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Friendship Matters

Friendship Matters

Written by: Donna Brighton Russell Greenfield MD and Lisa Grimes
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Join your hosts the Coach (Donna Brighton), the Doctor (Russell Greenfield, M.D.) and the CEO (Lisa Grimes) where we explore the science, skills, and stories behind thriving relationships at work and beyond. Brought to you by The Friendship Institute. Our mission is to help people improve / enrich existing friendships and create / build rich new ones.2025 Economics Management Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Would Anyone Show Up for You at 2 A.M.? The Friendship Crisis with Johan Wikman

    Would Anyone Show Up for You at 2 A.M.? The Friendship Crisis with Johan Wikman
    Jun 2 2026
    What if the key to a healthier, happier, and longer life isn't another productivity hack, but a friendship you've neglected for years?

    SEASON 6: Friendship Authors. Episode 3

    Join us as we sit down with Johan Wikman, CTO, entrepreneur, and co-author of Dying for Friendship and Community. What begins as a conversation about technology quickly evolves into a powerful exploration of loneliness, friendship, community, and the human need for connection. Johan shares how his effort to build technology that brings people together revealed a surprising reality: many people today have few close friends, and some have none at all.

    Together, they explore why meaningful relationships matter, how friendship influences our health and well-being, and what practical steps we can take to reconnect in an increasingly disconnected world.

    In This Episode, You'll Discover:
    • Why Johan and his co-author shifted from building technology to writing a book about friendship and community.
    • What defines a true friend versus an acquaintance or casual connection.
    • Why reconnecting with old friends may be easier and more valuable than making new ones.
    • How technology can either contribute to loneliness or help foster meaningful, in person connections.
    • Why workplace relationships matter more than many leaders realize.
    • The connection between friendship, employee retention, team performance, and organizational culture.
    • Practical ways to build community and create belonging in your personal and professional life.
    • Simple actions anyone can take today to strengthen connection and combat isolation.
    Why Listen to This Episode?

    If you've ever wondered why it feels harder to make friends, maintain relationships, or find a genuine sense of belonging, this conversation offers both insight and hope. Johan brings a refreshing blend of personal experience, technological innovation, and practical wisdom to a topic that affects all of us. Rather than offering quick fixes, he reminds us that friendship is not something we stumble into. It is something we intentionally build.

    This episode will challenge you to think differently about the relationships in your life, inspire you to reconnect with people who matter, and provide actionable ideas for creating stronger friendships, deeper community, and greater well-being. Whether you're a leader, professional, parent, entrepreneur, or simply someone seeking more meaningful connection, this conversation offers an important reminder: friendship is not a luxury. It is one of the foundations of a thriving life.

    Learn more, get the BOOK. Dying for Friendship and Community; Two Old Friends Attack Loneliness by Peter O'Dell and Johan Wikman

    Friendship Matters Guest

    Johan Wikman, CTO and Co-founder at Perdata.ai, is a technologist, entrepreneur, community builder and first time author who has spent decades studying how people connect. He brings a practical, lived understanding of loneliness, informed by leading teams and paying attention to where connection quietly breaks down in everyday settings. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his best friend and life partner, Sheila. He runs and hikes long distances to think clearly and stay grounded. As a CTO and founder, his recent work has focused on the human cost of disconnection. At the core of his work is a simple belief: Strong human connection makes life better and keeps people alive longer.

    Connect with Johan at https://linkedin.com/in/jwikman

    ©Friendship Institute 2026

    The Friendship Matters™ podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the guidance provided by medical professionals directly involved in your care. Do not use information shared on the podcast for the diagnosis or treatment of any type of health problem. Because we care about your wellbeing, please raise any health concerns immediately with your personal medical providers.
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    40 mins
  • The Social Biome: A New Framework for Meaningful Relationships with Jeffrey Hall

    The Social Biome: A New Framework for Meaningful Relationships with Jeffrey Hall
    May 25 2026

    What if your friendships are not failing… but your system for building them is?

    SEASON 6: Friendship Authors. Episode 2

    This episode explores a powerful shift in how we think about connection, moving from individual relationships to what friendship expert, Jeffrey Hall calls a "social biome." Instead of seeing friendship as something that just happens, the conversation reframes it as a living system shaped by how you spend your time, where you invest your energy, and the daily patterns you follow. Grounded in research, the episode challenges common assumptions about loneliness, social media, and connection, while offering practical, evidence-based ways to build meaningful and sustainable relationships.

