“So many of us have internalized this belief that we should just know the ins and outs of adult friendship, that we should have figured out how to maintain our friendships,” says Dr. Miriam Kirmayer.

“Reestablishing norms in our friendships will be challenging and confusing and uncomfortable and that is just the reality of what this is,” says Dr. Miriam Kirmayer.

“Not only do our friendships help us counteract some of the consequences of loneliness… feeling connected to our friends actually boosts our overall happiness and life satisfaction,” Dr. Miriam Kirmayer says.

According to clinical psychologist and friendship expert Dr. Miriam Kirmayer, it’s totally normal to feel a little anxious at the prospect of a first hangout, even if it’s with someone you already know well.

Dr. Miriam Kirmayer says the pandemic has also forced people to re-evaluate what relationships they invest in and prioritize.

To help you talk to your friends on this tough issue, Dr. Miriam Kirmayer has some advice to offer.

Dr. Miriam Kirmayer, clinical psychologist and friendship expert, provides answers for how the pandemic may affect friendships.

“We can find ways to connect that may not be as good as the real thing or what we’re used to, but will let us feel connected to the people we love,” says Dr. Miriam Kirmayer.

Moving to a new place is never easy, and it’s even lonelier when no one can come within six feet of you. Experts like Dr. Miriam Kirmayer share how you can cope.

It can be especially hard to reach out to people with coronavirus in the background. Connection expert Dr. Miriam Kirmayer gives suggestions on how to clear those social hurdles.

“Sometimes, these actions are not coming from a place of rebellion but from loneliness, desperation, or necessity,” explains Dr. Miriam Kirmayer.

If you’re feeling a mixture of anxiety, dread and excitement about life inching back to normal, you’re not alone, says Ottawa-based clinical psychologist and friendship expert Dr. Miriam Kirmayer.

Experts like Dr. Miriam Kirmayer explain how lockdown has pulled us apart, pushed us together in odd ways, and forced us to socialise on screen.

Relationship experts like Dr. Miriam Kirmayer explain how the high stakes of this moment of history have created rifts that may not be so easily mended.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused many people to reflect on their lives — including relationships, said Dr. Miriam Kirmayer, a clinical psychologist and friendship expert.

Dr. Miriam Kirmayer, a therapist and friendship expert in Montreal, says some of her clients in their 20s have had luck on friend apps.

Dr. Miriam Kirmayer can attest to the power of real-life friendships in making someone feel socially connected. Real-life friendships allow people to “feel seen and appreciated and chosen for who you actually are,” she says.

“Sometimes a cancellation comes from a place of burnout,” says Dr. Miriam Kirmayer. “Maintaining our friendships and investing in our relationships does require a significant amount of energy.”

Most of us haven’t been taught that breaking up with a friend is worthy of sympathy, it leaves a lot of ambiguity around how we should feel when one is ending, says Dr. Miriam Kirmayer.

Not every friend needs to be your BFF. Dr. Miriam Kirmayer helps explain why weaker ties can help offer strong rewards.