Shows / Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship
“Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship” is for anyone who wants to make sense of the gray areas of adult friendship: changed closeness, uneven effort, group dynamics, hurt feelings, and what to say and do next. As Nina always says, "Friendship issues are ageless and timeless." You can listen and relate to these topics no matter your age or your stage of life.
And Dear Nina is a top 1% podcast so people of all ages are listening!
Whether you've agonized over a text, wondered why…
Episodes
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#161 - How Much Can You Expect Friends to Support Your Business, Book, or New Endeavor? (Jackie Friedland)
What should we expect from friends when we launch a new business or creative project like a book or a new company? Bestselling author Jackie Friedland joins me…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship# 160 - From the Cafeteria to the Mahj Table: Friend Group Challenges from Teens to Midlife and Beyond (LIVE!)
My dream for "Dear Nina" has always been to make people feel less alone in the messy parts of friendship. Episode #160 was our first-ever LIVE show…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#159 - Teaching Kindness Without Forcing Friendships: A Parenting Dilemma (Jessica Speer)
As parents, we all want our kids to be kind, inclusive, and compassionate. But what about when your child simply isn’t interested in a friendship? How do you…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#158 - You Need an Older or Younger Friend: August Friendship Challenge (Liz Alterman)
The August Friendship Challenge on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship is all about mixed-age friendships, and I’m grateful to dive into the topic with…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#157: When a Community Shows Up: Childhood Cancer, Friendship, and Lifelong Ripple Effects (Amy Blumenfeld)
Amy Blumenfeld was in 8th grade when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. While the medical story is remarkable on its own (including Amy becoming the…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#156 - The 4 Biggest Lessons I’ve Learned About Friendship (and 4 About Podcasting Too)
It’s the four-year anniversary of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship! Whether you’ve been with me from the column that began in 2014, started with the…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#155 - Thriving Solo: Making Friends and Creating Community After a Big Move (Lisa Giordano)
After 31 years on the East Coast, Lisa Giordano decided (less than a year ago) to make a big move to Austin, Texas, with zero local contacts and a personal…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#154 - Discretion vs. Gossip: How to Handle a Friend Who Overshares Your News (Letter Spotlight with Rebekah Jacobs)
Ever feel that low-level hum of annoyance when a friend casually drops your (good or bad) personal news into the conversation? I have my fantastic "Dear…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#153 - Three Focused Questions for a Mid-Year Reflection
Ready to see where your friendships stand halfway through 2025? In this solo episode, I (very quickly!) round up the first six monthly challenges. Then I hand…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#152 - When Your Child's Friendship Problems Reopen Old Wounds (Beth Segaloff)
Facing Unfinished Friendship Business When Your Child Hits Social Snags Your child’s social life can stir up every unresolved playground scar you’re still…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#151 - Myths Around Adult Friendships (with therapist Jazzmyn Proctor)
What does it mean to have a close friendship in adulthood? How important is history in a friendship? What does (realistic) quality time with a friend look like…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#150 - Join or Die: Pickleball, Potlucks, Democracy, and Your Health (Rebecca and Pete Davis)
In this milestone 150th episode of Dear Nina, we’re diving deep into friendship and community with siblings and co-directors Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis, the…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#149 - Ask a Friend For a Favor: June Friendship Challenge
Welcome to the Dear Nina Friendship Challenge for June: Ask a friend for a favor. Why? Asking a friend for a favor demonstrates trust and intimacy. It helps…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#148 - Tricky Friendship Etiquette for the Modern Age (Daniel Post Senning)
I sat down with fifth-generation etiquette expert Daniel Post Senning of The Emily Post Institute to explore how classic (and modern!) manners can strengthen…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#147 - Share Good News With Friends and How to Receive Friends' Good News
In this short solo episode, I consider why some people hesitate to tell friends about positive events like a promotion, a published piece, or a personal…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#146 - Tolerate Uncertainty & Stop the Overthinking Spiral in Your Friendships (Dr. Jackie Henry)
If you’ve ever reread a text 10 times, filled in every silence with worst-case scenarios, or found yourself leaving too many hangouts with friends regretting…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#145 - Rules For Supporting Your Single Friends (Meghan Keane)
Meghan Keane, author of Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner, says one of the top complaints single people have about their married friends is that they…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#144 - The Secret Power of Changing the Venue in Your Friendship: May Challenge
