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National Best Friends Day may have passed—but the need for quiet, durable friendships that soothe anxiety and bring healing is year round!
Right now, I’m visualizing my Golden Girls house: a seaside retreat with my three closest friends, laughing over morning coffee and sunset writing sessions. Will there be a Golden Boy or two popping in? Maybe—but that story centers on platonic love, and I cherish that future.
After a long, anxiety‑filled day, a text or call from your best friend can feel like therapy. Deep adult friendships aren’t easy: time is scarce, priorities shift, and romantic or familial roles often take center stage.
Why Adult Friendships Are Hard
Tove Danovich aptly captured this in a recent article: post‑college life scatters us. Busy schedules, siloed routines, and higher expectations mean we must intentionally seek connection — like dating without the drama .
- They give us non‑romantic love, understanding without strings.
- Unlike romantic partnerships or family ties, we assume friendships are permanent—but they need care and structure. That’s why “friendship breakups” can be as devastating as other losses. So much so that there’s a growing field of Friendship Counseling.
Friendships can be the salve on anxiety’s sunburn, lifting you from overwhelm into calm.
Friendship as Healing & Narrative
Friendships offer belonging, validation, and perspective—much like formal anxiety treatment. One of my go‑to healing tools is expressive writing for anxiety, which helps soothe overwhelming emotions.
At a recent Winter Writing Bravely class, seven strangers wrote and shared for 90 minutes. By the end, the lone man in the room said, “we’re meeting again to journal together—you did that.” It wasn’t magic—it was creating space. Connection emerged naturally.
Try This Prompt
Set a timer for 7 minutes. No editing:
“Who is a friend who’s known your story—and stayed?”
Let the words unfold. No pressure. When you finish, reflect on how this friend showed up—and what that says about your resilience and need for belonging.
After putting your heart and soul into this prompt, and letting a wave of release wash over you, let’s turn our attention to some anxiety treatment action tips—simple, friend‑centered strategies that can complement therapy.
Practical Suggestions for Deep Connections
- Show up consistently, even with small check‑ins.
- Create rituals: potlucks, writing groups, or playlist sharing.
- Invest simply: write a letter, schedule a walk‑and‑talk, set up a monthly Zoom movie night. During the pandemic, my virtual movie nights kept our connection alive! These small acts can serve as powerful adjuncts to anxiety treatment.
✍️ Introducing Writing Bravely (August 19)
If you’ve ever wanted to meet a kindred spirit, this is your opportunity. Our group opens August 19th—by sharing small, courageous stories, deep connections form. Maybe that person becomes the one who really gets your quirky inner parts.
Writing Bravely is an expressive writing community that supports emotional healing, anxiety reduction, and friendship formation. By sharing quietly and bravely, you create connection and therapeutic growth.
Final Anxiety Treatment Group Prompt
Let’s close like we would in circle:
Write a paragraph about the friend who holds space when you feel unseen.
In a world leaning into AI and tech, adult friendships matter more than ever. If you feel called to share, I’d be honored to read your words.
A different kind of Anxiety Treatment at Life Cycles Counseling in Richmond, VA
Let’s be real—therapy should honor your unique emotional wiring, not try to “normalize” you.
My approach blends evidence-based methods with creativity, curiosity, and compassion. That includes:
- IFS (Internal Family Systems)
- Brainspotting
- Hypnotherapy
- Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (where appropriate)
- Expressive Writing Practices
You don’t need to fix yourself.
You need to hear yourself.
Schedule a free consultation call to get started!
About The Author
Dr. Adina Silvestri is a licensed professional counselor, entrepreneur, and author with a rebellious edge, helping people feel better faster by offering innovative treatment options including ketamine therapy, brainspotting, hypnotherapy, one-week intensives, and more. A lover of fantasy fiction and passionate about using unconventional methods to promote healing and personal growth.
She also wants to help you embrace your quirkiness and to help you see it as your superpower
