Making friends as an adult can feel like a baffling obstacle course. Why was it so much easier to connect as kids? To help you find well-rounded and fulfilling friendships, psychologist Marisa Franco discusses science-backed tips on how to make (and keep) friends, like the optimism-inducing "acceptance prophecy" and the shame-reducing "theory of chums." Learn more about the power of platonic love and how it can help you experience the full richness and complexity of who you are.This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event, and later published on TED Talks Daily, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. You can find more episodes wherever you're listening to this or visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Marisa G. Franco, psychologist and professor, discusses the undervaluation of friendship in society, the impact of technology on relationships, the biological need for social connection, attachment styles, handling conflict, and the importance of generosity. She also promotes her book 'Platonic' on making and keeping friends.

Friends matter, more than you even know. A lack of genuine, open, loving friends can lead to profound loneliness. And that very loneliness can be devastating to both your mental health. But, it goes further than that, the health effects can also wreak more havoc and increase risk of illness, dementia and death, on a level that dramatically exceeds addiction, obesity, and pollution, sometimes combined. What’s the solution? We tend to look to find our one person to solve the loneliness problem. That dream partner who makes everything okay. Except, as we’ll learn today, that can, and often is, a recipe for disaster. Better approach - reconnect with, or find and make new, platonic, yet intimate, engaged, and loving friendships.Sure, you say, easy to do as a kid. But, what about as an adult? Here to walk me through the world of friendships, why they matter and how to make new adult friends, is research-driven psychologist, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Marisa Franco. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Platonic, with a research focus on the powerful role of our communities in shaping who we are and why we flourish. You can find Marisa at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Kat Vellos about approaching friendships as a design problem to be solved.Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes.About the Journey: What does it mean to travel better? Travel journalist Oneika Raymond connects with locals who can speak to the heart of the dynamic cities we’re traveling to. They’ll tell us where to go, what to do and how to see the world in more sustainable and meaningful ways. Listen to About the Journey wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Marisa G. Franco, a professor, psychologist, and author, shares science-backed secrets for making friends in this lively podcast. She discusses the challenges of making friends as adults and offers tricks to make people like you more. They explore the best places to make new friends and how to make friends outside of your own race, age, or socioeconomic background. Dr. Franco also provides advice on deepening friendships, turning acquaintances into close friends, and making a best friend. They touch on the difficulties men face in making close friends and offer low-hanging fruit for maintaining existing friendships with minimal effort.

1. Practical ways to make a friend and become what Dr. Franco calls a “Super-friend.”2. How to address issues with a friend even if you hate conflict.3. Why expressing anger is more likely to deepen a relationship than destroy it.4. How we need to express vulnerability to make friends – but first, what the hell is vulnerability?5. Destroying the unhelpful myth that friendship happens organically. About Dr. Franco: Dr. Marisa G Franco is psychologist, international speaker, and New York Times bestselling author known for digesting and communicating science in ways tha change their lives. She works as a professor at The University of Maryland and authored the New York Times bestseller Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends.TW: @DrMarisaGFrancoIG: @drmarisagfranco To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices