The LDR Podcast

This is our last episode of season 2 so we decided to bring back a season 1 favorite! Colleen and Ankit kick off the show by talking about how they make the most of their time apart. Then, Colleen sits down with Coleen Bendig from season 1 episode 4 (The Long Distance Move) to get an update on the new LDR Coleen and Jay have found themselves in. Coleen shares the exciting ways she has made the most of the time to herself and gives tips on what you can do!

I think we all can agree there is nothing more frustrating than being ghosted by someone you're dating. In an LDR it can be even trickier trying to notice the red flags and figure out how to move forward. Colleen and Ankit kick off the episode by briefly sharing their experience with ghosting. Then, they speak with Cristin Gapasin from Cristin Cares about how she was ghosted in a long-distance relationship and how she moved forward after.

Colleen & Ankit are mixing it up this week and doing something totally new - an LDR movie review. Together they watched 'Going the Distance', and in this episode of the podcast, they're giving you a summary of the movie and comparing it to their experience!

Defining the relationship can be such a tricky subject to navigate when starting a new relationship, and adding distance to the mix only makes things 10x harder. This can lead couples to fall into the trap of the "situationship". In this episode, Colleen & Ankit sit down with Allegra Ubbes to talk about the highs and lows of trying to define her relationship in an LDR. Allegra gives some really important tips on how to have tough conversations with your partner when your relationship status is not fulfilling you.

Everyone says that it's worth it, but no one says it will be easy... Ankit and Colleen kick-off episode 2 sharing the frustrations and difficulties they have faced in their own LDR. Then, they speak with Tina & Nacho from the International Love Story Podcast to hear about what they had to overcome in their own LDR journey.

Colleen and Ankit are so excited to be back! They're kicking off season 2 of the LDR Podcast with their holiday gift guide. Colleen pulled together a list of her top 10 LDR themed holiday gifts and talks about the pros and cons of each one with Ankit. So for last minute shoppers out there, this episode is for you! **Colleen & Ankit are not being paid to promote these items, their opinions are their own.

In this bonus episode Colleen & Ankit give a quick update on where they are in their lives since their last recording. Then, they dive into listener questions and share the "little wins" sent in by you!

We've saved our juiciest episode for last! In our 10th and final episode of the season, we'll be discussing physical and mental intimacy in LDRs. Colleen and Ankit discuss how they keep the flame alive - as well as share a hilarious experience of how sometimes LDR intimacy can go horribly wrong. Then, they speak with the final expert of the season, Erica James, a family and relationship therapist. The three take a deep dive into physical and mental intimacy in LDRs - why it's important, how to keep the flame alive, and so much more!

All LDRs hope to have the happily-ever-after ending of finally closing the gap. But this is life, and the story does not end when the distance does. The work for the relationship never stops. At the beginning of the episode, Colleen & Ankit discuss their anxieties and what they're looking forward to in closing the gap. They then speak with Colleen's friend Alina about the triumphs and struggles when closing the gap on a 4-year LDR.

Wedding Planning is already hard enough - let alone when you add long distance to the mix! At the top of the episode, Colleen and Ankit share their struggles and where they are in their own wedding planning process. Then Colleen speaks with her friend and expert wedding planner, Madeline Littlefield, to get some tips and tricks for long-distance wedding planning.

Long-distance relationships extend beyond the realm of romantic relationships. They can also be found between friends, as well as family members. However, there are many significant differences between an LDR with someone you are dating vs. an LDR with a parent. Ankit and Colleen discuss their brief and minor experiences of being in an LDR with their dads. Then, Colleen has a conversation with Yuka Murakami about what it was like growing up with a dad who lived on the other side of the world. They also talk about the consequences the LDR has had on their relationship - even to this day.

La vie en rose. Everyone has moments or periods of their life that they look back on with a sense of bittersweet longing, but did you know that nostalgia can actually benefit your long-distance relationship? Colleen and Ankit share their experience, initial beliefs, and understandings of what nostalgia is. Then, they speak with Julie Swets about her research on the effects nostalgia has in high conflict relationships and how we can use nostalgia to better our LDRs.

We all hope for that fairytale ending of happily-ever-after, but unfortunately, that's not in the cards for every LDR. In this episode, Colleen and Ankit talk about the importance of having an end goal for an LDR. Then, they sit down with Vighnesh B. and have an honest conversation about his LDR that ended in a break-up.

Moving to a new country can be such a unique, stressful, beautiful, life-changing opportunity. Colleen and Ankit share the highs and lows they've faced living in new countries. They then speak with Coleen Bendig and Jason Chavenson about what it was like to be in an LDR in the middle of a long-distance move.

Colleen and Ankit give a brief recap of where their dating life/travel situation stands as of August 2020. Then, they speak with the creator of the Love is Not Tourism campaign, Felix Urbasik, about the remarkable strides the campaign has made to help couples all over the world reunite.

Colleen and Ankit kick off the episode by talking about what it was like dating under the lockdowns in France & Montreal from March 2020 - June 2020. Then, Colleen speaks with Veronica Lavil about using dating apps during the quarantine.

Have you always been curious about why someone would ever want to get involved with a long-distance relationship? Are you currently in an LDR and need a little reminder of the benefits? In this first episode of the LDR podcast, Colleen and Ankit lay out their top 5 reasons why LDRs are better than you think.

Welcome to the LDR podcast! We will be officially dropping our first three episodes on Thursday, August 27th. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.