Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship Podcast Por Nina Badzin arte de portada

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

De: Nina Badzin
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Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship is a top 1% podcast about the friendship issues you probably think about but never say out loud.

Whether you've agonized over a text, wondered why you're always the one reaching out, or found yourself drifting away from an old friend—this show gets it and we're here to discuss it all. Note-- these are conversations, not classic interviews.

"Dear Nina" is hosted by longtime friendship advice columnist Nina Badzin, and every episode digs into the messy, meaningful, and sometimes maddening questions adults don't always feel safe asking. How do you make real friends as an adult? How do you handle a one-sided friendship? 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?

We talk about being the single friend in a coupled-up world, navigating friendship after divorce, the grief of losing a friend to illness or a falling out, and what it means to be included in a friend group but still not quite feel like you belong—whether that's happening to you or to your kid. And yes, we talk about what happens when your kids used to be good friends and now can't stand each other. (It's a whole thing.)

Nina has been writing about adult friendship for over a decade, and her advice has been featured in NPR, Real Simple Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, Time Magazine, The Skimm, and more. Each episode draws from real listener letters (hence "Dear Nina"), relatable dilemmas, and thoughtful guests.

Every episode leaves room for the fact that there are no perfect answers. There's only real talk here, 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.

That's a good thing. Social connections MATTER! Let's talk about it.


ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO


!! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify

📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina

🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!

📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack

❤️ Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group

📪 Ask an anonymous friendship question

📪 email: dearninapodcast@gmail.com

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

© 2024 Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship Ciencias Sociales Desarrollo Personal Higiene y Vida Saludable Psicología Psicología y Salud Mental Relaciones Éxito Personal
Episodios
  • Bonus Episode: Socially Confident Kids in a Screen-Filled World (Nina on "Your Child is Normal" with Dr. Jessica Hochman)

    Bonus Episode: Socially Confident Kids in a Screen-Filled World (Nina on "Your Child is Normal" with Dr. Jessica Hochman)
    Apr 6 2026

    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 socially confident in a world where so much interaction happens on screens. From teaching kids to initiate plans instead of waiting to be invited (adults need to master this too!), to why proximity and real-life time together matter more than ever, this is a practical conversation about what helps kids make and keep friends.

    We also got into what it looks like for parents to support friendships—hosting, encouraging, and sometimes stepping in—without over-managing. It's not easy! This discussion includes plenty of nuance. If you’re raising kids in today’s tech-heavy world, this one will give you a lot to think about.


    We talk about:

    • Why kids (and adults) need to learn to initiate—not wait to be invited
    • The importance of proximity and “hyper-local” friendships for kids when possible
    • How parents can encourage friendships without forcing them (Accept that kids' friendships WILL change, even when the parents are close.)
    • Rethinking reciprocity (it’s not tit-for-tat)
    • How to help kids navigate friendship conflict and give each other grace
    • The reality of drifting friendships and why it’s not always a failure
    • How screens and over-scheduling are changing kids’ social lives
    • Simple, practical ways to help kids feel more confident and socially capable
    • Thoughts on being "the hosting house"



    Meet Dr. Jessica Hochman

    Your Child is Normal is the trusted podcast for parents, pediatricians, and child health experts who want smart, nuanced conversations about raising healthy, resilient kids. Hosted by Dr. Jessica Hochman — a board-certified practicing pediatrician — the show combines evidence-based medicine, expert interviews, and real-world parenting advice to help listeners navigate everything from sleep struggles to mental health, nutrition, screen time, and more.

    Follow Dr Jessica Hochman:

    Instagram: @AskDrJessica and Tiktok @askdrjessica, YouTube channel: Ask Dr Jessica



    ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO


    !! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify

    📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina

    🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!

    📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack

    ❤️ Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group

    📪 Ask an anonymous friendship question

    📪 email: dearninapodcast@gmail.com

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





    Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
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    41 m
  • #190 - What Birthdays Reveal About Your Friendships and Your Mindset (Debra Arbit)

