Pick of the week: Where Should We Begin?
The chance to listen in on other people’s therapy sessions makes for a tempting podcast premise – and psychotherapist Esther Perel’s Where Should We Begin? (iTunes) launches its second season with a series of intriguing but sensitively handled stories. Perel is exactly how you might imagine a therapist to be, and her Ted talks and books have already attracted considerable attention thanks to her controversial theories about sex in monogamous relationships.
Each unscripted episode is a real therapy session, condensed into 45 minutes. It’s as if you are in the room with Perel and her clients. Just when you are tempted to start shouting advice, she interjects with her wise thoughts and flashes of humour. “I’m going to think out loud, but that doesn’t mean I’m right,” she says, her clipped Belgian accent helping her sound even more no-nonsense.
The latest episode focuses on a couple struggling in their relationship with their daughter who, for the past two years, has spent 22 hours a day in her room chatting to friends online. Perel teases out the story of how their girl, adopted from South Korea, became isolated and bullied in a mostly white school. “I wanted her to be passionate about something so bad,” admits her exasperated mother.
Perel lets the couple work out their own feelings, offering a gentle “that’s right” when they do. Where Should We Begin? is more than just a nose into other people’s business. It’s an examination of universal problems and fears, wisely tempered by Perel’s incisive observations.
Your picks: eerie cults, life’s outsiders and the joy of helping
Some Noise profiles subjects who try to carve out lives at odds with the expectations of routine, society, or family. They do it through hobbies, religion, work, local pride, and any other number of deeply personal ways. They are at once defiant, vulnerable, and open. The podcast does a great job of engaging the empathy of its listeners. You leave feeling inspired and uplifted.
Recommended by James Laudano
Tribulation is a thriller for those who fancy a suspenseful mystery featuring an eerie cult, a little love, and lots of chase. Packing a punch right off the bat with the pilot Fire and Brimstone, I found myself aching for each new episode to be released ... and dumbfounded by twists I hadn’t seen coming.
Recommended by Allison Tiffany
Crazy Good Turns tells positive stories of people choosing to make a difference in individual lives and society. Within two days of discovering it I had binge-listened to every episode available. Its stories expand my vision and the three-part series – Angels Foster, A Sense of Home and Homeboy Industries – that covered helping youth from birth to adulthood is a personal favourite.
Recommended by Ben Pitts
Guardian pick: just how divided are we?
Our new podcast Common Ground is an attempt to sidestep politicians and commentators and go straight to the people. We’ve brought together four ordinary Australians of different ages from all over the country: Steve (34), Sharon (51), Josh (18) and Katrina (70) who represent a cross section of politics from the far left to the right via the two major parties.
We wanted to ask them questions about the things politicians can’t seem to stop fighting about: immigration, climate change, inequality, euthanasia and many more. Each week you’ll hear our panel chat about what matters to them and find out how people’s lives affect who they vote for.
The podcast is hosted by Guardian Australia’s editor Lenore Taylor and the conversation is moderated by author and social researcher Rebecca Huntley.
In our first episode you find out what they think about our political system and you might be surprised to find out who agreed with each other.
Recommended by Miles Martignoni
If you’ve got a podcast that you love, send your recommendations to rowan.slaney@theguardian.com
