A good relationship podcast can do something a book cannot: let you hear how other couples actually talk, argue and repair. Several of the shows below go further and let you sit in on real sessions.
We chose shows hosted by therapists, researchers or long-running editorial teams, and checked each one's official page and episode feed. Most were still releasing new episodes in September 2026; where a show has stopped, we say so, because an archive can still be worth your time.
A podcast is not couples counseling, and hearing someone else's session is different from having your own. If you and your partner want help in Charlotte, see couples counseling or our list of couples counselors in Charlotte.
The list
1.Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Esther Perel / Esther Perel Global Media
Best for: Hearing real couples in a real session
Psychotherapist Esther Perel sits down with real people, most often couples, and the episode is the session. Topics range from breakups and open relationships to betrayal, workplace conflict and family rifts.
It suits listeners who learn by example and want to hear how an experienced therapist asks questions. Because the conversations are raw, some episodes may be hard to hear if you are in the middle of a similar crisis.
- The show's page says new episodes are released every Monday.
- The official feed lists Esther Perel Global Media as the publisher, with the most recent episode dated September 21, 2026.
2.Modern Love
Hosted by Anna Martin / The New York Times
Best for: Stories about love in all its forms
Built on The New York Times's long-running Modern Love column, the podcast brings personal stories and conversations about love in its many forms; recent episodes have covered divorce and walking away from an engagement.
It suits people who want perspective more than advice. It is not hosted by therapists, so if you want clinical guidance, pair it with one of the therapist-led shows below.
- The official feed says host Anna Martin presents new episodes every Wednesday.
- The most recent episode in the feed is dated September 23, 2026.
3.Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch
Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch / iHeartPodcasts
Best for: Seeing what happens after the session
Two therapists and authors hold real sessions with listeners, give concrete suggestions, and then check back later to find out what happened. Episodes cover relationships, family and other everyday and extraordinary challenges.
The follow-ups are the distinctive part: you hear whether the advice was used and how it went. Recent episodes include encores of earlier seasons, so it suits people happy to dip into an archive.
- Lori Gottlieb's site describes the show as real sessions with real people, released on Tuesdays.
- The official feed lists iHeartPodcasts as publisher, with episodes (including encores and follow-ups) dated into September 2026.
4.Therapist Uncensored
Sue Marriott, LCSW, CGP, and Ann Kelley, PhD / Independent
Best for: Understanding attachment and relational patterns
Two therapists explain attachment, relational neuroscience and trauma in plain language, often with a researcher or clinician as guest. The focus is the patterns people carry into close relationships.
It suits listeners who want to understand why they react the way they do with a partner. It covers wider emotional topics too, so not every episode is about couples.
- The show's site says it covers infant and adult attachment, relational neuroscience, polyvagal theory and trauma.
- The official feed credits hosts Sue Marriott, LCSW, CGP, and Ann Kelley, PhD, and lists numbered episode 310 on September 1, 2026, with a bonus episode on September 8, 2026.
5.Brave Love Great Sex
Laurie Watson, PhD, LMFT, and George Faller, LMFT
Best for: Couples working on sex and emotional intimacy together
A sex therapist and a couples therapist talk frankly about desire, sexual problems and the emotional connection underneath them. George Faller is a trainer in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
It suits committed couples who want to talk about sex more openly. The discussion is direct, so it may not suit listeners who are uncomfortable with explicit conversation or who want to listen with children nearby.
- The show's About page describes co-hosts Laurie Watson, PhD, LMFT, a sex therapist, and George Faller, LMFT, a supervisor and trainer in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
- The official feed lists numbered episode 562 on September 18, 2026, alongside replays of earlier episodes.
6.Relationship Alive!
Hosted by Neil Sattin
Best for: Long interviews with well-known relationship experts
Neil Sattin, an author and relationship coach, interviews therapists and researchers at length. The archive includes conversations with John Gottman, Sue Johnson, Harville Hendrix, Terry Real and Peter Levine.
It suits listeners who want depth on one approach at a time. Sattin is a relationship coach, and new episodes have been less frequent lately, so treat it mainly as a deep archive.
- The official feed describes Neil Sattin as an author and relationship coach and lists guests including John Gottman, Sue Johnson and Harville Hendrix.
- The show's page lists episode 264 as the most recent; the feed dates it June 2026, after episodes in February and June 2026.
7.Small Things Often
The Gottman Institute
Best for: Short, practical tips (archive)
Episodes are a few minutes long, each built around one research-based tip for everyday connection, such as a small ritual or a way to reset after a hard week.
It suits busy couples who want something to try tonight. It is no longer releasing new episodes; the feed ends in March 2022, but the archive of short episodes is still available.
- The Gottman Institute's page describes research-based tips to improve relationships in five minutes or less.
- The official feed holds 182 episodes, the latest dated March 10, 2022.
How to listen together
Some couples find it easier to discuss another couple's story than their own. Listening to the same episode separately and then talking about one moment that stood out can open a conversation without it turning into a debate about who is right.
- Want to hear therapy as it happens: Where Should We Begin? or Dear Therapists.
- Want to understand your patterns: Therapist Uncensored.
- Want to work on intimacy: Brave Love Great Sex.
- Want depth from experts: Relationship Alive!
- Want five minutes and one idea: Small Things Often.
Where counseling fits
Podcasts are a good way to find words for what is happening between you. They cannot respond to your particular relationship. If the same argument keeps repeating, or trust has been broken, counseling gives you a place to practice with someone guiding the conversation. Laura Bass Counseling works with couples in Charlotte; see when couples consider counseling.
If there is violence, threats or controlling behavior in the relationship, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 before trying couples exercises.
Questions people ask
- Are the sessions on these podcasts real?
- Where Should We Begin? and Dear Therapists both describe their sessions as real conversations with real people. The other shows are interviews or discussions.
- Can a podcast replace couples counseling?
- No. A podcast can give you ideas and language, but it cannot respond to your relationship. Many couples use one alongside couples counseling.
- Which podcast is best if we are dealing with infidelity?
- Where Should We Begin? often covers betrayal. For reading, see our list of books for couples rebuilding trust.
Sources
- Where Should We Begin?, Esther Perel
- Modern Love podcast feed, The New York Times
- Dear Therapists, Lori Gottlieb
- About Therapist Uncensored, Therapist Uncensored
- About Brave Love Great Sex, Brave Love Great Sex
- Relationship Alive!, Neil Sattin
- The Small Things Often Podcast, The Gottman Institute
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, The Hotline
Published by Laura Bass Counseling as general information, not personal advice or an endorsement. Details change: confirm anything you rely on with the organization itself. Published .