So often we prioritize romantic relationships above all others - whether it’s searching for a ‘soul mate’, choosing who we spend our time with or who takes priority in our lives…But according to Rhaina Cohen, the idea that a romantic partner is the only kind of relationship that can fulfill our emotional needs and bring meaning to our life is an incorrect one.

 Rhaina is an award winning producer and editor for NPR and she’s the Author of The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center.

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BOOKS The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:00 - The relationship that made Rhaina re-think friendship

00:02:28 - The similarities between falling in love

00:03:46 - The hierarchy of relationships

00:07:00 - Why the phrase ‘just friends’ is BS

00:09:23 - What defines a relationship when sex doesn’t

00:10:10 - What we’re missing out on by not prioritising friendship

00:12:50 - The lessons romantic relationships & friendships can take from each other

00:14:54 - The scripts of relationships

00:17:17 - How to make deep friendships

00:20:10 - Other people’s reactions to close friendships

00:22:00 - Friendship break-ups

00:24:42 - How to nurture friendships to deepen them

00:27:00 - Reimaging friendship can help reinvent your life

00:29:57 - Dealing jealousy over close friendships

00:32:49 - Marriage is not a monopoly on closeness