Why people cheat: Part 1

PART 1

Why do people cheat? Even those in healthy relationships? And what can affairs help us understand about intimacy?

We tend to think that the act of infidelity is the ultimate betrayal. We judge those who commit transgressions. We shroud them in shame. We dismiss them, label them, categorize them as “cheaters.” And largely we do so without a complete understanding of infidelity.

In this episode of the podcast, Tony speaks with world-renowned couples therapist and relationship expert Esther Perel to discuss what makes relationships work, what makes them fall apart – and what we aren’t understanding about infidelity.

Who is Esther Perel?

Relationship expert Esther Perel is recognized as one of today’s most insightful and provocative voices on the subject. A celebrated couples therapist who has helmed a private practice in New York City since 1983, she has over three decades of experience navigating the intricacies of love and desire. Her international bestseller Mating in Captivity has been translated into 26 languages. And her latest book,The State of Affairs, reveals why even happy people cheat and why we shame those who stay with partners who have been unfaithful.

Esther is a dynamic and provocative speaker on the international stage, with two critically praised TED talks that have reached over 17 million viewers. She has consulted on the Golden Globe-winning Showtime series The Affair and is also Executive Producer and host of the Audible Original Series “Where Should We Begin?”, in which she broadcasts intimate one-off counseling sessions with real-life couples.

Esther has also been featured in publications across five continents, including the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and Vogue. She is also a frequent guest on radio and television shows, including NPR’s Brian Lehrer Show, Oprah, The Today Show, Dr. Oz and The Colbert Report.