Podcasts · Society & Culture · Education

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

Nina Badzin

228 episodes

“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.

More about the show

And Dear Nina is a top 1% podcast so people of all ages are listening!

Whether you've agonized over a text, wondered why you're always the one reaching out, found yourself drifting away from an old friend, or you want to make (and keep!) friends at ANY stage of life—this show gets it. It’s serious and practical, but you’ll laugh a lot too as you recognize the universality of human behavior when it comes to friendships.

"Dear Nina" is hosted by Nina Badzin, who has been answering anonymous questions with "warm directness" in her friendship column since 2014 and in other writing about friendship for over 20 years. Every episode digs into the questions adults don't always want to ask out loud. Should you salvage a friendship that's fading or let it be? How do you kindly turn down an acquaintance who wants to be closer, but you're just not feeling the same chemistry? With over 200 episodes, the examples are endless.

Nina has been writing about friendship in various capacities for two decades, and her advice has been featured in NPR, Real Simple Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Time Magazine, The Skimm, and many other outlets.

Every episode leaves room for the fact that there are no perfect answers. There's only real talk, a lot of warmth, and the reminder that if you're overthinking your friendships, you're probably just someone who cares deeply about the people in your life.

Social connections MATTER deeply for your health and happiness! Let's talk about how to make it all easier.

ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO

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📪 email: dearninapodcast@gmail.com

🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.

Episodes page 1 of 5

  1. #217 - The Friendship Conversation You've Been Avoiding (Jewel Hohman)

    · 51 min · S1 E217

    How to address hurt feelings, unmet expectations, and changing friendships Have you ever been upset with a friend but decided it would be easier to say nothing? Maybe you're tired of always initiating plans, a friend…

  2. #216 - Are You Expecting Too Much From One Friend? (Sally Vardaman)

    · 34 min · S1 E216

    When Your Friendship Needs Don't Match Are you expecting too much from a friend, or are you accepting too little? It's a question that comes up again and again in the letters I receive from listeners of Dear Nina.…

  3. #215 - When Your Child Gets Dropped From a Friend Group

    · 42 min · S1 E215

    How to help your child through exclusion without letting your own panic take over I've been a parent on both sides of friendship exclusion. I've had kids who were left out, and I've had other parents upset with me.…

  4. #214 - Are We Giving Up on Our Friends Too Quickly? (Melissa Radke)

    · 46 min · S1 E214

    Are we too quick to decide a friendship isn’t working? That’s the question running through this conversation with bestselling author and podcaster Melissa Radke. Melissa and I have both ended important friendships in…

  5. #213 - Friendship "Flings," Uneven Effort, and Being Stuck in the Middle (Dr. Miriam Kirmayer)

    · 52 min · S1 E213

    Dr. Miriam Kirmayer is back on Dear Nina, and this time we did something different: we each brought friendship questions the other person had not seen in advance. No prep. No polished answers. Just two people who…

  6. #212 - What Your Behavior May Be Saying to Your Friends (Laura Tremaine)

    · 36 min · S1 E212

    When good intentions aren’t enough in a friendship What happens when you genuinely care about friends, but your behavior isn’t showing it? That’s the question at the center of my conversation with writer and…

  7. #211 - You Don’t Have to Be Fully Secure to Have Good Friendships (Dr. Marisa G. Franco)

    · 36 min · S1 E211

    Dr. Marisa G. Franco is back on Dear Nina! This time we spoke about her new book, Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment, and how our sense of self-worth affects the friendships we build, keep, and…

  8. #210 - AI, Friendship, and the Danger of Outsourcing Connection (Sarah Baldeo)

    · 41 min · S1 E210

    Why human connection requires friction, empathy, and accountability. I have real concerns about AI, and one of my biggest is what happens when we start treating it like a person—especially a friend. My guest, Sarah…

  9. #209 - Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Kids and Adults (Caroline Maguire)

    · 48 min · S1 E209

    I’ve spoken before on Dear Nina about neurodiversity and friendship with several fantastic guests, but I wanted to have a conversation that could speak both to parents raising neurodivergent kids and to neurodivergent…

  10. #208 - Making Friends at Any Age Takes a Little Risk (Harlan Cohen)

    · 40 min · S1 E208

    Harlan Cohen on friendship, social courage, and finding places where you belong. Finding friendship—at any stage of life—requires the risk of hearing “no.” And that “no” rarely comes directly. That’s one of the ideas…

  11. #207 - The Teen Friendship Habits We Bring Into Adulthood (Sheri Gazitt)

    · 30 min · S1 E207

    Friend groups, exclusion, conflict, and the patterns we don’t always outgrow Some friendship habits start much earlier than we realize. The way we react to being left out, how much security we get from being part of a…

  12. #206 - How Friendships Change When You Stop Drinking (Suzanne Warye)

