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The Healing Power of Girlfriends: How to Create Your Best Life Through Female Connection
Women thrive on connection, and research studies continue to show that we are happier and healthier when we share close connections with other women.
In this engaging combination of personal anecdotes, scientific research, and therapeutic advice, you’ll learn:
* why connection, communication, and intimacy are the three pillars of healthy friendships.
* how friendship between women leads to longevity, health, happiness, and well-being.
* why some friendships are only for a specific “season or reason.”
* how the Olson Friendship Framework can help you understand the levels of all your friendships from casual to intimate.
*tips for nurturing your current friendships and creating new ones.
Each chapter also includes a list of thought-provoking discussion questions that will help you further examine the heart and soul of your own friendships with women.
The Healing Power of Friendship will help you avoid toxic friendships, understand the role expectations play in women’s friendships, and learn how power dynamics can hurt or heal these special relationships.
In this engaging combination of personal anecdotes, scientific research, and therapeutic advice, you’ll learn:
* why connection, communication, and intimacy are the three pillars of healthy friendships.
* how friendship between women leads to longevity, health, happiness, and well-being.
* why some friendships are only for a specific “season or reason.”
* how the Olson Friendship Framework can help you understand the levels of all your friendships from casual to intimate.
*tips for nurturing your current friendships and creating new ones.
Each chapter also includes a list of thought-provoking discussion questions that will help you further examine the heart and soul of your own friendships with women.
The Healing Power of Friendship will help you avoid toxic friendships, understand the role expectations play in women’s friendships, and learn how power dynamics can hurt or heal these special relationships.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
170 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2019
About the author
Deborah A. Olson
1 book22 followersDeborah Olson is a licensed professional counselor in private practice at Galleria Counseling and Consulting in Houston. She is a women's emotional health specialist and works with women experiencing depression, anxiety, and life transition issues. Her first career was in nursing as a registered nurse where she specialized in OB/GYN, labor and delivery, newborn nursery, and high risk OB. Olson also frequently speaks to women's retreats and groups on a variety of topics from empowerment and resiliency to being "perfectly imperfect." She has also taught psychology classes as adjunct faculty at Lone Star College in Houston, Texas. Olson is married and the mother to 4 adult children and 6 grandchildren. In her free time she enjoys time at the beach, shelling, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Check out the article in the Houston Chronicle about Deborah and her book: https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/be...
Check out the article in the Houston Chronicle about Deborah and her book: https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/be...
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 20, 2019
The Healing Power of Girlfriends: How to Create Your Best Life Through Female Connection contains priceless information that reminds women everywhere why healthy friendships are so beneficial to the mind, body and soul. Author Deborah A. Olson provides education and encouragement in equal measure and she offers it all in a variety of learning styles. There are examples, real-life stories, graphs, and discussion questions to help process. Professional teaching with a subtle spiritual component that uplifts women everywhere as they support one another through the good and the bad. Check it out.
Thank you to Deborah A. Olson and Goodreads Giveaways for the opportunity to win a copy of The Healing Power of Girlfriends: How to Create Your Best Life Through Female Connection. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Thank you to Deborah A. Olson and Goodreads Giveaways for the opportunity to win a copy of The Healing Power of Girlfriends: How to Create Your Best Life Through Female Connection. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
May 12, 2019
The Healing Power of Girlfriends is a sort of how-to when it comes to the benefits and rewards of female companionship. She explains the various circles of friends, based on our needs and closeness, she talks about the pitfalls of power struggles, the benefits of healthy female friendships and more. She's broken down the chapters into manageable size based on various aspects of friendships, how to find the ideal friends, what to look for in characteristics, ways to enhance your friendships, and also, what to avoid when it comes to people.
Olson uses her real-life experiences backed with studies and quotes to show the reader why having a good tribe can make all the difference in your life. There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter which has the reader reflecting on their own lives and their friendships. It's a handy little book that I think will help women who are seeking new friendships or hoping to further their current friendships. Her book is well-researched, backed by various studies. Nicely done.
Olson uses her real-life experiences backed with studies and quotes to show the reader why having a good tribe can make all the difference in your life. There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter which has the reader reflecting on their own lives and their friendships. It's a handy little book that I think will help women who are seeking new friendships or hoping to further their current friendships. Her book is well-researched, backed by various studies. Nicely done.
March 27, 2019
In my 55 years I've had very valuable and close friendships. What more could I learn from a book on friendships? Deborah shares a wealth of information anyone can use to find and create meaningful friendships and deepen those we already have. I especially appreciated the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. They can be used not just in book clubs but also for personal reflection. The section on creating healthy boundaries is important so that a person doesn't develop unhealthy friendships that drain them emotionally. A great read for any woman of any age!
