#183 - Are You Mad at Me? Friendship Anxiety and the Need for Validation (Meg Josephson)
Dear Nina: Conversations About FriendshipShow Notes
Why do so many of us assume our friends are mad at us when their tone changes, they don’t text back right away, or they seem a little less available? In this episode, I talk with licensed psychotherapist and author Meg Josephson about friendship anxiety, people pleasing, and the constant need for reassurance so many of us carry.
We explore why people pleasing isn’t a personality flaw but a survival response called fawning, how it shows up in adult friendships, and why it often leads to burnout, resentment, and overthinking. Meg also shares practical tools for interrupting anxiety spirals, tolerating discomfort, and building more honest, sustainable connections—without trying to get everything “right” all the time.
Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
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