They met as community organizers in their neighborhood. She had just gotten out of a multi-year marriage to her ex-wife and began to forge new friendships. After about a year, something shifted for her and she began to develop feelings for him, sending her seemingly solid identity into a tailspin. After 15 years of identifying as a lesbian, she was in her fi ... Show More
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
Oct 2023
Love in All the Wrong Places
At 35, Athena doesn't believe she deserves a meaningful relationship, feels disconnected from herself, and is involved in a 3-year affair. Brian suffers with fears his ex will spread toxic stories about him in a tightly-knit community, and has become withdrawn. Sven goes to work, ... Show More
49m 17s
Mar 2022
Can My Sugar Baby Be My Lady
Dear Steve and Shirley, I’ve been in a relationship with a woman for a year and I need some advice. She’s 35 and I’m 54 years old. When we met, I was legally separated and I was miserable, in a one bedroom apartment and depressed because my wife had a new boyfriend already. I wan ... Show More
13m 11s
May 2019
We're Just Friends, But We Could Be So Much More
Dear Steve and Shirley, I’m in a bad situation and I need your advice. A few months ago, I was in a great relationship and my man and I were happy. I had a male neighbor that I only talked to on social media. My man found out about us sending each other messages and he accused me ... Show More
14m 15s
Mar 2022
Beyond Girlfriend-Boyfriend
<p>Three months into the pandemic, Haili Blassingame was crafting an email to her boyfriend of five years, Malcolm, with the subject line “My Terms.” She wanted to break up. Haili had met Malcolm in college. At first she was “giddy about the cute guy with the deep voice who looke ... Show More
16m 20s
Feb 2025
Its Me, Tinx Live: My Friend Joined a Cult
<p>Another week, another first. I talk to a caller who had to drop a lifelong friend due to joining what she views as a cult. A woman who has some serious red flags to deal with in regards to a boyfriend that seems to be angry about nothing. Oh, and when is the best time to sl ... Show More
48m 41s
Mar 2024
From Lust to Lasting Commitment | Esther Perel EP 561
<p>Esther Perel says monogamy is now a choice rather than a given, so we must thoughtfully negotiate needs instead of feeling entitled to fulfill every desire. She believes partners who share core values and life vision, not just attraction, create relationships that thrive long- ... Show More
9m 55s