April 5, 2019
When I saw the title for this book, it reminded me of that saying about fair weather friends. Now that I'm a bit older and my kids are nearly grown I find myself wondering what's next? Do I reach out more to my friends, do I battle this sense of loss now that I'm divorced and my kids have their own lives? Let me tell you, its a lot that weighs on you.
Because of all of those feelings and more, I was drawn to this book. Whether you're like me, trying to put yourself out there again and try to strengthen relationships, or look for guidance, this is a really good book to start with.
The author introduces the book by talking about her own experiences with friendships. One of the key things that got me right away, was when she talked about how her friend was affected by her moving away. She said she sat there in her old driveway and cried, and I started to tear up. I remember what that was like at 9 and my best friend moved away. The difference is at our adult ages, we feel so much more. We interact more and create these bonds as the author talks about over and over, so it hits us differently. All the feels!
What I found interesting too is that not only did she share her own experiences, the reasons behind her methods, questionnaires, study, life's work, etc., she talked about the clients she met with. It gave a vastly diverse comparison of how one person perceives friendships and bonds. There is a woman who thought there was something wrong with her because a woman in her neighborhood didn't want to engage with her and made excuses. It's interesting because you get both sides of what it's like to be on the side of what you think is a failure compared to all the times she easily made friends. In reality, it isn't that it was something wrong with her or with any of us who have been rejected in some ways. She goes on further to explain more, but it brings a bit more light.
The whole book is very thought-provoking. She includes the questionnaire's she had sent out in regards to how woman viewed friendships, each chapter has discussion questions and offers resources in general. Even if you don't choose to read this for a book club or a group setting, read it for yourself and answer those questions. You'll be amazed at what you find out about yourself in the process. In fact, many of the questions that are asked are ones I want to talk to my girls about. Creating healthy, real, and beautiful bonds is truly what will help all of us to live a healthier life. Think hard about what friendship means to you, and read this book!!
Because of all of those feelings and more, I was drawn to this book. Whether you're like me, trying to put yourself out there again and try to strengthen relationships, or look for guidance, this is a really good book to start with.
The author introduces the book by talking about her own experiences with friendships. One of the key things that got me right away, was when she talked about how her friend was affected by her moving away. She said she sat there in her old driveway and cried, and I started to tear up. I remember what that was like at 9 and my best friend moved away. The difference is at our adult ages, we feel so much more. We interact more and create these bonds as the author talks about over and over, so it hits us differently. All the feels!
What I found interesting too is that not only did she share her own experiences, the reasons behind her methods, questionnaires, study, life's work, etc., she talked about the clients she met with. It gave a vastly diverse comparison of how one person perceives friendships and bonds. There is a woman who thought there was something wrong with her because a woman in her neighborhood didn't want to engage with her and made excuses. It's interesting because you get both sides of what it's like to be on the side of what you think is a failure compared to all the times she easily made friends. In reality, it isn't that it was something wrong with her or with any of us who have been rejected in some ways. She goes on further to explain more, but it brings a bit more light.
The whole book is very thought-provoking. She includes the questionnaire's she had sent out in regards to how woman viewed friendships, each chapter has discussion questions and offers resources in general. Even if you don't choose to read this for a book club or a group setting, read it for yourself and answer those questions. You'll be amazed at what you find out about yourself in the process. In fact, many of the questions that are asked are ones I want to talk to my girls about. Creating healthy, real, and beautiful bonds is truly what will help all of us to live a healthier life. Think hard about what friendship means to you, and read this book!!
January 19, 2020
Written in easy-to-follow, clear language, this book is based on research, something I value. Deborah explains her ideas in a logical structure, with each chapter recapped through thought-provoking questions that induce the reader to apply the concepts in real life.
The research she cites, and her own research, shows the benefits to women of having a wide range of friendships with other women, and she guides her readers in how to maximize benefits and minimize the harm that mismanaged friendships can do.
Mind you, in my opinion, men will also benefit from incorporating her advice into our lives.
I received a copy of this book for review.
The research she cites, and her own research, shows the benefits to women of having a wide range of friendships with other women, and she guides her readers in how to maximize benefits and minimize the harm that mismanaged friendships can do.
Mind you, in my opinion, men will also benefit from incorporating her advice into our lives.
I received a copy of this book for review.
May 25, 2024
4.0 A powerful little book crammed full of knowledge and sharing of information relating to relationships with your girlfriends and well worth reading a second time. In depth look at how girlfriends impact our lives on a day to day basis. Some friends come and go but best friends stay true and inner circle friends the same. Women need other women in their lives to enhance their own well being.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews