Making friends shouldn’t feel like a mystery—but in today’s world, it often does.

In this episode, Dr. Marisa G. Franco, psychologist and New York Times best-selling author of Platonic, joins Mona and Jeannette to break down the science of friendship. She explores how technology, convenience culture, and societal expectations have fueled an epidemic of loneliness—while also revealing the keys to building meaningful, lasting connections.

Together, they tackle why male emotional vulnerability is so rare, why we’ve been conditioned to prioritize romance over deep platonic bonds, and the biggest myths about making friends as an adult. If you've ever felt like friendships should just happen—this episode will change your perspective.

And if you’ve ever wondered what kind of friend you are, you won’t want to miss this. Tune in for the science, the strategy, and the push you need to create real, fulfilling friendships.

KEY POINTS 

- Navigating platonic friendships 

- Sacrificing connection for convenience?

- Common challenges in friendships 

- Is confrontation a bad thing in friendships?

- Men are less likely “to be vulnerable” 

- The impact of technology in maintaining friendships 

- Dr. Franco’s journey to study platonic friendships 

- The concept of “diagnostic moments” in friendships

- How to know if you’ve outgrown a friend… 

- Challenges of interracial friendships in the US 

- Benefit: The art of doing nothing with a friend

QUOTES 

“Boundaries are the distance between which I love you and myself at the same time.”  – Dr. Marisa G. Franco 

“Most people are lonely, which to me, it's not an individual issue. It's a systemic issue.”  – Dr. Marisa G. Franco 

“We need to start interrogating convenience. We don't realize that we are sacrificing connection often for convenience.” – Dr. Marisa G. Franco 

GUEST RESOURCES: 

Dr. Marisa G. Franco 

IG | @drmarisagfranco

Platonic Friendship Questionnaire | What Tpye of Friend Are You?

RESOURCES: 

Keep in touch with Awf The Record:

Youtube: @AwfTheRecord

Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast

TikTok: @AwfTheRecord

Mona Kosar Abdi

IG |  @monakabdi 

Jeannette Reyes

IG |  @msnewslady 

Keep in touch with Awf The Record:
Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord
Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast
Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord
Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com

Follow Mona on TikTok and IG
Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG