Recent Press

By Rachel Weingarten

April 26, 2012

...With what feels like 24/7 communication, prioritizing your social life is more challenging than ever. "People are pressured to work harder and faster than ever before, and friendships often seem somewhat discretionary in that contexts," says Irene S. Levine, PhD, author of Best Friends Forever (Overlook).

Levine feels that being responsible to employers and family members seems to take precedence over friendship, which often is viewed as a selfish indulgence. "If there isn't time for everything, which there often isn't, friendships often take a backseat," concludes Levine.

Read the entire article on Mint. 

April 24, 2012

By Joanne Laucius

Breaking up with a friend can be just as painful as a romantic split, says psychologist Irene Levine, author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup With Your Best Friend. We asked Levine about the nature of friendship and breaking up with friends.

Read the rest of the article here. 

By Laura Schaefer, April 11, 2012

...There's nothing that says all your socializing has to be done face-to-face these days. Computers and phones are valuable tools for reaching out to friends... just don't hide behind them all the time. Irene S. Levine, Ph.D., psychologist and author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with your Best Friend, says: "Technology is a tool, and whether it's a help or hindrance depends on who is using the tool and how. Some people hide behind computer screens because they are trying to avoid real interactions. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 13 percent of cell owners pretend to be using their phone to avoid interacting with the people around them. On the other hand, the Internet has made it possible to find lost friends and to communicate with friends in different time zones thousands of miles away." Technology can also be used to cement new relationships...

To read the entire article, click here.

By Molly Triffin, April 2012

...But how, exactly, do you ask out a girl? "Don't fall into the trap of thinking that everyone already has plenty of friends," says Irene S. Levine, PhD, professor of psychology at the NYU School of Medicine and author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup With Your Best Friend, "Friendships come and go, and more of us than you can imagine are interested in getting to know new people." So we tapped the experts for tips that are guaranteed to turn you into a chick magnet...

Read more: How To Make New Friends - How To Meet New People - Cosmopolitan

By Leslie Goldman

March 2012

As a child you were probably warned to stay away from strangers, but for adults that cautionary advice is no longer apropos. "Connecting with new people expands your world, emphasizing what you have in common," explains Irene S. Levine, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine in New York City...

By Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen April 5, 2012

‘True friends stab you in the front," Oscar Wilde supposedly said.

That could be why it hurts so much when a friend treats you with scorn, ignores calls, or just drifts away.

Breaking up with a friend, either as the breaker or the breakee, can be just as painful as a romantic split, says Irene Levine, a psychologist, friendship blogger at Psychology Today and author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup With Your Best Friend.

By Cosmopolitan.com | Work + Money - Fri, Mar 23, 2012 

By Molly Triffin 

Reese Witherspoon recently confessed on Ellen that she has a girl crush on Kate Middleton, saying, "I would like to hang out. I'm not sure she wants to hang out with me.... Call me. Call me anytime." We get where she's coming from-whether you've moved to a new town, your besties are popping out babies and moving to the 'burbs, or you just want to broaden your social circle, almost all of us go through a time when we're on the prowl for buddies. 

But how, exactly, do you ask out a girl? "Don't fall into the trap of thinking that everyone already has plenty of friends," says Irene S. Levine, PhD, professor of psychology at the NYU School of Medicine and author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup With Your Best Friend, "Friendships come and go, and more of us than you can imagine are interested in getting to know new people." So we tapped the experts for tips that are guaranteed to turn you into a chick magnet.

Read the entire article here.

MAR 2012

BY MELANIE KALMAR

Traditionally, middle school girls are fickle when it comes to friendship. One day, they are best friends. The next day, they're enemies.

The cycle may end when the girls go their separate ways or continue for a tumultuous time. It's a roller coaster of emotions and mothers are often dragged along for the ride. It gets even more complicated when they're friends.

Can you remain friends when your daughters have "broken up?"...

...
If your daughter is bullied or dumped by a friend, then maintaining constant contact with that other family might be interpreted as a lack of support, says Dr. Irene Levine, author of "Best Friends Forever: Surviving A Break-up With Your Best Friend."

Read the entire article here.

by GINA RYDER 

MARCH 14, 2012

A shared economic value system is one way friends bond. Yet in many chapters of human existence, shifting life phases and new statuses can uproot our finances, and as a result, our relationships. Recent job losses and drastic life style changes throw a monkey wrench into our friendships.

