486 - Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center with Rhaina Cohen
Jul 2, 2024
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Rhaina Cohen, author of The Other Significant Others, discusses prioritizing friendships in relationships, challenges societal norms, explores non-monogamy, and delves into the importance of deep friendships. The hosts also discuss using the Paired app to nurture relationships and navigate possessiveness in friendships.
Strong friendships can alleviate the pressure on romantic partners and lead to clearer expectations.
Intimate friendships can inspire individuals to seek similar qualities in romantic partners, enhancing relationships.
Close friendships can provide a sense of family dynamics, mutual support, and unique interactions in collective living arrangements.
Deep dives
Impactful Polyamorous Retreat Experience
Leading a retreat for polyamorous individuals with creative therapists led to unexpected personal growth and connection amongst participants. The retreat provided a space for healing work, inspiring polyamorous individuals to dive into self-exploration within a supportive atmosphere surrounded by nature.
Redefining Relationship Criteria Through Friendship
Strong friendships serve as a model for reevaluating expectations within romantic relationships. By diversifying close connections, individuals no longer place the burden of fulfilling every need on romantic partners, leading to a clearer understanding of desired qualities and reducing pressure for complete compatibility.
Role of Intimate Friendships in Strengthening Romantic Bonds
Intimate friendships can raise the bar for romantic relationships by demonstrating crucial qualities and support needed in a partner. By witnessing the depth and care in friendships, individuals may seek similar qualities in romantic partners, enhancing the overall strength and fulfillment in their romantic relationships.
Importance of Close Relationships
Close relationships with friends can provide a sense of family-like dynamics and ease, allowing for unique bonds and interactions, such as kids turning for help or displaying affectionate gestures. Living closely with friends offers opportunities for deep connections, mutual support, and shared experiences, influencing personal relationships and providing insights into various life aspects.
Challenges and Perceptions of Alternative Family Structures
Alternative family structures, like collective child-rearing arrangements, face societal pushback and skepticism due to traditional norms. The stigma and misconceptions around non-traditional set-ups, including shared living spaces, reflect concerns of instability and privacy infringements. People's fear of unconventional family models stems from ingrained societal beliefs, undermining the benefits of such arrangements and highlighting the need to challenge rigid relationship norms.
Today we're talking about friendship, love, and romance with Rhaina Cohen. Rhaina is the author of the bestselling book The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center. She's an award-winning producer and editor for NPR's documentary podcast Embedded. And she's written about social connection and policy for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post and other outlets.
Find her on Instagram @rhainacohen, or her newsletter here.
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