Best Forevers: A Podcast for Kindred Spirits

Did you hear about so and so? Oh, yes, gossip is the way we get all the juicy details on the people in our lives, and, although gossip is viewed as negative, many of us participate in this interpersonal activity because it often starts so innocently during conversation. Have a listen to this episode as Alysa discusses gossip in friendship, including defining gossip, breaking down gender gossip ste...

In this week's episode, Alysa chats with friends, Kristin and Megan, who have a clear sense of themselves and of their friendship, whether they're close together or far apart. We explore being wealthy in friendship, thriving with one another's support, and "sweeping friends off their feet!" So, get it together, Karen, and have a listen! Share Your Friendship Stories with Alysa! Visit the podcast w...

Alysa sits down with bad ass friends, Danielle and Sara, to learn more about how they became friends, moments and experiences that define their friendship, and how they began their podcast, Mysterious Midwest. Our conversation highlights teenage mistakes and bad assery that evolved into a new era of bad assery as adults and a friendship for the ages. Check out Mysterious Midwest (Listen and Follow...

Are you allergic to your friends or their behaviors? The answer is probably, "yes," or "sometimes," but, what might be most important, is how you respond to your friend's annoying behaviors. In this week's episode, Alysa talks about annoying friends, the different types of annoyances we may have (i.e., we're annoying) and may respond to (i.e., we're annoyed), and how we can cope with our annoying...

For the love and necessity of friendship, we should be talking about the problems, issues, and concerns people experience in their friendships. Alysa often discusses the ways in which friendship often takes the back seat to other relationships, which then leads, potentially, a neglect to answering the questions folks have related to improving and maintaining their friendships. So, Alysa launches a...

Alysa is an avid TV watcher and enjoys watching everything, but especially shows that reflect friendship both in celebration and struggle. In this episode, then, she analyzes friendship communication, expectations, and behaviors from the Netflix Original Series, Friends from College . She explores the characters and their relationships, critical friendship moments from the show, and how the analys...

In this Best Forevers Book Club episode, Claire is back to talk with Alysa about the friendships from the book, I Know What You Did Last Summer , by Lois Duncan. The suspense novel gets at the problematic ways people can be forced together and connected for life. Come for the discussion of the friendship and stay for the fan fiction! Share Your Friendship Stories with Alysa! Visit the podcast web...

Love is love, but around Valentine's Day love typically refers only to romantic love. So, in this episode, Alysa talks about the history of the holiday, the pressures experienced by both singles and non-singles, and how friendship can be incorporated into this holiday season. Share Your Friendship Stories with Alysa! Visit the podcast web page for topics = www.bestforeverspod.com/surveys Email Aly...

Something happened. The friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe has not been widely discussed and we're not 100% if all the sources about their relationship are correct, but, again, something happened among the two and it was powerful. Join Alysa and her history buff friend, Crystal, talk about how this moment in history suggests why women should support women. Specifically, they talk abo...

This week, Alysa considers previous episode topics, a listener letter, and her own experience to explore the difference between being friendly with someone and being friends with someone. Can we be friendly to others without being friends? Alysa tries to answer this question as well as considering the advantages and disadvantages to being friendly. Share Your Friendship Stories with Alysa! Visit t...

Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your friendship? You may be unsure about your role, your friends' involvement, or about the relationship altogether, and so you may experience some feelings of uncertainty. When we experience uncertainty and label it as negative, there are strategies and relationship maintenance we can participate in to manage this experience. So, come have a listen to learn mor...

It's the first Friendship Remix episode! Alysa is joined by friends, Markie and Autumn, who shared their friendship story in the Home Base episode, to discuss how they managed the changes to their friendship. It's critical to not only celebrate friendships, but to follow friendships as they face new challenges, change with each other's changes, and celebrate life successes together. Friendship is...

Alysa welcomes back her work spouse and dear friend, Tara, to talk about the experience of traveling as friends. They talk about how traveling is one way to "do" friendship through experiences, talking, and traditions, and all the stories that helped confirm their friendship. However, traveling isn't always the best for friends and so they discuss ways in which their travels have worked for them a...

