#134 Esther Perel: On Being A Therapist and Modern Relationships

My guest today is Esther Perel, a psychotherapist of 35 years, and New York Times bestselling author.

Esther Perel is recognised as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships. Fluent in nine languages, she has a therapy practice in New York City and is an consultant for Fortune 500 companies around the world. Her celebrated TED talks have garnered more than 20 million views and her international bestseller Mating in Captivity which became a global phenomenon translated into 25 languages. Her newest book The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity (HarperCollins) is also a New York Times bestseller . Esther is also an exec producer and host of the popular podcast Where Should We Begin? It is an incredible podcast where you can listen into live therapy sessions. Learn more at EstherPerel.com or by following @EstherPerelOfficial on Instagram.

 

Favourite quotes from the episode:

​"Today you don't choose between 2 people in the village, or 6 people at school, you choose between ​1,000 at your fingertips. That swiping culture gives you a dizzying level of options."

"How do I know I've found ~the one~? You're going to delete your dating apps."

"The burdens of the self have never been heavier. Today all the big decisions are on us."

"Friendship is one of the most beautiful relationships. You cannot be friends with someone that isn't friends with you. You can love someone who doesn't love you back, but friendship is a reciprocal relationship."

"We can't only use longevity in relationships as a marker of success."

On her podcast Where Do We Begin: "It's so raw and intimidate, it's almost scary."

On giving advice to friends: "What works for me, might not be what works for you."