Family & Relationships How to Make Friends and Keep Them With Bestselling Author Eric Barker By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. Learn about our editorial process Published on May 23, 2022 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Meet Eric Barker Why Eric Is Mentally Strong What You’ll Hear on the Show What You’ll Learn About Mental Health and Mental Strength Quotes From Eric More About the Podcast Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Meet Eric Barker Eric Barker is the creator of a blog called "Barking Up the Wrong Tree," which presents scientific answers about how to ‘be awesome at life.’ He’s also the author of two bestselling books. "Barking Up the Wrong Tree" addressed the science of success and his new book, "Plays Well With Others," addresses the science behind relationships. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and has an MBA from Boston College and a Master of Fine Arts from UCLA. Why Eric Is Mentally Strong Eric doesn’t just reshare information that is readily available. Instead, he goes deep into the research studies to separate fact from fiction. He then shares why so many of the lessons we’ve grown up believing aren’t actually true. He makes his newsletters, blog posts, and books easy to understand even though he is sharing complex research about human behavior. He’s also very willing to talk about his own experiences and the lessons he’s learning about success and relationships along the way. What You’ll Hear on the Show How to define a friend How many friends it takes to improve your well-being Why friends may matter more than family when it comes to life satisfaction The link between friendship and happiness How friends can improve your health and help you heal from illness faster How spending time with friends might be worth $93,000 How to develop deeper friendships How too much small talk actually hurts relationships and what to do about it How work friends can make you 96% happier with your life Why it can be extra beneficial to have a community of friends who know each other How the modern world is creating more parasocial relationships and why this is a problem The dangers of loneliness Why you can feel lonely in a crowded room The cure for loneliness How to make friends as an adult How to feel like you’re lifelong friends with someone in 45 minutes The most important thing you can do to maintain the friendships you already have The two things that show us that we’re being a real friend Why we should focus more on connecting with people rather than impressing them 6 Friendship Benefits: Why It's Important to Stay Close to Your Friends What You’ll Learn About Mental Health and Mental Strength Many people pursue happiness as an individual goal. But, there’s a strong link between social relationships and happiness. Yet, friendship is a topic that is often neglected. We discuss the importance of strong family relationships, yet not everyone has a healthy family that bolsters good mental health.Friends are the relationships you choose. And choosing to develop relationships with people who support you can go a long way toward helping you become the strongest and best version of yourself. Ask a Therapist: How Do I Make Friends as an Adult? Quotes From Eric Eric Barker The research consistently shows friends make us happier than any other relationship because it's voluntary. Because if we don't like somebody, we don't have to do it [be friends with them]. So it's fragile, but that keeps it [friendship] pure. — Eric Barker "Friendship is great. Communities are even better." "A lot of social media ends up coming out of the buddy budget. It’s that the more time we're on Instagram talking to people, the less time we're usually doing it face to face." "If you feel like you're not connected—like people aren't thinking of you or don’t care about you— then you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely." "If people don't know about your struggles, they can't help." Why Can’t I Make Friends? More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you. For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here. Download the Transcript Links and Resources Follow Eric on Instagram: @bakadesuyo Buy Eric’s Book: Plays Well With Others Check out Eric’s blog: Barking Up the Wrong Tree If You Liked This Episode, You Might Also Like These Episodes Why It Benefits You to Become a Better Listener With Psychiatrist Mark Goulston Friday Fix: How to See Vulnerability as a Strength, Not a Weakness How to Tell if Someone Is Lying With Psychologist Paul Ekman Coping With Emotionally Draining Friends By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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