Exploring the Science of Friendship

In this episode of The Impostor Syndrome Files, we explore how to make friends in an era of loneliness. My guest this week is Dr. Linda Lin, a psychology professor at Emmanuel College who has spent more than two decades researching and teaching about mental health, happiness and well-being. Through her course, The Psychology of Wellness and Happiness, Linda helps students move beyond surface-level wellness tips to better understand what it really means to live a meaningful and connected life.

Together, we talk about the shifting landscape of connection, especially for younger generations, and how technology, the pandemic and evolving social norms have made it harder to build and maintain authentic relationships. Linda shares what she's seeing in her own classroom, from once-lively chatter before class to eerily quiet rooms where students rarely interact, and how that reflects a broader cultural shift. Linda also breaks down the five essential ingredients of strong friendships and how we can use them to deepen existing relationships or build new ones. This conversation offers simple but powerful tools to help you reconnect with yourself and others.

About My Guest
Dr. Linda Lin is an international expert on mental health who has conducted psychological research on well-being, body image, and health behaviors for the past 30 years and has published dozens of scientific journal articles and book chapters. She has given over 65 national and international presentations around the world and is currently a Professor of Psychology at Emmanuel College and was the Director of Social and Emotional Learning for Moms as Mentors. Dr. Lin has been featured in the Boston Globe, Washington Post, U.S. News and World Report, and Salon.

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Connect with Linda:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-lin-a9abb37/
Emmanuel College: https://www.emmanuel.edu/linda-lin

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