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PODCAST

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship is for anyone who wants to make sense of the gray areas of adult friendship---changed closeness, uneven effort, group dynamics, hurt feelings, and what to say and do next. As Nina always says, "Friendship issues are ageless and timeless." You can listen and relate to these topics no matter your age or your stage of life.And Dear Nina is a top 1% podcast so we know people of all ages are listening!Whether you've agonized over a text, wondered why

society & culture relationships

All Episodes

33:41

#206 - How Friendships Change When You Stop Drinking...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/08/09

Alcohol is so woven into social life that choosing not to drink can change how you spend time with friends, which invitations come your way, and what you begin to notice about the way you connect.My guest, Suzanne Warye is the author of The Sober Shift: An Empowering Exploration of Sobriety, Parenting, and the Joys of Alcohol-Free Living and the host of the popular podcast The Sober Mom Life. Suzanne's decision to stop drinking was not a “rock bottom” story. She could drink moderately, but she

en-US

10:08

#205 - Get Offline and See Your Friends

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/08/02

I’m fresh off the "Dear Nina Live" event in Minneapolis to celebrate five years of the podcast. And after such a big week, I was ready to step away from my computer for a bit. So I said yes to mahjong (twice!), tennis, a walk, and time with friends. It was exactly the reset I was looking for, even though I'm WAY BEHIND on work now.This short episode is a reminder to get out from behind the texts, emails, memes, and endless to-do list and spend some time with your friends in person. Say

en-US

28:59

#204 - "Go where the heat Is”: My Husband on Five...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/07/26

To mark five years of making this podcast, I invited the person who has heard every episode, encouraged every new idea, and occasionally reminded me to follow my own friendship advice. Welcome to my husband, Bryan!Bryan hasn't been on Dear Nina since the first year! I brought him back to talk about what has surprised him after five years of listening to conversations about every aspect of friendship. He shared the theme he's been noticing beneath the friendship dilemmas: two people do not

en-US

46:06

#203 - College Rankings Don't Predict Where You'll...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/07/19

Admissions counselor, Alexis White, on why 'fit over flex' should guide the college searchThe college search puts a lot of pressure on families to find the “best” school. But the highest-ranked school (the hyper-focus for many) is not necessarily the place where a particular student will be happiest, most successful, or most likely to find their people.My guest this week is Alexis White, an internationally recognized college admissions counselor, founder of A-List Tutoring Services and

en-US

41:25

#202 - When Friends Make Plans Without You (Danielle...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/07/12

Group dynamics, feeling left out, and not waiting around for invitationsWe have all felt that sting of not being invited. You see the pictures, hear about the dinner, find out there's a group chat, there was a weekend away—and you were not included. It can hurt, even when we know intellectually that every gathering cannot include every person. And even though we do not personally want 15 people at every thing we do.This episode is a replay of a conversation I had with friendship educator

en-US

30:18

#201 - A Softer Way to Think About Friendships That...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/07/05

How age, loss, and experience can change the way we see friendships from the pastThis week I’m joined by one of my very best friends, Rebecca Kotok, a public school counselor in Maryland and one of the most popular guests in the history of Dear Nina.Rebecca was first on the show in episode 34, where we talked about our friendship breakup in our 20s and our reconciliation. This time, we’re talking about a different kind of friendship shift: the way approaching 50, loss, and life experiences can

en-US

38:35

Bonus - An Episode Honoring Jill Smokler: Friendship,...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/06/28

My friend, Jill Smokler, touched so many lives. If you loved Jill, I hope hearing her voice is a comfort. If you didn’t know her, I hope this episode gives you a glimpse of why countless longtime followers, fans, and friends felt deeply connected to her candor and warmth.This bonus episode of Dear Nina is a replay of a conversation Jill asked me to record with her in the summer of 2024, soon after she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Jill died on June 22, 2026,

en-US

41:57

#200 - Why Talking to Strangers is Good for Your...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/06/21

How small talk, "loose ties," and everyday conversations help us feel more connectedFor episode #200 of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I’m joined by Dr. Gillian Sandstrom, an associate professor in the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex and author of Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How Small Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life.I came into this conversation a little wary. Do I really want to talk to more strangers? On airplanes? At Trader Joe’s? When I’m trying to

en-US

35:11

#199 - Traveling with Friends: Lessons From a...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/06/14

How to make girls trips, weekend getaways, and friendship travel actually happenThis week, I’m joined by one of my favorite people to talk to about friendship on and off the microphone: my assistant producer and friend, Rebekah Jacobs!We're discussing something she does far more often than I do—traveling with friends. Rebekah is a frequent girls-trip traveler. She’s the friend who is always hopping on a plane, meeting friends for a weekend away, or squeezing in a 24-hour getaway. Meanwhile, I

en-US

26:40

#198 - Making Friends Through Work: Collaboration...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/06/07

