Coach Chat on Making Friends as an Adult with Coach Colette and Kat Vellos

Did you know that loneliness makes you more likely to fall ill? It seems to prompt the chronic release of hormones that suppress healthy immune function. Biochemical changes from loneliness can accelerate the spread of cancer, hasten heart disease, and accelerate the onset of Alzheimer’s. The ironic part is that loneliness is subjective. No two people experience separation or social distancing in the same way. Making new friends as an adult was already complicated. Now, when you add in the pandemic, how are you supposed to retain your most important relationships? That's why we reached out to Kat Vellos -- connection coach, user experience designer, and author of two books on adult friendships. In this episode of Coach Chat, Kat speaks with Coach Colette about the importance of forming new friendships as well as developing strong connections with your existing contacts. If you were in an emergency and needed support, besides your family, who would you call? How many people could you count on within a 2-5 block radius of your home? You’ll hear practical strategies you can use to strengthen your real-life social network, based on the work that Kat does to help people form more authentic relationships. To get a copy of her book, We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships, click here. Or, her second book, Connected From Afar: A Guide for Staying Close When You're Far Away, click here.  If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and tag @coach_colette! She’ll be sure to share your comments and big takeaways on her Instagram Stories. Or, tweet your thoughts to @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. Thanks for listening; and please make sure to give us a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen.