Episode 8 – Asking for a Friend

This episode answers a Pocket Therapist listener’s question: What’s the best way to respond to my friend, who occasionally opens up about how troubled her marriage is, but then apologizes for not being kind about her husband the very next day? There are so many things to pay attention to here. How much should friends be privy to the details of each other’s marriages? What’s the best way to provide support without taking sides? How do you help your friend be honest about feelings they might just be stuffing most of the time? The episode plays out like a somewhat brief monologue from the vantage point of a therapist, sharing recommendations to help strengthen the friendship–taking into account all of the complex issues we run into when we start trying to give advice to friends about their relationships.