Friendship is one of the most important, yet most underrated necessities of life. A sense of connection and belonging is a key part of being human, and there are boundless benefits from having close friends who know everything about you, can help you out in a pinch, can be there with you through all the joys and hardships of life, and for whom you can be such a friend in turn. But making and keeping friends becomes increasingly difficult when we become adults with busy careers, family responsibilities, dispersed locations.Keeping in touch through social media isn't as fulfilling as developing true, deep, lasting bonds of friendship, argues therapist Gina Handley Schmitt. She provides knowledge, perspective, scripts, and worksheets to help you create the friendships you crave, using the five core skills of being available, authentic, affirming, assertive, and accepting. In this book, you'll learn the art of choosing and making friends, supporting your friends and letting them support you, maintaining friendships even when your life paths diverge, repairing friendships after a conflict, the difficult decision to break up a friendship, and much more. Life is so much sweeter with good friends by your side.