The Psychology of Relationships

Julie Krafchick & Yue Xu

Every couple has a story: the sparks, the late-night talks, the fights about nothing, and the moments that change everything. So why do some relationships thrive while others fall apart? The answer isn’t luck; it’s psychology. Join Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu, hosts of the hit podcast Dateable and authors of the book 'How to Be Dateable,' as they navigate this next phase of long-term committed relationships. Together with leading experts in the field, they'll explore what science really tells us about love, conflict, and connection — and translate it into tools you can actually use. 

  1. MAR 5

    Quieting the Clock: Letting Go of Timeline Anxiety in Love & Life w/ Beth Gulotta

    There’s a quiet pressure many people carry: the feeling that they’re running out of time. Time to find love. Time to settle down. Time to make it all happen before the clock says otherwise. In this episode, Julie & Yue are joined by therapist and advocate Beth Gulotta to explore how societal timelines—especially around love, fertility, and partnership—shape our anxiety and decision-making. Through the lens of psychology, Beth breaks down how social comparison and time pressure can distort our choices, and why meeting love later in life often comes with more clarity, emotional maturity, and intention. This conversation invites a redefinition of what it means to be “on time,” while still honoring real biological and emotional realities. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why societal timelines create stress and rushed relationship decisions • How social comparison fuels anxiety around love and fertility • What psychology says about partnering later in life • How to balance biological realties with value-aligned choices • Ways to reclaim agency over your relationship and life timeline To learn more about Beth Gulotta, follow her @bethgulotta and visit https://www.bethgulotta.com/  Want to feel more connected to your partner? Download Brick and get 10% off at https://www.getbrick.app/PORSHOW Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    50 min
  2. FEB 26

    The Saboteurs That Are Killing Your Relationships w/ Shirzad Chamine

    You’ve probably heard of IQ and EQ—but what if the missing piece in your relationships is PQ? In this episode, Julie and Yue are joined by Shirzad Chamine, bestselling author and creator of Positive Intelligence, to unpack how our inner saboteurs quietly undermine relationships. Drawing from neuroscience and cognitive psychology, Shirzad explains why we’re wired to judge ourselves and our partners, how the nine saboteurs show up in dating and long-term relationships, and what happens when we let them run the show. Together, they explore how building positive intelligence helps interrupt reactivity, reduce self-sabotage, and create more fulfilling, emotionally resilient relationships. In this episode, you’ll learn: • What Positive Intelligence (PQ) Is—and Why It Matters in Relationships • The 9 Saboteurs That Appear in Every Relationship • Why Judgment Is Hardwired Into the Brain (and How to Interrupt It) • How Saboteurs Create Conflict, Distance, and Self-Sabotage in Love • Practical Ways to Strengthen Your PQ Muscles • How to Respond to Triggers With Curiosity Instead of Reactivity • How Higher PQ Leads to Healthier, More Fulfilling Relationships To learn more about Shirzad Chamine: follow @shirzadchamine and visit https://www.positiveintelligence.com Want to feel more connected to your partner? Download Brick and get 10% off at https://www.getbrick.app/PORSHOW Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 4m
  3. FEB 19

    When Your Marriage Nearly Falls Apart: Lessons in Repair & Reconnection w/ Casey & Meygan Caston

    Relationships don’t fall apart overnight—they erode through unresolved conflict, unmet needs, and missed opportunities for repair. In this episode, Julie & Yue are joined by Casey and Meygan Caston from Marriage365, marriage coaches and authors of The Marriage Habit and 365 Connecting Questions for Couples, to explore how their own marriage nearly collapsed and what it took to rebuild it. Drawing from both their personal journey and their work with hundreds of thousands of couples, they break down the patterns, expectations, and myths about marriage that often go unnoticed, and show how lasting love is possible when couples have the tools, awareness, and intentional practices to repair, reconnect, and thrive together. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why conflict isn’t the problem, but avoidance and defensiveness often are • Key green and red flags to notice early in a relationship • Cultural and modern myths about marriage that can sabotage relationships • How to rebuild emotional safety, trust, and intimacy after disconnection • Tools for maintaining a thriving, resilient relationship over the long term To learn more about Casey and Meygan, follow them @marriage365 and visit https://marriage365.com/ Want to feel more connected to your partner? Download Brick and get 10% off at https://www.getbrick.app/PORSHOW Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    45 min
  4. FEB 5