To end 2018, Alysa is joined by her friend, Adri, co-host of the Accio Politics podcast, to discuss how they manifest as friends every day through voice memos. Manifestation and other ways to focus on one's feelings, desires, and goals going into the New Year are explored so come join them as you think about the new year individually and as friends. Listen to Accio Politics! https://itunes.apple.c...

Do you consider LeBron James or Meredith Grey to be your friends? If you feel connections with characters or media personalities like them, you may have parasocial relationships. These friendships, although are one-sided, can provide us with benefits similar to, but not as intense and important as our primary interpersonal relationships. Join Alysa as she explores our connections to such folks, an...

"You can't sit with us!" This famous quote from the popular 2004 movie, Mean Girls , highlights the negativity and exclusion that can occur when one does not fit into a clique. And, although cliques seem so high school, unfortunately, those behaviors carry over into the workplace. Friendships are encouraged in the workplace, but there is a risk considering cliques can contaminate the entire workpl...

Getting "friend zoned" is a trendy way to talk about a painful experience called unrequited love. Falling in love, especially with a friend, who does not reciprocate our feelings can hurt ourselves, our loved one, the friendship, and any (but not usually) potential romantic relationship. This week, Alysa dives into the implications of calling rejection the "friend zone" and someone "just" friends...

In this Best Forevers Book Club episode, Claire makes Alysa learn all about Greek Mythology by reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians  series by Rick Riordan from her young adulthood. We discuss the first book, The Lightning Thief , as young Percy learns more about his life as a son of a god and going on a quest with his friends, Grover and Annabeth, to retrieve Zeus's master lightning bolt w...

Happy Thanksgiving! And, maybe more importantly to this podcast, Happy Friendsgiving! As we all celebrate Turkey Day, continue to enjoy those leftovers, and look forward to upcoming holidays, Alysa considers the role and impact of Friendsgiving holiday with her friend Tierney! They chat about why Friendsgiving has become a more common event, favorite drinks and pies to eat at said events, and what...

For Alysa, the 1985 Anne of Green Gables movie, directed by Kevin Sullivan imprinted on her heart and has provided a strong foundation for her love friendship in her personal and professional lives. Thus, it was with great joy to be able to sit down with the Emmy and Peabody award-winning director to discuss the process of translating L.M. Montgomery's stories to screen, finding the talent that br...

Grab your coziest mug of your favorite coffee and have a listen to Alysa chat with dear friend and coffee enthusiast, Alisun, about how friendship is at the heart of the coffee world! Coffee brings people together whether it be baristas working together to make your daily fix, baristas chatting with regulars from the steaming station, or friends coming together to chat over a warm or iced cup of c...

Alysa welcomes the charmingly authentic host of Mental Illness Happy Hour , Paul Gilmartin, to chat about the intersection of mental health, trauma, communication, and relationships. In this episode, Paul discusses his journey through trauma, recovery, and his purpose in life. Through honest discussion, we can begin to destigmatize mental health, learn how we can be better friends to those struggl...

One day you're friends and, then…poof, they're gone. Have you ever been ghosted? In this episode, Alysa explores listener stories, academic research, and advice across the web for understanding and coping with being ghosters and ghostees. So, settle in for the spookiest friendship topic Alysa could think to consider this Halloween. Ghosting can be absolutely devastating, but 'tis the season to cre...

Ope. Meet friends, Mitch and Zach, who make the most of all their time together whether commiserating about a bad roommate, watching vines, and making too many jokes. You might think they're speaking a different language, but it's their friendship language and Alysa gets to the bottom of all their private jokes, so we can feel like we're part of their in-group even if for a short amount of time. U...

Social media helps us make friends and maintain friendships, right? If that's the case, then why do we also feel bad about ourselves, our friendships, and our lives while scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter? In this episode, Alysa explores the impact of social media on our friendships, both in positive and negative consequences. We don't need to go delete our accounts, but maybe we...