PLATONIC

PLATONIC
MARISA G. FRANCO, PHD
When was the last time you made a new friend? For many adults, the answer is too long ago. Loneliness is an increasing problem across the world, with swathes of people unsure how to go about establishing new connections outside the fertile school, college, or university years. In this rigorously researched and compassionate book, friendship expert Dr Marisa Franco explains how the undervaluing of friendship in our culture has led to this epidemic of isolation--and what we can do about it. Weaving together neuroscience and psychology with interviews, personal stories and tips to help readers understand why they may be struggling to form lasting friendships, and what the benefits of friendships are--including mental, social, and physical benefits. This book is a must-have for anyone wondering how they can start to facilitate new relationships.
MARISA G. FRANCO, PHD
Dr. Marisa G. Franco holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Maryland. A former professor who has authored more than 20 research articles on loneliness, connection, and discrimination and has studied friendship all over the world, Dr. Franco is a friendship expert who is sought after weekly by media outlets. She has delivered talks about connection all over the country to private companies, the U.S. government, universities, and non-profit organizations. Dr. Franco currently works as science and technology policy fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her backing in both research and psychological practice allows her to address strategies for making friends that are couched in science, while also advising her readers to reflect on how their underlying psychological anatomy affects their friendships.