Episode 9: The Truth About Marriage - a podcast by Dr. Justin Lehmiller

In the United States, the marriage rate is near a record low, and 40-50% of marriages end in divorce. Research has also found that rates of marital satisfaction have declined over time. In short, fewer people are getting married, those who do aren’t as happy as married couples in the past, and a heck of a lot of these relationships just won’t work out. So why is that? Why are relationships so hard?

In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Roger Nygard about his recent documentary and book The Truth About Marriage, which examines how we can all make our relationships happier. Nygard is an accomplished filmmaker who has directed TV series such as “The Office” and “The Bernie Mac Show,” and he has edited Emmy-nominated episodes of "Who is America?" “VEEP,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” For his documentary, he interviewed a number of sex and relationship researchers and therapists to get the answers, including previous podcast guests Drs. John and Julie Gottman.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including:

• Why are relationships and marriages so difficult? Why do so many of us have trouble finding lasting long-term happiness?


• How can we improve our relationships, according to the experts?


• What is the role of sex in relationships? How important is it, really?


• How often should couples have sex?


• What is the role of humor in attraction and relationships?

In addition, we talk about the work Roger does on some of my favorite television shows!

To learn more about Roger Nygard and his documentary, check out his website here.

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