Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women’s Relationships

Jackson began her career as a high school teacher and often spent time counseling her young women students about problems they were having with their friends. She then moved on to working in public relations and realized that her adult women clients often had similar worries about their friendships. Eventually, she started working as a friendship coach specifically for women, and she wrote this book to share her knowledge. Jackson uses information gathered from psychological studies, along with her own experiences and those of her clients, to illustrate her points. The book has three main parts. In the first, Jackson discusses what brings friends together and what can tear them apart. In the second, she offers suggestions and scripts to help with common conflicts. In the final section, she talks about starting over after a serious conflict and also how to end a friendship without bitterness. Each chapter has questions at the end for readers to consider.