I know how you feel : the joy and heartbreak of friendship in women's lives /|cF. Diane Barth

An expert's rich exploration of the intense, complicated landscape of women's friendships. Do I have enough friends? Why did my friendship end? andWhat makes a good friendship work?" These are questions that F. Diane Barth, a psychotherapist widely recognized for her expertise in womens relationships, fields all the time. In I Know How You Feel , shedraws out engaging stories from a lively anddiverse cast of women, many of whom speak aboutfeelings they haven't shared before.She explores how life changes affect women's friendships in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Interweavingexamples from classic womens literature to chick flicks, she provides grounded advice on how to managebetrayal and rejection, how to deal with a narcissistic or bossy friend, what to do when your best friend and your family dont get along, how tolet go of a friendship that has stopped working, and much more. A timely, empathetic guide for women in their twenties to their sixties and beyond. "A compelling look at the ways in which women bond...essential reading for anyone trying to build--or maintain--a strong social circle."- BookPage Do I have enough friends? Why did my friendship end? What makes a good friendship work? These are questions that F. Diane Barth, a psychotherapist widely recognized for her expertise in women's relationships, fields all the time. In I Know How You Feel , she shares engaging stories from interviews with a lively and diverse cast of women, many of whom speak about feelings they haven't shared before. She explores how life changes affect women's friendships in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Interweaving examples from a range of sources--from classic women's literature to chick flicks--she provides grounded advice on how to manage betrayal and rejection, how to deal with a narcissistic or bossy friend, what to do when your best friend and your family don't get along, how to let go of a friendship that has stopped working, and much more. This is a timely, empathetic guide for women in their twenties to their sixties and beyond. "A lively and compassionate guide that defines what is meant by 'friend' in the 21st century...engaging."- Library Journal "A smart, perceptive, and complex study of women's friendships and how they enhance, color in, and shape our lives."--Susan Shapiro, author of Lighting Up How should a friendship begin? What are women's friendships? Friends and family: one we choose, one we don't Disillusionment, betrayal, and rejection The joy of belonging, the pain of exclusion: groups, clubs, and cliques How many friends do you need? Should friends give advice to friends? With friends like this, who needs enemies?: competition between friends Sexual tension in women's friendships Do good boundaries make bad friends? Why do women friends hold grudges forever?: managing anger, judgment, and shame A hole in your heart: dealing with endings and losses The special joy of "friendship wisdom." "'Do I have enough friends?' 'Why did my friendship end?' and 'What makes a good friendship work?' ... [Sharing] stories from a ... diverse cast of women, many of whom speak about feelings they haven't shared before, ... [Barth provides] advice on how to manage betrayal and rejection, how to deal with a narcissistic or bossy friend, what to do when your best friend and your family don't get along, how to let go of a friendship that has stopped working, and much more"--Amazon.com