Healthy Friendships
Safety & Awareness | June 1, 2019
By Alicia Gehrig, Community Outreach Coordinator, Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services, Inc.
What makes a good friend?
Good friends make a huge impact on your personal happiness and successes in life. Good friends support your goals and create a safe and accepting environment for you to be your true self. You deserve healthy and fun friendships. But what does that really look like?
Key Components to a Healthy Friendship:
- Trusting each other and validating the other person’s feelings
- Speaking and acting in a manner so that the other person feels safe
- Being supportive and confident in yourself and encouraging the other person’s individual growth
- Having a lot of fun together
- Respect that everyone is unique in their own way and not trying to change them
- Do not spread rumors about your friend
- Being equals in the friendship. Finding a healthy balance and not trying to be the leader every time
- Using kind language towards each other
- Listen with open ears and without judgement
Remember, friendships take work.
By practicing these skills, you can have a healthy friendship – and you deserve one, too! If you have a friendship where you do not feel safe and supported, talk to a safe adult or call (920) 235-5998 to talk with an advocate at Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services. Help is Here!
