Are you struggling with feeling lonely?
We all feel the need to “belong”. The drive to seek strong social relationships is part of being human. However, many of us often feel lonely or isolated. In therapy, you can get help learning how to build and nourish relationships. You can develop deeper connections with your family and profound friendships. Connecting is a skill. In therapy, you can develop practical tools that help you build stronger connections with friends and family.
When we were kids how did we make friends so easily?
We mingled in stable and consistent social situations such as school, sports teams, scouting, and summer camp. These accessible social outlets supported our natural drive to connect meaningfully both verbally and physically. Adults found support from larger and more stable family networks, interactions with their neighbors, religious groups, labor unions, women’s organizations, veterans groups, and fraternal organizations.
As we moved into adulthood, many of us neglected to build healthy, supportive networks. We may have focused on personal goals and professional obligations, replacing professional identity with an identity as part of a community and a family. Social media often compounds our sense of loneliness when we focus on cultivating an image in our online interactions. How much do you actually “risk” by being vulnerable on social media?
Therapy can help you build and nourish relationships
To build and nourish relationships, you must seek out social settings, actively pursue friendships, and skillfully maintain relationships. We need to reset our “default” settings away from superficial interactions on social media and messaging.
Building a therapeutic bond with a qualified mental health professional can allow you to improve your social skills, read social cues better using better eye contact and listening skills, and practice connecting better to build healthy relationships with ease. Exploring relationship patterns within the family or workplace provides a context for your specific needs. Recognizing what interests and values you seek in a friend and tackling shyness or social anxieties will help guide future relationships to success.
You can develop a self-compassionate attitude that can make you more resilient and more able to connect with family. (1)
Ten tips on building rewarding social relationships
- Ensure that the relationship you have with yourself is a positive one.
- Accept and celebrate the fact that we are all different.
- Actively listen to hear what other people have to say.
- Give people time and “be present” when you are with them.
- Develop and work on your communication skills.
- Manage mobile technology and be aware of its pitfalls.
- Learn to give and take constructive feedback.
- Open your heart and find the courage to trust.
- Learn to be more understanding and empathetic.
- Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself.
Reach out today
The loneliness epidemic has hit many of us hard. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is time to reach out for help. You can improve your social relationships, make new friends, and rebuild family ties. Reach out for an initial consult. It’s the first step to better social relationships that will nourish you. Call or fill out the contact form provided. Online therapy is available.
References
(3) Mistretta, E. G., Davis, M. C., & Yeung, E. (2020). Family Strain Predicts Subsequent Depressive Symptoms in Middle-aged Adults: Hope Mediates and Self-compassion Moderates the Relation. Journal of social and clinical psychology, 39(1), 25–58. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2020.39.01.001