Archive - Friendship Rules

Rekindling A Friendship After A Hurt

A friendship sizzles out. Can this one be salvaged?

Jan 28, 2024 •

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Irene S. Levine, PhD

Breaking Up is So Hard to Do

Ending a friendship can be wrought with pain, uncertainty and sadness.

Jan 21, 2024 •

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Irene S. Levine, PhD

Do You Have Energy Vampires in Your Life?

We love this evocative name for people who can suck the life out of you.

Jan 14, 2024 •

and

Irene S. Levine, PhD

Good Boundaries Make Good Neighbors

A woman asks about setting boundaries with a neighbor impinging on her personal time and space.

Jan 7, 2024 •

Irene S. Levine, PhD

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December 2023

Check Splitting Can Tarnish A Friendship

We received this note from a reader who fears she may have lost a friend when she asked her to split restaurant bills.

Dec 31, 2023 •

Irene S. Levine, PhD

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The Perks of Intergenerational Friendships

Between good friends, commonalities are more important than differences.

Dec 24, 2023 •

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Irene S. Levine, PhD

Friends Got Miffed That They Weren’t Invited

You can't invite everyone all the time so sometimes feelings get hurt.

Dec 17, 2023 •

and

Irene S. Levine, PhD

Is it possible to create a circle of friends later in life?

Some women have the good fortune of having circles of friends with a shared history; others wish they did.

Dec 10, 2023 •

and

Irene S. Levine, PhD

Making New Friends When You Have Secrets

A reader asks how to make friends when you have emotional problems that are likely to affect a new friendship.

Dec 3, 2023 •

Irene S. Levine, PhD

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November 2023

How Can An Older Mom Make New Friends?

A late-life mom asks for suggestions on how to make and find friends.

Nov 26, 2023 •

and

Irene S. Levine, PhD

A Thanksgiving Friendship Dilemma

A reader is upset about sharing a Thanksgiving table with people she would never choose as friends.

Nov 19, 2023 •

Irene S. Levine, PhD

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Two Friends Drifting Apart

As the ties between two long-term friends become more tenuous, a woman wonders whether the friendship is worth saving.

Nov 12, 2023 •

and

Irene S. Levine, PhD

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