How Do I Get Over The Pain of Losing My Best Friend?

When a romantic relationship ends, everyone understands the grief. You're “allowed” to cry, binge ice cream, and lean on your girlfriends for support. But when you lose a friendship—even a best friendship—that grief can be ignored because the person is "just a friend."

And yet, friendship breakups can be every bit as difficult as any other breakup, and can leave us grappling with sadness, self-doubt, and lingering pain that feels impossible to shake - something that today's featured listener, Megan, knows well.

Megan opens up about the end of a best friendship that fell apart during a difficult season in her life. Together, we’ll explore:

• Why society often devalues friendship loss, leaving us unsupported in our grief
• How the meaning we attach to the end of a relationship impacts our ability to heal
• How the end of a friendship can impact your sense of self-worth
• Why you can't stop thinking (and re-thinking) about the painful end of a relationship
• Why you might be ambivalent about healing from a painful breakup (and why that is ok)
• How to shape your mindset to facilitate healing from a breakup
• How to set boundaries that support your recovery after a friendship breakup
• The exact steps you can take to let go of the pain of a(ny) breakup and reclaim your emotional energy

Whether you’re navigating the loss of a close friend now or still haunted by a friendship that ended years ago, this episode will offer the empathy, insight, and actionable tools you need to move forward.

Want to shape your mindset around suffering when recovering from a breakup? Check out Andrea's favorite book, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron (this is an Amazon Affiliate link, and if you make a purchase through this link, I will earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting the show!)

💌 Have a relationship question you’d like featured on the show? Fill out the Sounds Like Therapy Listener Survey and share your story.

📣 Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review and mention how Megan’s story resonated with you—you might just help someone else feel less alone.

🎙 Tune in next week for more real-life relationship struggles, fresh perspectives, and practical advice to create happier, healthier connections.

Disclaimer: while this podcast sounds like therapy, it is not actually therapy nor is it a substitute for therapy, and while I am a therapist, I am not YOUR therapist. Please be entertained and encouraged, and seek appropriate mental health support from a licensed therapist in your community, if necessary.

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