Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
On this week's classic episode of the podcast, he says he cheats when he’s manic. Her friends–and her mother–are convinced she should leave, but she wants to explore staying in their marriage. Listen into this episode where both partners speak very openly about what it would mean to stay.
Chapters
00:00 Did Mania Lead to Cheating?
01:18 What Is This Conversation Really About?
02:06 What Happens When a Good Girl Falls for a Wild Guy?
04:51 How Do Faith, Marriage, and Bipolar Disorder Collide?
07:55 Are the Affairs a Symptom or a Sign They Are Incompatible?
08:41 Why Did Her Mother Warn That Love Could Bring Sadness?
10:20 Is This Hypersexuality or Polyamory?
13:51 Can Medication and Structure Hold Everything Together?
15:12 What Happens When You Pause to Breathe?
16:57 Is Sex Becoming a Way to Self Soothe?
19:05 What Changes When You Separate Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions?
20:28 Can Nonmonogamy Be a Values Based Choice?
21:04 What Is the Difference Between Acting Out and Accepting Yourself?
21:52 Is Real Progress Actually Happening?
22:10 What Happens When Friends Hear About the Cheating?
23:42 Why Does Infidelity Feel Like the End of Everything?
24:24 What Still Works Between Them?
30:24 Is Monogamy Something You Choose Again and Again?
31:26 What Do You Share Publicly and What Stays Private?
34:40 Can Love Exist Without Risk?
36:12 How Did Her Mother Teach Her to Protect Herself?
39:38 What Happens When Mom Enters the Conversation?
43:42 What Does Real Repair After Betrayal Look Like?
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 her website (bit.ly/4daEC7i) or follow for bonus content on Substack (bit.ly/3P0eAK2)
On this week's classic episode of the podcast, he says he cheats when he’s manic. Her friends–and her mother–are convinced she should leave, but she wants to explore staying in their marriage. Listen into this episode where both partners speak very openly about what it would mean to stay.
Chapters
00:00 Did Mania Lead to Cheating?
01:18 What Is This Conversation Really About?
02:06 What Happens When a Good Girl Falls for a Wild Guy?
04:51 How Do Faith, Marriage, and Bipolar Disorder Collide?
07:55 Are the Affairs a Symptom or a Sign They Are Incompatible?
08:41 Why Did Her Mother Warn That Love Could Bring Sadness?
10:20 Is This Hypersexuality or Polyamory?
13:51 Can Medication and Structure Hold Everything Together?
15:12 What Happens When You Pause to Breathe?
16:57 Is Sex Becoming a Way to Self Soothe?
19:05 What Changes When You Separate Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions?
20:28 Can Nonmonogamy Be a Values Based Choice?
21:04 What Is the Difference Between Acting Out and Accepting Yourself?
21:52 Is Real Progress Actually Happening?
22:10 What Happens When Friends Hear About the Cheating?
23:42 Why Does Infidelity Feel Like the End of Everything?
24:24 What Still Works Between Them?
30:24 Is Monogamy Something You Choose Again and Again?
31:26 What Do You Share Publicly and What Stays Private?
34:40 Can Love Exist Without Risk?
36:12 How Did Her Mother Teach Her to Protect Herself?
39:38 What Happens When Mom Enters the Conversation?
43:42 What Does Real Repair After Betrayal Look Like?
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 her website (bit.ly/4daEC7i) or follow for bonus content on Substack (bit.ly/3P0eAK2)
