The SelfWork Podcast 491 SelfWork: Friendships: How To Create and Keep Solid Connections
Mar 28, 2026
Marisa Franco, psychologist and author who studies friendships and attachment, shares how she learned friendship’s power and why she wrote Platonic. Conversation covers six friendship traits like initiative, vulnerability, and generosity. Talks include spotting triggers, assuming others like you to increase warmth, and building cross-race and cross-privilege intimacy with concrete, research-backed practices.
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Weekend Wellness Group Healed Postbreakup
- Marisa G Franco started a weekly wellness group after a breakup that transformed her grief into connection and belonging.
- The group met to cook, do yoga, and meditate, revealing to her that platonic love can be as vital as romantic love.
Authenticity Is Intentional Not Reactive
- Authenticity is not automatic reactive talk but choosing actions aligned with values instead of defensive reactions like putting others down.
- Marisa defines authentic moments as paused, mindful responses when triggered rather than immediate defenses.
Pause And Name The Triggered Feeling
- When you feel triggered pause and notice bodily sensations so you don't respond from a defensive place.
- Use mindfulness to let the feeling arise, locate it in your body, then choose a response reflecting your highest self.
