79: How to Set Firm Boundaries: The Difference Between Kindness & Niceness

80: How to Make and Sustain Friendships as an Adult

In this episode, Minaa B. addresses one of the hardest things about adulthood: making and sustaining friendships. She shares research on adult loneliness and how friendships naturally decline without proximity and intentional effort. Minaa explores the barriers to friendship, then breaks down concrete steps for making friends. SOURCES CITED IN THIS EPISODE * American Perspectives Survey (2021) - Data on friendship decline from 1990 to 2021 * American Psychological Association Stress in America Survey (2024-2025) - Data on loneliness, isolation, and lack of companionship * Jeffrey Hall, University of Kansas - "How Many Hours Does It Take to Make a Friend?" published in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (2018) - Research on contact hours needed for different stages of friendships. Resources Website: minaab.com [http://www.minaab.com] Newsletter:  ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe here [https://minaab.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] Order my book: Owning Our Struggles⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707127/owning-our-struggles-by-minaa-b-lmsw/] Stay Connected! ⁠Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/] LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaab/]  Facebook⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/minaablmsw] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

79: How to Set Firm Boundaries: The Difference Between Kindness & Niceness

In this episode, Minaa B. explores the crucial difference between being nice and being kind—and why this distinction is transforming how people show up in their relationships. She breaks down how niceness prioritizes others' comfort over your own well-being, while kindness involves telling the truth and setting boundaries. Resources Website: minaab.com [http://www.minaab.com] Newsletter:  ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe here [https://minaab.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] Order my book: Owning Our Struggles⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707127/owning-our-struggles-by-minaa-b-lmsw/] Stay Connected! ⁠Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/] LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaab/]  Facebook⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/minaablmsw] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

78: The Longevity Hack No One Is Talking About: Healthy Relationships

In this episode, Minaa B. examines what unhealthy relationships actually look like—and why people normalize them. She breaks down six key signs of unhealthy relationships and explores why people don't recognize these patterns. The episode covers romantic relationships, friendships, family dynamics, and sibling relationships—recognizing that relationship quality is one of the biggest predictors of longevity and health, yet most people ignore it while optimizing everything else. Website: minaab.com [http://www.minaab.com] Newsletter:  ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe here [https://minaab.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] Order my book: Owning Our Struggles⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707127/owning-our-struggles-by-minaa-b-lmsw/] Stay Connected! ⁠Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/] LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaab/]  Facebook⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/minaablmsw] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

77: Healing Childhood Wounds in Dating

In this episode, Minaa B. explores how childhood wounds—specifically emotional neglect and abandonment—show up in your dating patterns and sabotage your relationships. She also examines the often-overlooked role of sibling dynamics in shaping these wounds, including golden child/scapegoat patterns that compound feelings of unworthiness. Minaa breaks down how these wounds manifest in dating and offers concrete healing practices. The core message: your childhood shaped you, but it doesn't have to define your adult relationships. Resources Work with me: Book a 1:1 therapy consultation [https://cal.com/minaa-b/15-min-therapy-consultation]. Website: minaab.com [http://www.minaab.com] Newsletter:  ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe here [https://minaab.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] Order my book: Owning Our Struggles⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707127/owning-our-struggles-by-minaa-b-lmsw/] Stay Connected! ⁠Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/] LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaab/]  Facebook⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/minaablmsw] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

76: When They Won't Change: Grieving the Relationship That Won't Heal

In this episode, Minaa B. addresses a question she hears constantly in therapy: "What else can I do to make this relationship work?" She explores the signs that you've already done enough, examines why we keep trying, and guides listeners through the painful shift from "How do I fix this?" to "Can I make peace with this relationship being what it is?" Resources Website: minaab.com [http://www.minaab.com] Newsletter:  ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe here [https://minaab.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] Order my book: Owning Our Struggles⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707127/owning-our-struggles-by-minaa-b-lmsw/] Stay Connected! ⁠Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/] LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/minaab/]  Facebook⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/minaablmsw] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]