Friend Forward

Many women believe that-- because of their age or life stage-- it's too late for them to form new meaningful friendships. But that's simply not true. Today Danielle outlines three truths for you to hold onto the next time you find yourself believing the lie that your time has passed. To be one the first to learn the details for our new TRANSFORMATIONAL 6-week friendship program, visit us at Better...

Sometimes you can't help but "feel some kinda way" when your bestie begins getting close to someone new. How do you manage your feelings of jealousy? Today Danielle will outline the 5 toxic responses we tend to have when our bestie makes a new friend, how to "overwrite" those thoughts with healthy ones, the do's and don'ts of responding to her new friendship, and three signs the new friendship mig...

Friendship apps are becoming increasingly popular, so we invited Dana Hamilton -- an "anti-diet dating coach", writer, and ACTUAL dating app expert-- to teach you ACTIONABLE tips for using apps like Bumble BFF to find female friends. In this week's episode you'll learn why women are flocking to technology for friendship, the 2 words you should avoid using in your profile bio, and how to take a con...

Jen Glantz is a writer and was one of my earlier coaching clients. She wrote a piece on me for NBC News titled "I hired a friendship coach. Here's what happened." and today I catch up with her about her experience. We also talk about her business which is called "Bridesmaid for Hire" , where women pay her to be in their bridal party. She talks to me about the tender friendship issues women confess...

Why do some people think "ghosting" is fine while others see it as completely unacceptable means of ending a friendship? The reason might surprise you. Today's episode is a little different, as Danielle walks you through a study that explains why some people are more prone to "ghost" than others. After listening, we encourage you to join our new private Facebook group, "The Friend Forward Podcast...

For the past 6 weeks, we've been speaking to women across the country about what they fear most about entering a post-pandemic world when it comes to their friendships. As we studied their responses, there were a few clear themes that emerged. This week we're counting down (TRL-style) the top 7 fears women have about how to create and maintain friendships as the world begins to open up.   We...

If you have a friend who's always late, this episode is for you. Today, Danielle is giving you 4 strategies to use to get your late friends to arrive on time, and trust us-- they work! And for those listeners who are guilty of being tardy to the party, don't worry-- the episode closes with 2 ways that you can get it together. If you're looking for one-on-one support in your ongoing journey toward...

When you look around at your friend group, you realize that you might be the "back-up friend", the one who's second choice-- an afterthought. But how do you stop feeling like you're not priority? In this week's episode we're looking at signs to know you're the back-up friend, how to know whether you're intentionally being mistreated or if it's "perceived rejection", and finally, we'll look at ways...

Your friends come to you when they need advice, and while you're flattered that they trust you with their troubles, you're beginning to feel burned out. In today's episode, we outline the pros and cons of being the "therapist friend", the three things that should always be included in a request for help from a friend, and two ways to gracefully exit a conversation that's overwhelming you.    As al...

We know that vulnerability is important, but in our attempt to experience closeness with our friends, some of us may be going about things all wrong. This week, I speak with Dr. Marisa G. Franco -- a psychologist who specializes in friendship-- about what vulnerability really means, the misconceptions we have about how to practice it, and how to know when it's not genuine.   To sign up for Dr. Fra...

You're at brunch when the ladies at your table begin to gossip, and you're not sure how to shut it down. Today we're talking about the REAL definition of gossip, why women engage in it, and two things you can say if you ever need to shut it down.   While we provide 2 script responses in the show, the full list of gossip-stopping responses is housed in our private membership where you can pay as li...

How do we show up for friends with anxiety? And for those of us who struggle with the disorder, how can we help our friends understand what we need? Today we interview Dr. Lisa Martin --from HealwithDrLisa.com -- as she walks us through what anxiety is, how it impacts our friendships, and the things we can do to foster more understanding.   If you are looking for community as you work through this...

