"Help me heal a fraught friendship"

They're the ties that most closely predict our happiness—but they're also among the most complex. Here, how to salvage difficult friendships

- KRISTINA MASTROCOLA

Tap your curiosity

Ask yourself a few Qs

Start with yourself, encourages psychotherapist Erin Falconer, Ph.D. “Ask yourself, Where am I? How did I get here? Where do I want to go? These aren't questions to be taken lightly,” she admits. “But once you reflect on them and hold them up against your friendships, you'll be able to see who supports these goals—or if you don’t have anyone in your friendship ‘starting lineup’ who correlates with where you want to go in life.” This “friendship audit” will help you clarify which relationships are worth fighting for and which ones you may need to move on from.

Identify hidden triggers