Whether you’re hoping to upgrade a casual acquaintance, breathe life into a longstanding friendship, or accommodate a friend whose season of life recently…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#143 - The Law of Rejection in Friendships (Harlan Cohen)
In this powerful episode of Dear Nina, I am joined by bestselling author Harlan Cohen to explore the truth about rejection, risk, and the myths we carry into…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#142 - Friendship, Phones, and The Problem of Distraction (Katherine Martinko)
What happens to our friendships when our phones are always within reach for us to "quickly check something" or "quickly answer a text?" It’s…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#141 - The White Lotus Friendship Trio: Lessons for Your Real-Life Friendships (Rebekah Jacobs)
It's a very special episode of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship dedicated to the much-discussed and debated friendship triangle in White Lotus Season…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#140 - Celebrating Friends' Birthdays and Your Own Birthday: April Challenge
The Dear Nina Friendship Challenge for April is about the sometimes tricky topic of friends' birthdays. The challenge itself is simple and the easiest so far…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#139 - How to Start a Podcast: An introduction
Welcome to Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. I'm your host, Nina Badzin. I've been writing about friendship for over 10 years and podcasting about it…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#138 - Why Community Isn't the Same as Close Friendship (Seth D. Kaplan)
Your neighborhood community might be the most overlooked place for social connection. However, it’s essential to understand the difference between community…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#137 - Find Your Walking Friends (Leslie Hooton)
Many of us enjoy walking with friends for the mental and physical benefits (or could consider starting with the Dear Nina 2025 friendship challenge). However…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#136 - How Many Close Friends Do You Really Need? (Rebekah Jacobs)
What if you have lots of friends, but nobody feels like your special confidante or the person who would have your back no matter what? The newest letter…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#135 - Focus on a Hyperlocal Friendship: March Friendship Challenge
There are local friends and there are “HYPERLOCAL” friends. This month in the Dear Nina community, we’re focusing on hyperlocal friendships—developing new ones…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#134 - Fandom and the Potential for Friendship: (SC Perot)
MAKING FRIENDS IN A FANDOM COMMUNITY Fandom, especially very enthusiastic fandom, can provide community, belonging, and friendship. In episode #134 of Dear…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#133 - Talking to Friends About Your Sex Life (Dr. Arielle Buch-Frohlich)
Talking to Friends About Sex at Any Age It's not uncommon to discuss our sex lives with friends during the adolescent and college years. But as we age, it…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#132 - The 4 Types of Connection (Dr. Adam Dorsay)
While friendship is an essential type of connection at every age and the one area of personal growth I discuss most often on Dear Nina, today’s guest…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#131 - Start a Friendship Ritual with Rachel Steinman & Rachel Winter: February Friendship Challenge
It's time for the next Dear Nina Friendship Monthly Challenge! The January challenge was to see a friend in person, which meant reaching out to make a plan…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#130 - The Sober Curious Lifestyle and the Impact on Your Friendships (Hallie Sawyer)
Do you know someone who has adopted a "sober curious" lifestyle? Perhaps it's a pivot you've been considering for yourself? The term is usually…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#129 - Do you know how your friends like to be comforted in hard times?
It's the middle of January 2025. Right now you might have friends in Southern California who have evacuated from their homes. You might know someone whose…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#128 - Your Friends Won't Always Say the Right Thing When You're Struggling, Forgive Them (Steve Phillips)
You've had a tremendous loss in your personal life and your friends don't know what to say or do: Do you tell them what you need, or do you assume they should…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#127 - See a Friend in Person this Month: January Friendship Challenge
It's the monthly friendship challenge! And it doesn't matter which month you begin. Every social wellness challenge in 2025 WILL improve your friendships…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#126 - Is It Time For a Friendship Cleanse? (Anna Goldfarb)
Welcome to the top episode on Dear Nina in 2024—the 14-day friendship cleanse, brainchild Anna Goldfarb whose book, Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#125 - The 10% Rule in Friendship and The Negativity Bias (Ann Imig)
Why does the inner judge in our brains automatically default to negativity? We assume the worst and let our insecurities lead the way. How does this inner…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#124 - Friends Who Criticize You and Two Other Friendship Dilemmas
I love answering listeners' anonymous friendship dilemmas. It's a letter spotlight episode with three short anonymous letters from listeners with various…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#123 - Can Men and Women Really Be Just Friends? (Aaron Karo and Matt Ritter)
I'm thrilled to welcome friendship experts and comedians Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo of Man of the Year podcast! In honor of these male "chief friendship…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#122 - Grieving the End of a Friendship (Diamonde Williamson)