This week, we're practicing a little self-awareness as we review the 13 traits of a "good friend". I'm sharing Dr. Suzanne Deggges-White's list of essential qualities along with a series of questions I've created to walk you through each one. And if you want to follow along, download the list of traits at  www.betterfemalefriendships.com.

You hate to admit it, but you could really use a little help right now. How do you ask your friends for support without feeling like you're intruding or feeling like you're exposing your weaknesses? Today we're addressing the mindsets that hold us back from getting the support we need, and then we offer a few ways to build your "ask" the right way.   NEW: If you want to talk about this episode wit...

In this week's episode, we break from our normal format to pass the mic to our listeners. Today we share several stories from women-- who do and DON'T have children-- to speak on the ways in which motherhood caused shifts in their female friendships. And at the end of the episode, Danielle shares a recording from a conversation with one of her friends on the subject.   If you are getting more inte...

You can't help but notice that you weren't invited... again. But how are you supposed to respond? Today I'm walking you through the ABC's of managing your feelings around rejection, and I'm sharing excerpts from a recent conversation with my Instagram friend Noelle Rhodes, host of Friending, a hilarious podcast about female friendship.   In this episode, you'll learn: 1. the 3 reasons friends ofte...

In today's episode, we chat with Dr. Christina Marie Douyon about our expectations for platonic love in comparison to romantic love, and the ripple effects of how we prioritize each kind of relationship. During this conversation, we'll address: 1. how people define "friend" differently 2. the role our culture plays in how we value female friendships 3. whether or not the phrase "best friend" is pr...

You have friendships you enjoy, but secretly you're craving a little more depth. But how do you create more closeness? Today we're outlining the 5-step process to deeper friendships, and then we're equipping you with 5 prompts that you can use RIGHT NOW on your journey toward better female friendships.   If you want to join our community, visit us at  www.betterfemalefriendships.com/membership If...

Today we're talking about 1. the alternatives to ending a friendship 2. the one thing you have to do BEFORE you decide to end things  and 3. how to end a friendship with grace.   After you listen, join the Friend Forward membership to support you every time these tricky friendship issues arise so you can get the clarity and community you need to help you through it.

Danielle gives a "behind-the-scenes" look at her r ecent viral TikTok video , and she unpacks 1. What the more than 6,000 comments real about the state of female friendships and 2. Why the video is so popular.  As you listen, be sure to check out the video yourself on TikTok by following Danielle @thefriendshipexpert, and then join our community  on Instagram @friendforward .   Wann...

As we wrap season 1, we reflect on all that's happened since we first launched the podcast: features in national media outlets like NBC News and Psychology Today; having NYTimes Bestselling authors on the show as our guests; launching an exclusive friendship app-- it's all happening so fast! To give ourselves a chance to take it all in, we're wrapping season 1 and planning for season 2 in early 20...

Girl, that friendship ended two years ago, but you're still not over it. While grieving an old friend is normal, there are likely three things you're doing that are getting in the way of your ability to move forward. In this week's episode, we're walking you through the three reasons you're still not over your friendship break-up.  If you like what you hear and ready for the next level of getting...

Friendships can be complicated, but there are 5 new apps that have emerged to help get us through it. Today I'm giving my unfiltered opinion on a few apps that are growing in popularity to let you know my thoughts on the ways they help (and the ways they don't) when it comes to creating and sustaining strong female friendships. Be sure to let me know YOUR opinion of these apps on Instagram by foll...

You’ve been in the house for months, but now you’re itching to get back to hanging with your friends. But how do you navigate the uncertainty about staying safe, the judgment about returning outside, and the tension among friends who have varying levels of comfort with socializing during a pandemic? This week, I'm chatting with Michelle Sprott of Brunchista, because she's the ultimate social butte...

This week I've tossed out my notecards and I'm having an open conversation with Bailey T. Hurley-- writer/ speaker/ fellow friendship enthusiast-- about online friendships. We'll share our opinions on whether or not they count as "real" friendships, we'll talk about ways to take them to the next level, and we even share embarrassing moments of getting rejected by women we've reached out to. We use...