Friendship breakups. Knowing when to hold on—and when to let go. JVN sits down with friendship coach Danielle Bayard Jackson to unpack the complexities of platonic relationships and why they can be just as emotionally charged as romantic ones. They dive into the signs that a friendship may have run its course, how to end things with integrity, and whether “friendship should be easy” is really just a myth. Plus! The emotional toll of ghosting, how to handle resentment, and why strong friendships impact our health more than diet and exercise.

Danielle Bayard Jackson is a friendship coach, educator, and author dedicated to helping women build and maintain meaningful connections. She provides coaching, hosts the Friend Forward podcast, and offers research-based strategies to navigate female friendships. Her expertise has been featured in The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, and NBC News, and she’s worked with brands like Bumble and Harvard Business Review.

You can find Danielle on Instagram @daniellebayardjackson and on TikTok @thefriendshipexpert.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.

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An Extraordinary Mid-Season Review