Frientimacy: Finding Our Way to More Fulfilling Friendships

Today, Shasta is joined by her two close friends, J’Leen and Valerie, to discuss an interesting situation that occurred within their friend group: they each had assumed that they all shared the same political views as one another, only to recently discover that this was far from the truth! What do they do next? Is it better to avoid political discussions altogether to keep their friendship intact?...

Shasta and Lisa are new friends who have recently discovered they have differing political views from one another. And although they are voting differently from each other this election season, Shasta and Lisa have actually chosen to embrace their contrasting beliefs, and use them as an opportunity for growth and deeper connection with one another.  Throughout the episode, the friends discuss how...

After much convincing, Shasta has finally gotten her mom to agree to a long-overdue conversation about how their differing political views have affected their relationship. Over the years, their discussions, though never intended to be political, often spiraled into heated debates, creating an emotional rift between them. In this second episode of Shasta’s political mini-series, the two tackle the...

Have you had a relationship in your life damaged by opposing political views? Or maybe you were taken by surprise when you found out a close friend of yours will be voting differently than you in this upcoming election?  This month, Shasta will be diving deep into tough conversations about building and maintaining relationships in today’s intense political climate. She kicks off the start of this...

In the final episode of the first season of Frientimacy, Shasta reflects on all of the outcomes and insights gained from the honest, heartfelt conversations she has gotten to have with friends and guests over the past few months.  From reconnecting with long-lost friends from many years ago, to opening up in tough-to-have conversations, these discussions have strengthened bonds, healed past wounds...

Have you ever felt like you’ve outgrown a friendship? Maybe you felt like you and a friend drifted apart because you’ve changed in ways they haven’t? Or maybe you’ve felt like someone you once knew has evolved into a completely different person.  Today Shasta sits down with her friend J’Leen to talk about the journey of their friendship and how their shared religious background became a point of d...

In today's episode of Frientimacy, Shasta Nelson is joined by her husband, Dr. Greg Nelson, for an insightful conversation on blending friendship with marriage. As they reflect on nearly 20 years together, they delve into the question of whether a spouse should be your best friend and share strategies for balancing relationship dynamics when one partner is an introvert and the other is an ext...

In this week's episode of Frientimacy, Shasta and her friend Priscilla take a transparent look behind the scenes of their budding friendship. They dive into the early days of their relationship and discuss the challenges they faced, such as scheduling conflicts, uncertainties surrounding expectations, and building trust with one another. Shasta and Priscilla share their personal thoughts and...

Conflict—nobody enjoys it, but how do we tackle tough conversations with those we care about? In this episode of Frientimacy, Shasta tackles this challenging topic with three insightful guests: Krista, Kerry, and Laura. Each woman shares her struggles with avoiding conflict in friendships—Krista due to a deep-seated need for harmony, Kerry because of her natural empathy, and Laura because of her i...

In today's episode of Frientimacy, Shasta invites Cori to share her experiences of feeling profoundly let down by her best friend during a time of personal crisis—the death of a loved one. Despite her friend's past support and their close bond, Cori found herself in a situation where she felt abandoned and unsupported. Throughout the episode, Shasta and Cori explore how friendships can b...

This heartfelt episode dives deep into the journey of personal growth and sobriety through the lens of Krista, who opens up about her decision to stop drinking. Krista recounts the challenges and growth that came with this process and how it impacted the relationships in her life. Krista and Shasta discuss the importance of mutual support in friendships, especially when someone makes a significant...

Today’s episode features Shasta and three women who share one common, difficult experience: each has deeply regretted losing touch with a close friend. Throughout the episode, they reflect on the impact of these lost relationships, and share the importance these friends once held in their day to day lives. Shasta offers valuable advice on how to reconnect with lost friends, providing guidance for...

When Shasta met Christine, a fellow author and speaker, she was everything Shasta wanted to be: she had just published a book, she’d been interviewed on TV, and she had a press kit. Shasta was green with envy. We’ve all been there—a friend has more money, goes on cooler vacations, is happily in love while we just went through a breakup. We wish we had their job, body, house, or relationship. It’s...