    · 34 min · S1 E206

    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…

  13. #205 - Get Offline and See Your Friends

    · 10 min · S1 E205

    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,…

  14. #204 - "Go where the heat is”: My Husband on Five Years of Friendship Advice

    · 29 min · S1 E204

    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!…

  15. #203 - College Rankings Don't Predict Where You'll Belong (Alexis White)

    · 46 min · S1 E203

    Admissions counselor, Alexis White, on why 'fit over flex' should guide the college search The college search puts a lot of pressure on families to find the “best” school. But the highest-ranked school (the…

  16. #202 - When Friends Make Plans Without You (Danielle Bayard Jackson)

    · 41 min · S1 E202

    Group dynamics, feeling left out, and not waiting around for invitations We 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…

  17. #201 - A Softer Way to Think About Friendships That Faded (Rebecca Kotok)

    · 30 min · S1 E201

    How age, loss, and experience can change the way we see friendships from the past This 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…

  18. Bonus - An Episode Honoring Jill Smokler: Friendship, Cancer, and Community

    · 39 min · Bonus

    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…

  19. #200 - Why Talking to Strangers is Good for Your Friendships (Dr. Gillian Sandstrom)

    · 42 min · S1 E200

    How small talk, "loose ties," and everyday conversations help us feel more connected For episode #200 of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I’m joined by Dr. Gillian Sandstrom, an associate professor in the…

  20. #199 - Traveling with Friends: Lessons From a Girls-Trip Regular (Rebekah Jacobs)

    · 35 min · S1 E199

    How to make girls trips, weekend getaways, and friendship travel actually happen This week, I’m joined by one of my favorite people to talk to about friendship on and off the microphone: my assistant producer and…

  21. #198 - Making Friends Through Work: Collaboration Over Competition (Kim Oster-Holstein and Mara Smith)

    · 27 min · S1 E198

    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…

  22. #197 - Anxious Attachment in Friendships: Why You Keep Wondering Where You Stand (Rebecca Stambridge)

    · 40 min · S1 E197

    Why Reassurance-Seeking, Overthinking, and Fear of Rejection Can Strain Even Good Friendships Most of us have moments when we wonder where we stand with a friend. That's part of caring about people. But for some,…

  23. #196 - Second Homes and Friendship: Hosting, FOMO, and Unspoken Expectations (Stephanie Hansen)

    · 36 min · S1 E196

    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…

  24. Bonus: Are Your Friendships Surviving the Digital Age? Likes, Memes & What Really Matters (Nina on The Visibility Standard with Jazzmyn Proctor)

    · 42 min · Bonus

    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.…

  25. #195 - Money Landmines with Friends: Group Trips, Weddings, and Splitting Checks (Heather Boneparth)

    · 38 min · S1 E195

    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…

  26. #194 - Low-Key, Creative Ways to Spend Time with Friends (Ashlee Gadd and Katie Blackburn)

    · 29 min · S1 E194

    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…

  27. #193 - How to Make Your City Better for Friendship (Aaron Hurst)

    · 31 min · S1 E193

    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.…

  28. #192 - Why Plans with Friends Don’t Happen—and How to Fix It

    · 14 min · S1 E192

    Navigating friendship when your planning styles don’t match Why 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…

  29. #191 - The Case for Work Friends and Where to Find Them When You Work Alone (Lindsay Pinchuk)

    · 33 min · S1 E191

    The Unexpected Friendships You Find Through Networking When You Work Alone If 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…

  30. Bonus: Socially Confident Kids in a Screen-Filled World (Nina on "Your Child is Normal" with Dr. Jessica Hochman)

    · 41 min · Bonus

    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…

  31. #190 - Why Birthdays Can Bring Up So Much Friendship Disappointment (Debra Arbit)

    · 39 min · S1 E190

    Reframing Your Birthday and Your Friendships Birthdays 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…

  32. #189 - Andrew McCarthy on Male Friendship, Reconnecting, and the Power of Showing Up

    · 33 min · S1 E189

    “You don’t really have any friends, do you, Dad?” That’s the question that stopped Andrew McCarthy—yes, the Pretty in Pink / Mannequin/St. Elmo's Fire/"Brat Pack" Andrew McCarthy—in his tracks and led to a 10,000-mile…

  33. #188 - Are You Repeating the Same Unhealthy Friendship Patterns? (Roxanne Francis)

    · 25 min · S1 E188

    When repeated friendship struggles may signal something deeper . . . I consistently hear from listeners who are struggling with friendship in ways that feel confusing or painful: repeated friendship breakups,…

  34. #187 - How ADHD Affects Adult Friendships: For People With ADHD and Their Friends (Cate Osborn and Erik Gude)

    · 54 min · S1 E187

    The Friendship Side of ADHD We Don’t Talk About Enough ADHD is getting more attention right now, but one part of the conversation often gets overlooked: how ADHD affects adult friendships for the person with ADHD and…

  35. #186 - The Friend Who Copies You: Flattering or Frustrating? (Candace Ourisman)