Two entrepreneurs on friendship, support, and staying open to new connections.When we talk on Dear Nina about making friends as adults, I often focus on hobbies, neighborhoods, volunteer opportunities, or the activities we do outside of work. But work is one of the most common ways adults meet new people, and it's something I probably don't talk about enough.This week, I'm joined by Mara Smith, founder of Inspiro Tequila, and Kim Oster-Holstein, co-founder of Twisted Alchemy. Both women

en-US

39:48

#197 - Anxious Attachment in Friendships: Why You...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/05/31

Why Reassurance-Seeking, Overthinking, and Fear of Rejection Can Strain Even Good FriendshipsMost of us have moments when we wonder where we stand with a friend. That's part of caring about people. But for some, those worries become a constant rumination in the background of their friendships. You might find yourself replaying conversations, looking for signs that something is wrong, or repeatedly seeking reassurance that the friendship is still okay. That's where a discussion about anxious

en-US

35:56

#196 - Second Homes and Friendship: Hosting, FOMO,...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/05/24

In this episode of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I’m talking about the social complications of having a second home. Whether it’s a lakeside cabin, a Florida condo, or simply living somewhere everyone wants to visit, these situations bring up all kinds of friendship questions around hosting, invitations, reciprocity, FOMO, boundaries, and expectations.My guest is the incredible Stephanie Hansen: cookbook author, novelist, broadcaster, podcaster, and expert on Minnesota cabin culture

en-US

42:26

Bonus: Are Your Friendships Surviving the Digital...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/05/18

I’m sharing a bonus episode from my appearance on The Visibility Standard with Jazzmyn Proctor. We talked about modern friendship and all the strange new tensions that come with living so much of our lives online.From expecting friends to endlessly support our businesses on social media (and the resentment when they watch but don't 'like'), to replacing real connection with memes and endless scrolling, this conversation digs into the gray areas of adult friendship right now. We also

en-US

37:59

#195 - Money Landmines with Friends: Group Trips,...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/05/10

Money can shape adult friendships in ways we don’t always talk about openly. Who pays for dinner? Who can afford the group trip? Do you need to attend the wedding AND the bachelorette party and wedding shower? What happens when your kids start noticing how other families spend money? And how do you handle it when your own financial situation changes before your friendships catch up?This week on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I’m joined by Heather Boneparth, financial professional, former

en-US

28:36

#194 - Low-Key, Creative Ways to Spend Time with...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/05/03

This episode is a little different—and very fun—because it’s packed with specific, creative ways to spend time with friends that go beyond the usual walk, coffee, or dinner at a restaurant.I’m joined by Ashlee Gadd and Katie Blackburn of the Coffee + Crumbs community and authors of the new book, You're In Good Company: The Gift of Friendship, Motherhood, and Showing Up. Ashlee and Katie came ready with ideas you can steal: low-pressure, fun ways to gather with friends. These are not big,

en-US

30:52

#193 - How to Make Your City Better for Friendship...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/04/27

Is your neighborhood or town welcoming?I spend a lot of time on this show talking about the one-to-one side of friendship—the texts, the plans, the misunderstandings, the dynamics that keep us close or pull us apart. But once in a while, I like to zoom out and look at something bigger: the social health of where we live. Our friendships don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re shaped by our neighborhoods, your cities, and whether connection in these places.My guest, Aaron Hurst, is the founder of the U.S

en-US

13:59

#192 - Why Plans with Friends Don’t Happen—and How to...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/04/20

Navigating friendship when your planning styles don’t matchWhy is it so hard to actually make plans with friends as adults? In this solo episode, I’m digging into one of the most common (and frustrating) dynamics in friendship: when one person likes to plan ahead and the other prefers to keep things spontaneous. I also discuss when both people like to have an actual plan, but one friend is doing most of the work of sending dates. I talk through why this mismatch can stall even strong friendships and

en-US

32:55

#191 - The Case for Work Friends and Where to Find...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/04/13

The Unexpected Friendships You Find Through Networking When You Work AloneIf you're ever feel lonely at work, lonely working from home, or you realize your regular friends just don't get what you do, this episode is for you.I spoke with Lindsay Pinchuk, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of the Dear Founder Forum, a networking community for women business owners over 40. Lindsay's group is a big reason the "Dear Nina" world has grown so much this past year, and this

en-US

40:31

Bonus Episode: Socially Confident Kids in a...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/04/06

I’m excited to share a fantastic episode from when I was the guest on Your Child Is Normal with pediatrician Dr. Jessica Hochman. (@askdrjessica on Instagram)Dr. Jessica and I spoke about how to help kids become socially confident in a world where so much interaction happens on screens. From teaching kids to initiate plans instead of waiting to be invited (adults need to master this too!), to why proximity and real-life time together matter more than ever, this is a practical conversation about what

en-US

39:20

#190 - What Birthdays Reveal About Your Friendships...

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ·

2026/03/30

Reframing Your Birthday and Your FriendshipsBirthdays can be emotionally loaded and full of expectations, mixed signals, and quiet disappointment about what we’re “supposed to do” and who is “supposed to do” it for us. If birthdays have left you feeling overlooked or unsure of your friendships, this episode offers a practical—and freeing—way to think about them differently.And I know some of you are saying, "I don't care about my birthday anyway." That's okay! I'm still making

en-US

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