Are you seeking to increase your social circle with true-blue friends who have your back? (And weed out the selfish people who take more than they give?) On today's episode of the Love, Happiness & Success podcast, Val Walker is here to share expert advice for how to cultivate relationships with friends you can count on.

In this emotionally intimate interview, Val talks about the moment she realized she had "400 Friends & No One To Call" (the title of her latest book), and how it launched her intentional, successful creation of a supportive community of meaningful friendships. 

Val has so much fantastic advice to share with you for how to build up a community of support for yourself. I hope you listen!

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

GrowingSelf.com

Most busy professionals feel they don't have the luxury to "just hang out." Yet investing in healthy friendships is one of the single most impactful things you can do to improve your mental, emotional, and even physical health.

To support YOU in your understanding of the importance of healthy friendships, and to deepen you understanding of what it really takes to build supportive relationships in your life, I’ve invited science journalist and author Lydia Denworth to speak with me about her new book, “Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond.”  

She shares what her painstaking research has uncovered about why friendships are so important to us, the risks of neglecting your friendships, the impact of friendships on children and adolescents, and — perhaps most importantly — concrete strategies for how to build and nurture your friendships during social distancing.

Listen, and learn about the importance of healthy friendship and how to build strong friendship connections in your own life.

xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

GrowingSelf.com

How to Deal With Cultural Differences in a Relationship

As a marriage counselor and couples therapist l know that all relationships bring a variety of challenges and opportunities for growth. At the same time, some couples  — particularly those in cross-cultural relationships — feel that they have further to go in bridging the gap.

It’s very easy for couples to get entrenched in conflict rooted in a core belief of “right and wrong” when it comes to how to approach various aspects of their shared life. This can be especially true around hot-button issues such as:

• “How much influence should my mother-in-law have in our family?”
• “How do we handle money as a couple?”
• “How do we parent our children together?”
• “How do we communicate with each other when we’re stressed?”
• “Who is in charge of what, around our home?”
• “How do we handle racial prejudice directed at one of us, or our children?”

To tackle these questions, and provide some direction for how to begin building bridges to the center, I’ve asked some multicultural relationship experts to join me for this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast. Growing Self relationship coaches Dr. Georgiana Spradling, MFT, Tania Chikhani, M.A, and Teresa Thomas, M.A. often work with cross-cultural couples and interracial couples, and have great relationship advice for how to create peace and harmony in your gloriously diverse family.

All the best,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

GrowingSelf.com

We are living in historic times. In the midst of a global pandemic, our country is also fighting another battle: One that seeks to shine a light on injustice and systemic racism, end abuse and discrimination of Black Americans and other people of color, and begin the hard work of healing.

This reality brings up questions that need to be answered:

• How can a person of color cope with feelings of anger and pain due to being directly impacted by (or bearing witness to) racial injustice in our society?
• What are some strategies that Black Americans can use to stay empowered in their relationships, and to make informed, affirming decisions that honor their needs and rights?
• Where do you turn for safety, support and understanding in a divided and uncertain world?
• How can people of color honor the reality of the past and present, and also remain hopeful about the future?

Growing Self therapists Teresa Thomas, M.S., and Zachary Gaiter, M.S., LPCC tackle these questions and more, on this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast. Join us!

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

www.GrowingSelf.com

Ever feel like your ex is living rent-free in your head, even though the relationship is so over? Whether it’s been weeks, months, or (gulp) years since your breakup, if you’re wondering “Why do I keep thinking about my ex?” and you’re still caught in a loop of thoughts, memories, or even fantasies about them, I made this episode just for you.

I know firsthand — both as a therapist and from my own experience — that getting stuck on an ex is exhausting. But there is a path forward. In this episode of Love, Happiness and Success, I’m walking you through exactly why this happens (spoiler alert: it’s not your fault — it’s biology), and more importantly, how to finally break free so you can move forward into peace, clarity, and emotional freedom.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Why Do I Keep Thinking About My Ex?
06:30 – Love and Addiction: Your Brain on Heartbreak
14:58 – The Truth About Breakup Recovery
28:17 – Emotional Loose Ends: The Silent Saboteur
38:05 – Rebuilding Your Self & Reclaiming Your Future
48:14 – You’re Not Doomed to Keep Thinking About Your Ex

If your ex is still living rent-free in your mind, please know you don’t have to stay stuck here.

The first step to getting your power back is understanding exactly where you are in your healing process. That’s why I created a free tool just for you.

👉 Take the Breakup Quiz: How Over Your Ex Are You? In just a few minutes, this quiz will show you which stage of healing you’re in — and what specific steps will help you move forward. Whether you're still in emotional withdrawal or starting to let go, you'll get personalized insight and a roadmap for what to do next.

And, if you're tired of spinning in circles, overthinking every memory, every mistake, every what-if — you don’t have to navigate this alone. Sometimes, the fastest way to start feeling better is simply talking to someone who truly gets it. Our team at Growing Self includes licensed therapists and breakup recovery coaches who specialize in this kind of healing work.

👉 Schedule a Free Consultation — to talk to one of the experts on our team and take the next brave step toward peace, healing, and freedom.

You deserve to feel like yourself again. And yes, it’s absolutely possible to stop thinking about your ex — not because you forced yourself to forget, but because you’ve grown into someone who no longer needs to hold on.

And you can start your healing today.

Xoxo
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
www.growingself.com

P.S. If you know someone who keeps spiraling over their ex, share this with them. Forward the link, post it on your story, or send them a little nudge. Be the friend who helps them start healing.