Friendship breakups are an ageless, universal issue. In my 10 years of writing about friendship and receiving many anonymous letters, I've seen that it makes…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#121 - Rules For Making Plans With Friends (Letter Spotlight)
Are there rules for making plans with friends? Who should be the one to suggest the day, time, and place? If you reach out for plans, should you also throw out…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#120 - Six Ways to be More Generous in Your Friendships (Emma Nadler)
Being generous in our friendships makes us better friends and keeps solid friends in our lives. We're not talking about money here! To quote this week's guest…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#119 - Reviving Friendships That Drifted Apart Even Decades Later (Kay Paschal)
What if your next good friend is an old friend who drifted away from your life for reasons of circumstance and not personality or hurt feelings? If you're in a…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#118 - Why Making Friends After 30 Can Feel So Hard (Julia Hotz)
"Social" prescriptions from your doctor? Yes! What if for the sake of our mental and physical health doctors wrote prescriptions for cycling groups…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#117 - Hobbies and Friendship: Preparing Early For The Empty Nest and Retirement (the Modern Mahjong team)
"Many friends are entering the empty nest phase of their lives and some are really dreading it. Celebrities like Brooke Shields share on social media how…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#116 - Lose Track of Who Makes the Plans and 7 Other Friendship Tips from Dr. Ruth (Allison Gilbert)
What a thrill to interview author and journalist Allison Gilbert, who met with Dr. Ruth Westheimer, of blessed memory, every week for a year during what would…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#115 -The Freshman Energy Trick to Make New Friends as an Adult
Today's "Quick Friendship Tip" is about how to capture the attitude and spirit of that special "freshman energy" apparent on any college campus…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#114 - The Impact of Fears and Desires on our Friendships: Intro to the Enneagram (Christina S. Wilcox)
Do you know your Enneagram (personality) type and how your core fears and desires impact your friendships? I understood very little about anything Enneagram…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#113 - Unintentionally Hurting a Friend (my mom)
So, you've unintentionally hurt your friend's feelings. Or, your friend hurt your feelings, likely not on purpose. My wise mom joins me in this replay episode…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#112 - How College Admissions Can Strain Teen Friendships (Kate Proger)
This week's friendship topic is the frenzy of college admissions and how it affects friendships between teens and how it potentially affects friendships…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#111 - The Friend Who Never Asks About You: Letter Spotlight
It's another letter spotlight episode! This week's anonymous letter is from a woman with two friends who never ask about her. She's fed up doing all the…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#110 - Navigating Friendships When You're Neurodivergent (Dr. James F. Richardson)
Thrilled to welcome Dr. James F. Richardson, author of Our Worst Strength: American Individualism and Its Hidden Discontents, who explains how his…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#109 - Quiet Quitting a Friendship: Withdrawing From Friends or Ending Friendships (Dr. Miriam Kirmayer)
"Quiet quitting" is the latest term for withdrawing from a friendship, phasing out, or disengaging completely. In this episode with the insightful Dr…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#108 - Talking to Friends About Money (Mia Brabham)
Talking to friends about money has always been a taboo topic. What if, instead, discussing money with friends could deepen a friendship? Money can be an…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#107 - Friendships Between Sisters-in-law (and roommates, cousins, and neighbors)
I rarely cover family relationships on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, but I consistently receive letters about sisters-in-law so I realized it was…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#106 - Healing After Being Dropped From a Group of Friends (Meghan Judge)
Today is a tough topic, and I'm not going to promise you that we come to an easy solution at the end. The fallout from losing the friendship of an entire group…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#105 - Stop Waiting to See Your Long Distance Friends
After a trip to Chicago to say goodbye to my childhood house, I appreciated how even one meal with your long distance friends means so much. You need time with…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#104 - Brain Cancer, Friendship, and the Scary Mommy Blogging Days (Jill Smokler)
Jill Smokler is the creator of Scary Mommy, one of the most original and successful mom blogs ever. She was also the first mom blogger to sell her site to a…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#103 - Friendship Meet-Cutes and Your Fashion Emergency Friends (Rachel Levy Lesser)
Episode #103: Friendship meet-cutes, the perfect jacket or blazer, fashion emergencies solved by our friends, making the first friendship move, and more. I'm…
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship#102 - Friendships Can Survive Hurt Feelings and Conflict (Shasta Nelson)
Shasta Nelson, friendship expert extraordinaire, joins me to discuss how and why to be honest with friends when we're upset with them. Our friendships CAN…