Friendship Matters: memoir, life lessons, laughter

by Sanda Neshin Bernstein Psy.D., Wendy Satin Rapaport

Friendships offer us room for personal growth, emotional support, and plenty of fun. Explore the meaning of friendship in a personal case study of two women who’ve been friends for years and have worked at having an enriching relationship that helps them through the many challenges of life. Authors Wendy Satin Rapaport and Sanda Neshin Bernstein are both clinical psychologists. In Friendship Matters , they use the example of their own friendship to explore the power of this connection. Friendship takes work, but it should be celebrated for the ways it can improve our lives and help us grow. Close friends are lifelines—the people who help us through the worst days and who cheer us on during the best. We can learn to nurture our friendships most effectively by keeping a few principles in mind. For example, though similarities are naturally comforting, it is also important to respect and celebrate differences because these are rich opportunities to learn. Anchored by a dialogue between these two close friends, this wisdom-filled guide shows us how to have more meaningful relationships. With good friends by our side, anything is possible.

140 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2017

Reviews

[Judithwilansky11gmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you value a friend - this is a must read! These witty and insightful women provide a wonderful cognitive framework for exploring and improving upon friendship - all in entertaining dialogue and stories. I can't think of a better way to enjoy a cup of tea than with "Friendship Matters!"

[Suzanne Gunter McClendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship Matters is a book about interacting with friends in ways that help to grow and deepen the friendship and the individuals themselves. It is about the decades long friendship between the two authors - Wendy and Sandy - and is written in a conversational style.

Friendship Matters is an interesting book and parts are very entertaining. It was written by two psychologists and they talk like you would expect psychologists to talk. Their suggestions are sound, in my opinion, but I just can’t picture having conversations like theirs with any of my friends!

We are encouraged to slow down and think about things rather than reacting on assumptions. Sandy and Wendy give examples from their own lives together and experiences they’ve had with others.

If you want to learn ways to grow your friendships to a deeper level and improve your relationship all around, I think you will enjoy Friendship Matters and find it to be a useful guide.

Friendship Matters is well-written and mostly easy to follow. It earns 5 stars based on all the thinking it made me do!


We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Friendship Matters, two psychologists share a fresh and engaging way of thinking about the relationships we cherish most. The authors invite their readers to listen in on their conversations as their profound and enduring friendship evolves over decades. Their straightforward and credible exchanges establish two distinct personalities, Sandy and Wendy, and create a palpable sense of how deep and intuitive their connection is. Noting key events and significant conversations, they explore the unfolding of their friendship. What I found especially illuminating was the way they “unwrapped” a conversation, excavating below the exchange of words to figure out the how’s and why’s of their reactions and responses to what the other had said or done—or not said or not done. Sandy and Wendy shared candid and imaginable examples from their own lives throughout the book. An endearing authenticity and wit keeps the book moving; a consistent sense of an ongoing conversation never wavers. In the second half of the book, the authors introduce the concept of emotional literacy. They provide some specific tools: new ways of thinking and alternative reactions to familiar situations in order to enrich friendships, and really, all of our relationships. Sandy and Wendy courageously serve up struggles and outright blunders of their own. Their honesty made it easier for me to challenge myself with my own friends to delve deeper. By their example, I can see that emotional literacy is an ongoing project. They emphasize how essential practice is, and I know this is true. Friendship Matters offers an up close view of an intimate, abiding friendship carefully nurtured by two truly devoted friends. The joy of such unconditional love and genuine trust certainly inspires me to want to apply their wisdom to my own relationships.

[Rachel Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! This book really illustrated the benefits of friendship.....I loved the dialogue between the two friends.

[Susan Neshin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovely little book is filled with a big bounty of wisdom on the importance of friendship and how to have a great one. By listening in on the authors' conversations, you learn not just how to be a good friend but how to live your life well. A fun must read!

[Shula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small, easy-to-read book packs a lot of wisdom into just a little over 100 pages! It is written as an extended conversation between two friends who have worked consciously at keeping their lifelong friendship rich and vital. The dialogue format, along with the abundance of personal anecdotes, keeps the book engaging rather than didactic and allows the authors’ warm, witty, and thoughtful communication style to shine through. Some of the “takeaways” the authors offer really resonated for me (for example -- not making quick assumptions about others, accepting differences), and I find myself incorporating bits of their counsel into my daily life and interactions. I keep Friendship Matters on my night table so I can pick it up and read a few pages whenever I want a quick primer on being a good friend!