    What you'll hear in this episode:
    • The concept of the social biome and how your environment shapes your relationships
    • Why friendship takes far more time than most people expect
    • The truth about the loneliness epidemic, what research actually shows versus media narratives
    • A nuanced take on social media and AI, including when they help and when they harm
    • The idea of "social calories" and what makes interactions nourishing versus empty
    • How partner responsiveness builds deep, meaningful connection
    • Why there is no perfect number of friends, only a question of social nourishment
    • Practical strategies to strengthen your social world:
      • Build consistent routines for connection
      • Show up and demonstrate commitment
      • Create small moments of everyday connection
    Why listen to this episode:

    If you care about connection, leadership, well-being, or simply living a more meaningful life, this episode reframes friendship from something passive into something intentional and actionable. It challenges popular narratives, replaces them with research-backed insight, and gives you a clear lens to evaluate your own "social health." Most importantly, it offers a hopeful message: meaningful connection is not out of reach, but it does require deliberate choices, consistent effort, and a shift from focusing on yourself to investing in others.

    Learn more, get the BOOK. The Social Biome: How Everyday Comunication Connects and Shapes Us by Andy J. Merolla and Jeffrey A. Hall

    Friendship Matters Guest

    Jeffrey Hall is a Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas. He was a visiting scholar at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law. Hall is an internationally recognized expert on friendship, and the author of "How Many Hours Does it Take to Make a Friend?" He is the author of two books: Relating Through Technology and The Social Biome. He has written for the Wall Street Journal about building friendships, Gen Z workplace friendships, navigating digital media, and forming meaningful connections.

    Connect with him:

    JeffreyHallPhD@Instragram

    www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-hall-31304572

    ©Friendship Institute 2026

    The Friendship Matters™ podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the guidance provided by medical professionals directly involved in your care. Do not use information shared on the podcast for the diagnosis or treatment of any type of health problem. Because we care about your wellbeing, please raise any health concerns immediately with your personal medical providers.
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    53 mins
  • The Like Switch with Dr. Schafer: FBI Secrets to Building Real Relationships

    The Like Switch with Dr. Schafer: FBI Secrets to Building Real Relationships
    May 18 2026
    What if connection is not accidental, but something you can intentionally create, measure, and improve? SEASON 6: Friendship Authors. Episode 1 This episode explores the science and psychology behind human connection through the lens of a former FBI behavioral analyst, Dr. John R. Schafer. Drawing from high stakes counterintelligence work, he explains how trust, likability, and influence are not mysterious traits, but predictable patterns of behavior. The conversation moves beyond tactics and raises a deeper question about authenticity. If we can engineer connection, how do we ensure it remains real and meaningful? The discussion connects these principles to friendship, leadership, and modern challenges like digital communication and social isolation. What you will learn in this episode: The "friendship formula": proximity, frequency, duration, and intensity as the conditions that drive relationship formationHow nonverbal signals like eye contact, head tilt, and smiling trigger trust and emotional bondingWhy making others feel good about themselves is the most reliable path to likabilityPractical techniques such as empathetic statements and finding common ground to build rapport quicklyThe concept of "curiosity hooks" and how to draw people toward you instead of chasing connectionWhy digital communication weakens connection by removing critical nonverbal cuesHow these principles apply to leadership, workplace relationships, and networkingThe ethical line between intentional connection and manipulation, and how awareness protects you Why listen to this episode: If you are serious about improving relationships, this episode gives you a structured, evidence-informed framework rather than vague advice. It translates instinctive social behaviors into repeatable skills you can apply immediately, whether in friendships, leadership, or professional environments. It also challenges a common assumption that connection should be effortless. Instead, it shows that meaningful relationships require intentionality, consistency, and awareness of how others experience you. More importantly, it addresses a growing gap. As communication shifts toward screens, many people are losing the ability to build real connection. This conversation makes clear what is being lost and how to rebuild it with practical, observable behaviors that actually work. Learn more, get the BOOK: The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over by Dr. Jack Schafer Friendship Matters Guest Dr. John R. Schafer is a retired FBI Special Agent who is currently employed as a professor at Western Illinois University. Dr. Schafer served as a behavioral analyst assigned to the FBI's National Security Behavioral Analysis Program. Dr. Schafer earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California. Dr. Schafer owns his own consulting company and lectures and consults in the United States and abroad. He authored a book titled, "The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over." He also co-authored a book titled "Advanced Interviewing Techniques: Proven Strategies for Law Enforcement, Military, and Security Personnel." He has published numerous articles on a wide range of topics including the psychopathology of hate, ethics in law enforcement, detecting deception, and the universal principles of criminal behavior. Dr. Schafer's latest book is "The Truth Detector: An Ex-FBI's Guide to Getting People to Reveal the Truth." ©Friendship Institute 2026 The Friendship Matters™ podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the guidance provided by medical professionals directly involved in your care. Do not use information shared on the podcast for the diagnosis or treatment of any type of health problem. Because we care about your wellbeing, please raise any health concerns immediately with your personal medical providers.
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
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