Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch

Hey, Fellow Travelers. Maria doesn't want to interfere in her kids' lives, but when she hears that her son wants to have children but his wife doesn't, she wonders if her son will have regrets later if she doesn't say something now. But what should she say, and how? We help her to see that her fears about her son's lack of a voice in his marriage is something she's familiar with herself, and that...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. Liam has just come out to his family as a transgender man and begun hormone replacement therapy. His sister is getting married soon and he promised to be her Maid of Honor, and while he no longer feels comfortable wearing a dress, he also doesn't want to make things awkward for his sister and the rest of the family. We discuss his struggle over his gender expression and help...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. In Haley's mind, her sister Jill has always been the "perfect" one. When Jill visits their aging parents, she's like Mary Poppins, bringing sunshine and rainbows and even labeling their antiques. Haley is tired of never measuring up to Jill, but we help her to see that her problem is different from what she believes it to be—and that it's actually her greatest strength. If y...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. It's been two decades since Lenny's daughter cut off contact with him after he and her mother divorced. Lenny has thought about his daughter and the grandchildren he has never met every single day and has tried to make peace with the situation, but his wife Patricia sees his pain and asked for our guidance. She and Lenny join us together as we help them to consider a new app...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. After seven years of marriage, Elena recently discovered that her husband has been having affairs—plenty of them. They are in couples counseling and he has vowed to change, but this hasn't gone so well. We help her to explore her own reluctance to change, and encourage her to prioritize her own feelings, stop falling prey to manipulation, and take action that will move her f...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. Jeff's parents have always been critical--making negative comments about everything from his appearance and intelligence to his being "too sensitive"—and as an adult, Jeff has tried not to let these hurtful words get to him. But now that he's a new father, he's worried about the impact that his parents' constant criticism will have on his child. We help him move past his fea...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. This week, a dedicated young teacher deals with the guilt of not being able to connect with her students while being physically separated from them during the pandemic. But it isn’t just her students who are craving connection. We help Allison navigate through her own loss as well. If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at  LoriAndGuy@iHear...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. This week, we explore what happens when a DNA test reveals a shocking surprise. Kristine was adopted and had always hoped to find her biological parents—and in her early twenties, she did. But there was a secret that she—and her biological father—didn't know about. We help her to navigate the fallout as she re-examines her definition of family. If you have a dilemma you’d li...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. This week, we explore the ghosts of a partner's ex-girlfriend. A woman is happy in her new relationship, except for one thing: her boyfriend insists on taking care of his ex's dog, and she has a sinking feeling that it's not just the dog her boyfriend is holding onto. If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at  LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .  ...

Hey, Fellow Travelers. This week, a married couple with kids struggles to come to a decision on where to raise their family. Ryan wants their kids to grow up near his family in Nebraska. Beth wants them to live near her mother in New York. We show them a new way to talk through an impasse that's been causing resentment and keeping them stuck for years. If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss w...

Hello Fellow Travelers, this week a man who ended his marriage to be with the love of his life wonders if that makes him a bad person. We talk to Mike about coming to terms with his decisions by seeing things from the perspective of others.    If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at  LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .   Follow us both online: LoriGottlieb.com and on...

Hello, Fellow Travelers. This week we explore the challenges of blending families together. Priscilla is struggling to deal with her boyfriend’s six-year-old daughter and is wondering if it's even possible to build a relationship with the girl who constantly says she hates her. If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at  LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .   Follow us bo...

Hello, Fellow Travelers. Our very first episode deals with a problem familiar to a lot of people: a breakup and a broken heart. Our guest Shrina struggles to understand why her boyfriend suddenly decided that he no longer loved her and she's questioning what changed and what she might have done wrong.    If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at  LoriAndGuy@iHear...

This week, we’re in session with Stephanie and her mother, Rona, who hasn’t forgiven her daughter for something that happened twenty-five years ago. We help them acknowledge the hurt they caused each other and find a new path forward.    If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .   Subscribe for free to Dear Therapists to stay up to da...

We follow up on last week’s advice about who should bear the burden of maintaining connections with parents. We also respond to questions about a group text that’s spiraling into harsh words; a friendship worn thin by years of last-minute cancellations; and a new mother who fears her husband isn’t bonding with their baby. Plus, Since You Askers weigh in: Would you tell a friend t...

This week, we’re in session with Alexis, whose parents are pressuring her to get married and have children on their timeline instead of hers. We help her to set healthy boundaries with her family.   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .   Subscribe for free to Dear Therapists to stay up to date on all the latest episodes.   Follow...

This week we’re popping in your feed to tell you about a new show from Lemonada Media, Since You Asked .  Who doesn’t need advice—and who doesn’t love giving advice? Since you asked, we’re happy to answer. Each week, two friends—Gretchen Rubin, a happiness researcher, and Lori Gottlieb, a therapist—tackle the daily problems of living with all of you....

This week, we’re in session with Grace and Finn, a young married couple who struggle to keep their disagreements from turning into full-blown arguments they later regret. We help them identify what goes wrong and give them practical tools for substituting faulty assumptions and accusations with openness and vulnerability.   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us...

This week, we’re in session with Vanessa, whose father insisted she take out a huge loan she could not repay and give him all the money, then disowned her when she refused. We help her to process the loss of her entire family, and start to create a trusted, compassionate family of choice who treats her the way family should.   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email...

This week, we’re in session with Andrew, who met his current partner because they shared the same ex, and worries that his new relationship is therefore built on a shaky foundation. We help him remove the ghost of the ex and trust the important lessons he learned from that relationship in this new one.   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at LoriAndGuy@iHeart...

This week, we’re in session with Emily, whose relationship with her long-distance fiance blew up the moment they got married. We help her to see how her impatience to not “waste time” prevents her from making sound choices, and why slowing down is the key to making healthy decisions.   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .   Subsc...

This week, we’re in session with Elise, who wants to have a better relationship with her angry older sister. We help Elise to see her sister’s perspective so she can approach her with empathy–and how to know when repair might not be possible.   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .   Subscribe for free to Dear Therapists to stay u...

In this Roundtable discussion, we explore the role of romance in fiction and real life. Author and political leader Stacey Abrams explains how she weaves it into her suspense novels by focusing on authentic human connection, while therapist Lori Gottlieb brings her perspective on love off the page. Together, we look at how romance is imagined, experienced, and sustained today. Resources & link...

This week, we’re in session with Richard, who has been trying to avoid feeling the pain of losing his wife of 40 years. We teach him how to sit with his sadness, even as he moves forward into a new relationship.   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss with us—big or small—email us at LoriAndGuy@iHeartMedia.com .   Subscribe for free to Dear Therapists to stay up to date on all the latest epi...

This week, we’re in session with Nora, whose whirlwind romance with her now-husband led to an unexpected pregnancy that was terminated when they were first dating, the fallout of which she is still dealing with. We help Nora to process her feelings of past resentment so that she can see her husband and their relationship more clearly in the present   If you have a dilemma you’d like to discuss wit...