    The Truth About Relationships: What’s Confusing, Frustrating, and Totally Normal w/ Todd Baratz

    Love is supposed to feel good—so why does it so often feel confusing, activating, and emotionally exhausting? Even in the healthiest relationships, we can feel anxious, irritated, or like we’re “losing our mind,” which often leads to the quiet panic of wondering whether something is wrong with us or the relationship itself. Julie and Yue sit down with Todd Baratz, therapist and author of ‘How To Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind’ for a raw, unfiltered look at why love brings out our deepest insecurities, needs, and patterns. Todd breaks down why losing your mind in relationships is normal, how cognitive biases distort the way we evaluate partners, and why frustration doesn’t automatically mean you’re with the wrong person.  In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why Even Healthy Relationships Activate Anxiety, Doubt, and Emotional Intensity • How Cognitive Biases Shape The Way You Judge Your Partner And Your Relationships • What Frustration in Love Is Really Signaling (And What It's Not) • Why 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' Keeps People Stuck • The Question That Actually Leads to Clarity, Self-Trust, and Relational Growth To learn more about Todd, visit toddbaratz.com and follow him on Instagram @yourdiagnonsense Want to feel more connected to your partner? Download Brick and get 10% off at https://www.getbrick.app/PORSHOW Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    44 min
  5. JAN 29

    Finding Love at Any Age: Why It’s Never Too Late to Build the Relationship You’ve Always Wanted w/ May Lee

    What if it’s not too late for love and your timeline isn’t behind but rather right on time? In this episode, Julie and Yue sit down with former CNN journalist, and newly engaged May Lee to flip the cultural myth that love has an expiration date. At 57, May got engaged for the first time, proving that societal timelines are often more limiting than reality. Drawing from her own journey and the psychology of chrono-normativity—the idea that society imposes “proper timelines” for adulthood milestones—May shows how letting go of the artificial countdown clock can open space for clarity, agency, and authentic connection. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why “It’s Too Late for Love” Is a Cultural Myth • How Chrono-Normativity Shapes Pressure and Dating Decisions • How Letting Go of Timelines Boosts Confidence and Self-Worth • Why Future-Positive Thinking Increases Attraction and Relational Satisfaction • How Past Detours Can Create Conditions for the Right Relationship • How to Choose Partners Based on Fit, Not Deadlines • Why Age Doesn’t Limit Love—but Outdated Timelines Do To learn more about May Lee: follow @mayleeshow and visit https://www.lotusmediahouse.com Want to feel more connected to your partner? Download Brick and get 10% off at https://www.getbrick.app/PORSHOW Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    57 min
  6. JAN 22

    What Healthy Couples Need To Understand About Money In Order To Build Their Rich Life w/ Ramit Sethi

    Money has a way of sneaking into every corner of a relationship—date nights, living arrangements, future plans, even how we argue or apologize. And yet, it’s one of the conversations couples avoid the most. In this episode, Julie and Yue chat with Netflix host, bestselling author, and creator of Money For Couples, Ramit Sethi, to unpack the psychology behind financial tension that inevitably creeps into relationships. Ramit explains why money arguments aren’t really about money—they’re about values, fears, power dynamics, and the stories we carry about security, freedom, and worth. In this episode, you’ll learn: • The Four Money Types and How They Influence Relationships • How Different Earning Styles and Financial Habits Shape Dynamics • Why Money Fights Are Often About Emotion, Not Numbers • How to Communicate About Money Without Triggering Conflict • How to Build a Shared Financial Vision That Supports Your Relationship • Why Understanding Each Other’s Money Psychology Creates Trust and Intimacy • How to Build a “Rich Life” Rooted in Choice, Alignment, and Safety To learn more about Ramit Sethi: follow @ramit and visit https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/ Want to feel more connected to your partner? Download Brick and get 10% off at https://www.getbrick.app/PORSHOW Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    53 min
4.5
out of 5
79 Ratings

About

Every couple has a story: the sparks, the late-night talks, the fights about nothing, and the moments that change everything. So why do some relationships thrive while others fall apart? The answer isn’t luck; it’s psychology. Join Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu, hosts of the hit podcast Dateable and authors of the book 'How to Be Dateable,' as they navigate this next phase of long-term committed relationships. Together with leading experts in the field, they'll explore what science really tells us about love, conflict, and connection — and translate it into tools you can actually use. 

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