HERself
As women and mothers of young children, it can be easy to compare ourselves to others. But your life isn't supposed to look like hers! Being your best self means standing firm in your decisions and always being willing to grow with a purpose. Are you wanting more ease in your marriage? Or more enjoyment as a parent? Are you looking for a strategy to the health challenges you have been facing recently? Do you feel like you have been staring at a stranger in the mirror since becoming a mother? Abby and Amy get vulnerable with topics around partnership, motherhood, health, and self improvement by interviewing authors, therapists, experts and everyday mothers. Our conversations will meet you with solutions and solidarity as you find a life path that feels aligned for you. If this sounds like you, hit play on your favorite episode title and make sure you're following the HERself podcast.
HERself
314. Attachment Styles in Adult Friendships with Dr. Marisa Franco
Friendship is one of the topics we get asked about most, so we brought back Dr. Marisa Franco, one of the world’s leading voices on human connection. We dive straight into the heart of modern friendship and start with something that influences every relationship we have: attachment styles. Marisa explains how these patterns begin in childhood, how they show up differently in adulthood, and why none of us fit neatly into one category.
We explore one of the biggest questions we hear from listeners: if you tend to be anxious or avoidant, do you end up attracting friends with the same tendencies? Marisa shares one of her biggest challenges in her research—secure people continue to find each other easily, while those who struggle with connection often repeat the same patterns with similar types of friends.
Since many of you are new moms or navigating school-aged seasons, we ask Marisa what to do when a friend needs more from you than you can realistically give. She reminds us that it’s okay to say no and that saying no with kindness helps preserve the relationship.
Although friendship looks natural from the outside, we share honestly that it hasn’t always been effortless for us either. Amy opens up about how isolating early motherhood felt and why making new friends during that time was unexpectedly hard. If you’re in a season where friendship feels like it has to fall to the bottom of the list, Marisa offers a powerful reminder of why connection still matters—and what small steps can help bring it back to the forefront.
Finally, we talk about the hardest part of friendship: knowing when it’s time to end one. Should you let the relationship fade or have a more direct conversation? Marisa shares how to discern which path is right, and she gives guidance on something we rarely talk about—grieving a friendship.
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Listen to HERself episode #145 Dr. Marisa Franco on the Importance of Adult Friendship; https://www.herselfpodcast.com/listen/adultfriendship
Read Dr. Marisa Franco’s Book; Platonic: https://amzlink.to/az0lb2DLKWeWk
Follow Marisa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmarisagfranco/
Dr. Marisa’s Website: https://drmarisagfranco.com/
HERSELF PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/herselfpodcast
LMNT: Free Sample Pack with purchase: drinkLMNT.com/HERSELF
Let’s connect!
HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast
MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer
MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen
This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.
