is recognized as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships. Fluent in nine languages, she helms a therapy practice in New York City and serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies around the world. Her celebrated TED Talks have garnered more than 40 million views and her bestselling books, Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, are global phenomena translated into more than 30 languages. Esther is also the host of the hit podcast Where Should We Begin? which is available on Apple Podcasts. Learn more at EstherPerel.com or by subscribing to her Substack Entre Nous.