After years of friendship, Shasta and Sher found themselves in two completely different places: Sher was a stay-at-home mom, whereas Shasta didn’t have kids and was more focused on her career. Sher was married to a pastor, while Shasta was questioning church. Sher was more conservative-leaning, and Shasta was more liberal. The question arose: “If we met today, would we have become friends?” It’s a...

A few weeks ago, Shasta interviewed three women who had been ghosted. Today, she’s shifting the focus to hear from the ghosters. Why did they ghost their friends, rather than taking a different approach? Do they regret it? And was there anything that could have changed their minds? In this panel, three women reveal the commonalities between friends who ghost and the factors that can lead to a sile...

After going through a friendship breakup, Shasta faced a dilemma: how would she navigate this with their mutual friends, and how much was she going to pull them into the drama? In this episode, she sits down with her friend Kat, who still maintains her own relationship with Shasta’s ex-friend. They shed insight on how they’ve been able to discuss the friendship breakup without being catty or ruini...

Have you ever felt like you were always disappointing a friend or that you couldn't satisfy them? Or maybe you’re on the other side, feeling like your friends aren’t putting in the same level of effort as you? This was the problem Shasta and Daneen encountered. At the beginning of their friendship, Daneen initiated time with Shasta frequently, and Shasta started to feel like she couldn't...

In today’s episode, Shasta and her friend Karen confront a struggle they’re still having—it seems like Karen is always busy, even when they’re together. Karen considers why she always has a full plate, and reveals the key to getting her attention and what she wishes her friends knew. Shasta gets vulnerable about feeling like an obligation and affirms the very common pain of thinking we care more t...

So you got dumped by a friend—no warning, no explanation, not even a text back. What happened? Nearly 80% of us have been ghosted at some point, and while it’s more commonplace in the dating world, it can happen with friends too. In this episode, Shasta interviews three women who were ghosted by close friends. They open up about what they wish their friends had done instead, and how ghosting impac...

After a girls’ weekend, Shasta returned home feeling drained—her friend J’Leen seemed to often take things personally and question how accepted she was in the group. Again, they’d spent much of their time together reassuring her to no avail. Today, Shasta and J’Leen explore how J’Leen’s fears of rejection and abandonment developed, how her attempts to shield herself from potential rejection led to...

Friendships can get a little messy, but at the other end of the muck are often more supportive and meaningful relationships. Join Shasta for the debut episode of Frientimacy , as she reveals the 3 requirements for all healthy relationships that helped her and her own friends navigate conflict and disappointment to deepen their connections. Shasta also exposes the real reason we’re lonely (and it’s...

Shasta sits down with her friend Valerie to discuss the time a hurtful conversation drove a wedge between them. They spill their regrets and what they wish they could tell their past selves. They reveal how they not only rekindled their friendship but grew to become best friends today. Finally, they consider strategies to ask for what we need in a loving way, to avoid hurting our friends and recei...

Shasta and Kim were colleagues and couple friends . . . then Shasta called her crying out of the blue. She’d had an affair, a divorce, and had been fired from her job. But while other friends and colleagues pulled away, judged, and disappeared, Kim and Shasta only grew closer. In today’s episode, the two unpack how Shasta’s personal crisis affected her friend and how their friendship survived when...

In today’s episode, Shasta reflects on what we can learn from our physical health to develop better social health, and how we can heal from heartbreak and disappointment to create more meaningful friendships. Conflict in a relationship can be uncomfortable, awkward, and—at times—painful. But it’s when we persist through the discomfort that we start building stronger, deeper, and more meaningful re...

Welcome to “Frientimacy: Finding Our Way to More Fulfilling Friendships” —the show that reminds us through shared stories and research-backed teaching that friendships, while they may not always be easy, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth it. My name is Shasta Nelson and I’ve been researching, coaching, speaking, and writing books about our friendships for 15 years. With over 60% of us feeling lo...