logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2023
40m 46s

Is This Survivor's Guilt?

Esther Perel Global Media
About this episode
Esther speaks to a man struggling to live a life he can enjoy. He feels wracked with guilt over a troubled history with his birth mother and her life of suffering. She was unable to raise him, but now she needs him to be there for her. He questions what he owes her for the life she gave him. Esther Callings are a one time, 45-60 minute interventional phone ... Show More
Up next
Sep 21
Good Relationships Need Better Fights
Conflict is not toxic or immoral. In fact, it's generative and the lifeblood of our relationships. It isn't something to avoid. It matters, and it can even bring us closer together. Priya Parker, author of The Art of Fighting, joins Esther to dig into how conflict can be a produc ... Show More
58m 23s
Sep 14
How Many Times Can You Betray Me?
A married couple arrives at Esther’s office hoping to recover from a devastating rupture with his mother after the birth of their first child. But immediately their session reveals a longer, more complex history of betrayal within their relationship and within his larger family s ... Show More
54m 35s
Aug 31
On Again/Off Again
This is a classic session of Where Should We Begin? They've been on and off for almost 20 years. While she takes care of his and their child, she wants to know that he's also there for her. He's been battling depression for years. And the shame that comes with it. Producer’s Note ... Show More
53m 12s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
How Do I Protect My Kids From My Mentally Unstable Ex-Wife?
On today’s episode, we hear about: · A man struggling with the guilt of keeping his kids away from their mother · A husband hoping to pick up his hobbies again after his wife’s surgery · A man trying to decide if he should call off his engagement Next Steps: 📞 Ask John a questio ... Show More
55m 28s
Jul 2024
Survivor Guilt as Second Gen Asians, Sending Money Back Home & Reconnecting With The Motherland & Your Heritage | Ep. 78
Send a text Join us as we share our SURVIVOR GUILT as second-generation migrants grappling with the messy and complex issues around being the ones who ‘made it out’. In this episode, we explore issues around escaping war, sending money back home, recognising our privilege and sha ... Show More
52m 33s
May 2024
Am I to Blame for His Depression?
On this episode, we hear about: -       A woman wondering if she’s to blame for her ex’s depression -       A father unsure how to connect with his oldest daughter -       A recovering alcoholic still struggling with the consequences of his actions   Offers From Today's Sponsors ... Show More
53m 32s
Apr 2023
No Voice, No Life
<p>Sven helps two women in very different circumstances find their authentic voices. Jess is unhappy and stuck, and feels like &quot;a small human.&quot; Sven connects this feeling to her childhood, living in constant fear of an explosive father. Faith feels she can&apos;t help h ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2024
A Lifetime of Grieving
Sven counsels two different women who both struggle with the lasting effects, the guilt and the shame, of childhood abuse in the extreme. New understandings abound when Sven probes their painful memories and feelings. Meet Libby and Skeeter, who end up helping each other, and joi ... Show More
54m 39s
Jul 2025
I Will Soon Be an Empty Nester (And I’m Dreading It)
On today’s episode, we hear about: · A mom struggling with the reality of becoming an empty nester soon · A wife wanting to let go of bitterness toward her husband · A woman wondering how to be a caregiver without feeling resentful Next Steps: 📞 Ask John a question! Call 844-693 ... Show More
54m 18s
Jun 2023
Waiting In Vain
<p>Sven&apos;s guest Steve feels lost. A veteran who has spent his whole life in service to others, Steve shares custody of a physically handicapped son, worries about his ill mother on the other side of the country, and holds onto the vain hope of reuniting with his ex-wife. Sve ... Show More
57m 21s
Apr 2025
My Sexual Past Is Haunting My New Marriage
On today’s episode, we hear about: ·      A woman who feels like she doesn’t deserve her husband because of her past ·      A man struggling to find a meaningful career he’s passionate about ·      A wife unsure how to get her husband to go to church again Next Steps: 📞 Ask Joh ... Show More
52m 58s