    · 33 min · S1 E186

    We're unpacking a surprisingly charged friendship dilemma I answered for Real Simple magazine: How do you handle a longtime friend who copies everything you wear and do—outfits, home decor, and more—and doesn't mention…

  36. #185 - When Career Success Strains Your Friendships (Dr. Kimberly Horn)

    · 29 min · S1 E185

    Today we're talking about a specific and underexplored friendship challenge: what happens to your social life as your career takes off. We get right to the heart of something many ambitious women feel but rarely say…

  37. #184 - Why You Can Have Lots of Friends and Still Feel Insecure (Dr. Jeffrey Hall)

    · 39 min · S1 E184

    Have you ever looked at your life and thought: I have friends. I’m doing things. I’m not isolated… so why do I still feel unsettled and maybe even lonely? This week’s guest is Dr. Jeffrey Hall (and yes, I was…

  38. #183 - Are You Mad at Me? Friendship Anxiety and the Need for Validation (Meg Josephson)

    · 41 min · S1 E183

    If you tend to assume someone’s upset with you when their tone shifts even slightly, when they don’t text back right away, or when you notice the smallest change in their availability, this episode is for you. And if…

  39. #182 - Three Phrases That Help When a Friend Is Experiencing Loss (Shelby Forsythia)

    · 37 min · S1 E182

    Knowing how to show up for a friend in grief can feel overwhelming. We want to say the right thing, we don’t want to make it worse—and too often, that fear leads to silence. This episode is about finding words that…

  40. #181 - Exclusion and the Power to Build New Friendships (Amy Weatherly)

    · 32 min · S1 E181

    This week’s episode is an expansion to last week’s conversation with Dr. Noelle Santorelli about relational aggression, belonging vs. inclusion, and “mean mom groups.” The focus this week shifts from spotting unhealthy…

  41. #180 - Mean Mom Culture, Relational Aggression, and Belonging vs. Inclusion (Dr. Noelle Santorelli)

    · 56 min · S1 E180

    This week I have a conversation with clinical psychologist Dr. Noelle Santorelli about belonging vs. (forced) inclusion, "mean mom" culture, and relational aggression. And guess what? I recorded this interview with Dr.…

  42. #179 - Your Newest Friendship Questions, Answered (My Mom)

    · 27 min · S1 E179

    For the first episode of 2026, I have my mom, Kathy Sackheim, in the studio for her 6th appearance on the podcast to help me answer a stack of listener questions straight from the Dear Nina inbox. We move quickly…

  43. #178 - Top 5 Cities, Top 5 Episodes, and Friendship Takeaways from 2025 (Rebekah Jacobs)

    · 36 min · S1 E178

    It’s the annual end-of-year wrap-up, and my assistant producer Rebekah Jacobs is back for a behind-the-scenes look at what landed with listeners in 2025 and why. The themes we keep coming back to on Dear Nina aren’t…

  44. #177 - The Myth of Instant College Friends (Dr. Janice McCabe)

    · 34 min · S1 E177

    Finding Your People in College Takes Longer Than You Think. At some schools its even a structural problem. As students come home between semesters, some parents might be worried about kids who haven't "found their…

  45. Bonus: Take Back Your Social Life (Nina on “SuperPsyched” with Dr. Adam Dorsay)

    · 45 min · Bonus

    This week’s episode is a bonus! I’m sharing a conversation from when I was a guest on Dr. Adam Dorsay’s podcast, SuperPsyched. I don’t usually repost my own guest interviews, but I’m starting to sprinkle them in the…

  46. #176 - Divorce and the Impact on Your Friendships (Hope Lutz Firsel)

    · 29 min · S1 E176

    I’m finally tackling a topic I’ve been wanting to cover for a long time: how divorce affects our friendships. Today's episode addresses both sides of this question--whether you’re the one going through a divorce or…

  47. #175 - Write a Letter to One Friend: December (the final!) Friendship Challenge

    · 14 min · S1 E175

    The final friendship challenge of the year is to write one friend a real letter. This was inspired by the novel I'm currently reading and loving--The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Yes, it can be typed and even sent…

  48. #174 - Why Being Left Out by Friends Hurts So Much (with neuroscientist Dr. Ben Rein)

    · 37 min · S1 E174

    I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Ben Rein, neuroscientist and author of Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection. We discuss what friendship does to your brain and why loneliness is SO damaging over…

  49. #173 - What Does It Take to Stay Friends for 40 Years? (Jenn Sherman and Pam Sunshine)

    · 44 min · S1 E173

    The Real Work Behind Lifelong Friendship This week I’m joined by two women who accidentally went viral on social media, but they've been doing the real work of close friendship for over four decades. I'm a BIG fan and…

  50. #172 - What “Beaches” Gets Right About Friendship (Professors Paul Eastwick & Eli Finkel)

    · 49 min · S1 E172

    You've arrived at the best academic nerd-out ever on the movie Beaches. Find out why CC Bloom and Hillary Whitney's instant friendship chemistry, breakups and makeups, and tear-jerker ending still wrecks us (in the…

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