The Psychology of Relationships cover art

The Psychology of Relationships

The Psychology of Relationships

By: Julie Krafchick & Yue Xu
Listen for free

About this listen

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.

2024 Drank Productions LLC
Hygiene & Healthy Living Relationships Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Navigating a Pace Discrepancy: When One Person Is Ready for The Next Step In Your Relationship & The Other Isn’t w/ Dr. Alexandra Solomon
    Dec 11 2025

    It’s easy to feel steady in love—until you and your partner aren’t moving at the same pace. When one person is ready for the next step and the other isn’t, even the healthiest relationships can start to feel uncertain. Julie and Yue sit down with clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Alexandra Solomon to unpack what’s really happening beneath pace discrepancies. Drawing from her groundbreaking work on relational self-awareness, Dr. Solomon explains why mismatched timing activates attachment patterns, old schemas, and deep questions about worthiness—and how couples can navigate these moments without spiraling into fear, pressure, or ultimatums.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • Why Pace Discrepancies Trigger Attachment, Anxiety, and Self-Doubt

    • How Your Past Bonds Influence the Meaning You Make in These Moments

    • How to Communicate Needs and Hopes Without Issuing an Ultimatum

    • How to Tell the Difference Between a Temporary Pause and a Fundamental Misalignment

    • Why One Partner Often Moves Faster (or Slower) — and What That Reveals About Their Inner World

    • How to Stay Connected, Curious, and Compassionate Through Mismatched Timing

    • When to Keep Moving Forward Together — and When It Might Be Time to Walk Away


    To learn more about Dr. Solomon: follow @dr.alexandra.solomon, listen to Reimagining Love, and read her books Loving Bravely, Taking Sexy Back, and Love Every Day.

    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • How to Love Better: The Reason Why Personal Growth Is What Keeps Your Relationship Strong w/ Yung Pueblo
    Dec 4 2025

    Love grows when you do. We talk a lot about how to find love and how to keep it, but not nearly enough about how to grow inside it. Because real love isn’t just a feeling — it’s a skill. In this episode, Julie and Yue sit down with New York Times bestselling author Diego Perez (better known as Yung Pueblo) to explore how self-awareness, attachment, and emotional regulation shape the way we show up in relationships. Drawing from mindfulness and modern psychology, he breaks down how our pasts wire us, how our unhealed parts seek safety, and why growth — not perfection — is what truly strengthens intimacy.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • How to Build Self-Awareness That Strengthens Your Relationship

    • Why Attachment and Nervous System Patterns Shape the Way You Love

    • How to Regulate Emotions During Triggering or Tense Moments

    • Ways to Separate Past Wounds From Present Dynamics

    • How to Make More Conscious, Intentional Choices in How You Love

    • Why Couples Grow Together Through Repair, Not Perfection

    • How to Practice Accountability That Deepens Intimacy


    To learn more about Yung Pueblo: follow @yung_pueblo and visit: https://yungpueblo.com/

    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
  • Why We Love: What Science Tells Us About The Most Deeply Human Experience Of Our Lives w/ Dr. Anna Machin
    Nov 27 2025

    When love feels hard, it’s easy to forget why we chose it in the first place. But remembering why we love—and what drives our need for connection—is often what helps us stay grounded. In this episode, Julie and Yue sit down with evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Anna Machin to explore what biology, psychology, and evolution can teach us about the most deeply human experience we have. Drawing from two decades of research, Dr. Machin reveals how our earliest attachments, neurochemical patterns, and evolutionary instincts shape how we love, who we choose, and why connection is so essential to our wellbeing.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    How Evolution and Early Attachment Form Your Blueprint for Love

    How Brain Chemistry Drives Attraction, Bonding, and Long-Term Connection

    How Different Forms of Love—Romantic, Familial, Queer, Platonic, Polyamorous—Function in the Brain

    Why Love Can Feel Addictive—and the Psychology Behind Coercive or Unhealthy Dynamics

    How to Make More Conscious, Intentional Choices in How You Love

    Why Love Is the Single Most Important Factor in Human Health and Meaning


    To learn more about Dr Anna Machin: follow @dr_amachin and visit: https://annamachin.com/

    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.