Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
On this week's episode of Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel: In this classic Esther Calling, Esther meets a man who’s never been in a relationship for more than five months. As he approaches age 40, he knows the reason lies with him, and not the women he’s dating. Esther encourages him to look back and see if the clues can be found in his early parental relationships. Perhaps the work starts there.
Topic: Dating & Romantic Consumerism
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: The Quest for Love
01:25 A Pattern of Anxiety in Relationships
08:57 Exploring Early Family Dynamics
09:11 Understanding the Impact of Parental Divorce
12:17 Revelations and Emotional Struggles
16:50 Connecting the Past to Present Relationships
22:21 Path to Healing and Moving Forward
25:46 Conclusion and Next Steps
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 following @EstherPerelOfficial on Instagram.
On this week's episode of Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel: In this classic Esther Calling, Esther meets a man who’s never been in a relationship for more than five months. As he approaches age 40, he knows the reason lies with him, and not the women he’s dating. Esther encourages him to look back and see if the clues can be found in his early parental relationships. Perhaps the work starts there.
Topic: Dating & Romantic Consumerism
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: The Quest for Love
01:25 A Pattern of Anxiety in Relationships
08:57 Exploring Early Family Dynamics
09:11 Understanding the Impact of Parental Divorce
12:17 Revelations and Emotional Struggles
16:50 Connecting the Past to Present Relationships
22:21 Path to Healing and Moving Forward
25:46 Conclusion and Next Steps
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 following @EstherPerelOfficial on Instagram.