"It's important to know how to handle sudden changes," says Irene Levine, a psychologist who specializes in relationships. Levine interviewed over 1,500 women about friendship in the research for her book, Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Break-Up With Your Best Friend. She also tackles three complex friendship questions per week on her website, "The Friendship Blog."

Read the entire article here.

March 13, 2012

By Natasha Burton

There's often that one friend who-whether by habit or happenstance-has gotten stuck on Mr. Wrong. (Of course, in some cases, that friend is us.) When you're watching her situation from the outside, seeing a close pal fall for a guy who doesn't treat her right can really test your capacity for not blurting out exactly what's on your mind. But saying the wrong thing can backfire. So before you broach the subject, here are six things you should definitely not say, along with expert advice on how to talk to your friend about her bad news boyfriend while keeping your relationship with her intact...

If you think your friend's relationship has, in fact, changed her behavior or personality in a negative way, then don't confront her with vague statements about how she seems "different" to you. Instead, be as specific as possible, and put your concerns into context, advises Irene Levine, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at New York University and producer of The Friendship Blog.

Click here to read the entire story.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

By Hannah Orenstein

A few weeks ago, ultimate overachiever Spencer on Pretty Little Liars said, "I have this weird little quirk where I have to be competitive at everything. I even have to win at yoga." Her track record backs her up - she's competed with her older sister Melissa in everything from grades (she copied a history paper word for word) to guys (she stole her sister's fiancé!). The pressure to be the best at everything can be intense, but it can also take a toll on friendships...

Psychologist Irene S. Levine, Ph.D, author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Break-Up With Your Best Friend and creator of The Friendship Blog, explains, "It's natural for people to compare themselves with others. That helps us define who we are in terms of style, ambitions, and personality. However, some people are more competitive than others if they feel deficient or lack self-esteem. In truth, they may measure up along most or a host of dimensions, but they simply don't feel that way."While Spencer might have the excuse of being tormented by a dangerous, anonymous stalker, we can't all say the same. So, what gives? How does competition ruin friendships and how can you cope?

Read the entire article.

By Erika Johnson COLUMNIST

Monday, February 27, 2012

Spending time with friends  is a great thing, but  living with them is a different story. Though it may seem like the perfect idea and may even be easy at first, rooming with friends can come with a lot of complications...

...Psychologist Dr. Irene S. Levine, the "friendship doctor" for Psychology Today, offered her insight on conflicts between friends, saying, "Because we invest so much of ourselves in our friendships, it's normal to feel disappointed, guilty, angry, sad, ashamed and/or embarrassed when this happens. Admittedly, having to see the person on a daily basis compounds these difficulties..."

Click here to read the entire article from the University of South Florida newspaper.

By Natasha Burton

Google "break-up" and you'll see, among mentions of the 2006 romcom starring Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, a slew of websites and articles devoted to getting over an ex-lover. What you won't easily find, however, is information on a type of split that experts say can be just as devastating, maybe even more so, than the dissolving of a romantic relationship - the best friend break-up...

...Losing a girlfriend can be an extremely lonely experience, says Irene S. Levine, Ph.D., author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving A Break-Up With Your Best Friend. "One of the things that makes [a friend break-up] really difficult is that there is no one to talk to about it. The person you'd most want to talk to is the person you broke up with."

Click here to read the entire story.

With the allure of a new relationship, many girls find themselves interested in nothing else than their new man. Part of this appeal is because having a boyfriend in college is a totally new experience from high school relationships. Without inquisitive parents keeping a watchful eye on your activities, you're able to have impromptu sleepovers, go out for lunch, skip class to hang out, and avoid studying for tests so you can have movie night. But with this newfound freedom, it's easy to ignore other responsibilities and friendships in order to nurture a new relationship. Chances are, you've experienced this or seen a friend go through it...

Irene S. Levine, author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Break-Up With Your Best Friend, says "It's natural that two people would want to focus on each other early on in a romantic relationship. Yet women need to keep in mind that it's healthy to maintain female friendships too. They need to make sure that they set aside time for girlfriends so that you can keep up these relationships." 

Click here to read the entire article.

February 16, 202

When it comes to your pals, it's not always fun and games. "No relationship is perfect all the time, and friendships require work," says psychologist Irene Levine, Ph.D., author of Best Friends Forever. That said, working through differences with a friend can actually strengthen your bond-it proves that yours is a committed, deep relationship that can weather hard times. Here's how to handle common trip-ups among friends.

Read Nicci Micco's interview with Dr. Levine on the topic of tricky friendship situations here.