I used to think the goal in friendship was to get closer—if a relationship wasn’t operating at maximum intimacy, something was wrong. But I’ve come to believe that friendship isn’t about closeness at ...

The human heart operates on a complex emotional frequency that doesn’t always distinguish between different types of meaningful connections. When conversations dive beneath surface pleasantries and ...

All people have a basic need to be loved and cared for. But more and more Americans are living alone, according to the U.S. Census—often not by choice—and that’s creating a loneliness epidemic that ...

Deep, sustained, intimate friendships are indispensable if we are to have a fulfilling and meaningful life. Close friends not only serve as confidants, with whom we can share our innermost thoughts ...

I was used to casual touch and missed it when my 19-year relationship ended, and we divorced. Platonic touch between my friends and me became important when I was touch-starved. My dogs also help me ...

According to relationship experts, the best guidance here comes with understanding the differences between deep, intimate friendship (or platonic intimacy) and deep, intimate situationships (or ...