    #190 - What Birthdays Reveal About Your Friendships and Your Mindset (Debra Arbit)
    Mar 30 2026
    Reframing Your Birthday and Your FriendshipsBirthdays 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 us. If birthdays have left you feeling overlooked or unsure of your friendships, this episode offers a practical—and freeing—way to think about them differently.And I know some of you are saying, "I don't care about my birthday anyway." That's okay! I'm still making the case that your birthday is an opportunity to be inviting and generous. Stick with me.In this conversation with my close friend Debra Arbit (who I didn’t meet until my early 40s!), we talk about reframing our approach to birthdays to one that makes them more joyful and reflective of the friendships we want.Debra shares how she planned her 45th birthday in a way that felt intentional, flexible, and genuinely fun.Please note, this conversation goes way beyond birthdays. It’s about expectations in friendships, as well as effort, vulnerability, and what it really looks like to build the kind of relationships you want. HIGHLIGHTS:Why birthdays often become a “test” of friendship and why that can backfireThe case for planning your own birthday (and why it’s not as sad as it sounds)Debra’s “Signup Genius” 45th birthday eventsLetting go of rigid ideas about reciprocityWhat “showing up” actually looks like (it’s more than just attending)Why mixing different groups of friends can be a good thingScarcity vs. abundance mindsets in friendshipHow to set the tone for your birthday—whether it’s a party or a simple one-on-one planAgain, if birthdays have ever left you feeling resentful or anxious, this episode offers a way forward—one that’s intentional, generous, and meaningful.LINKS MENTIONED: Debra's amazing Instagram account: @fortheloveofcookbooksEpisode #84 with Debra: How to Turn an Acquaintance Into a Friend AND How to Make Hosting EasierEpisode #131: Start a Ritual/Tradition with FriendsEpisode #140: Celebrating Friends’ Birthdays and Your Own BirthdayAll the friendship challenges on Dear Nina: Conversations About FriendshipMEET DEBRA ARBIT:In addition to being one of my real life actual close friends, Debra is a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about lifting up other women business owners. When she isn’t thinking of new business ideas or consulting with women business owners, she is likely cooking her way through a cookbook completing every single recipe within it. She recently finished her 20th complete cookbook and is steadily working through her never-ending stack. She posts all about her cookbook adventures on her Instagram account, @fortheloveofcookbooks, where she rates the recipes and shares which of her three kids and husband were willing to try whatever she made. Oh. And she happens to be moderately obsessed with birthdays and celebrating all of life’s milestones big and small.ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO!! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack❤️ Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group📪 Ask an anonymous friendship question📪 email: dearninapodcast@gmail.com🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.Special thank you, as always, to assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs.
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    39 m
  • #189 - Andrew McCarthy on Male Friendship, Reconnecting, and the Power of Showing Up

    #189 - Andrew McCarthy on Male Friendship, Reconnecting, and the Power of Showing Up
    Mar 23 2026
    “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 journey to reconnect with the people he considered his closest friends. Andrew's book, Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America, is available now! In this episode, Andrew and I talk about what happens when friendships quietly drift into the background, why that happens so often for men, and what it actually takes to rebuild connections with people you know would be there for you in theory, but it's been too long since you've spent time together in person.This is a conversation about male friendship, but also about something much more universal: showing up, loneliness, and the kind of safety only real friendship can provide.WE DISCUSSED: Why “having friends” isn’t the same as actually seeing themThe idea of safety in friendship and why it matters just as much as trustWhy many men drift away from friendships over time (and don’t always notice it happening)The pressure men feel to provide and how that shapes their identity and relationshipsThe difference between foundational friendships and newer friendships and why both matterWhat women can learn from how men often allow for imperfection in friendshipsThe underrated role of asking for help in building and strengthening connectionHow loneliness can be a signal—not a failure—and what it’s trying to tell usWhy scheduling (or built-in rituals like games or activities) makes friendships more likely to lastWhat kids notice about their parents' friendships and why modeling connection mattersAndrew’s insight that for many men, action can be a form of loveLINKS MENTIONED: Andrew's newest book: Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across AmericaEpisode 184 of Dear Nina with Dr. Jeffrey HallMy episode on NPR's LifeKit about old friendsMeet Andrew McCarthyAndrew McCarthy gained fame as an actor in the 1980’s appearing in such iconic films as Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, and Less Than Zero, as well as cult favorites Weekend At Bernie’s and Mannequin. He has starred on Broadway and made numerous television appearances, most recently seen as a regular on Fox’s The Resident.Andrew most recently directed Brats, an intimate and provocative new feature documentary, which premiered on Hulu in June 2024. The documentary explores the iconic films of the 80s as well as their stars, branded with the name the “Brat Pack.”Beyond his work in front of and behind the camera, Andrew has become an accomplished author, and he is one of today’s leading travel writers. Andrew lives in New York with his wife and three kids. ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO!! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack❤️ Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group📪 Ask an anonymous friendship question📪 email: dearninapodcast@gmail.com🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
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    33 m
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