Friendship IRL: Real Talk About Friendship, Community, and What It Actually Takes
Tired of hearing “just put yourself out there” when it comes to friendship or community? Same.
Friendship IRL is the podcast that skips the fluff and gets real about what it takes to build meaningful adult friendships and lasting support systems. Whether you're struggling to make new friends, maintain old ones, or just want people in your life who really show up, you're in the right place.
Each week, host Alex Alexander brings you honest conversations and tangible strategies to help you connect—for real. You’ll hear stories from everyday people (plus the occasional expert), learn what’s working in modern friendships—and what definitely isn’t—and walk away with ideas, scripts, and action steps you can actually use.
Think of it like a coffee date with your wisest, most encouraging friend—the one who tells the truth and hands you the playbook.
🎧 New episodes drop every Thursday. 💬 Want to share your friendship win or struggle? Leave Alex a voice message at AlexAlex.chat.
Follow along on Instagram or TikTok @itsalexalexander and join the movement to rethink how we build connection, community, and friendships in real life.
Friendship IRL: Real Talk About Friendship, Community, and What It Actually Takes
How to Show Up for a Friend Going Through a Divorce with Oona Metz
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Divorce is one of those life moments where everyone has an opinion, a reaction, or a face they make when they’re told – which is, much of the time, not very helpful.
… So what IS helpful? That’s what today’s guest, Oona Metz, is here to talk about.
Oona is a licensed independent clinical social worker, a certified group psychotherapist with 30 years of experience supporting women through some of life's hardest transitions, and the author of Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women.
In this conversation, we cover it all: the grief, shame, and stigma of divorce; of building a divorce support team; the downsides of trying to be everything for your friend; how the words you choose in that first conversation matter more than you think; and most of all, what it really means to be the kind of friend who shows up for the hard stuff.
This episode is sponsored by Slowly, a digital pen pal app used by over 10 million people worldwide. If you’ve been looking for a low-pressure way to connect with someone completely outside your normal friendship circle, this is it. Exchange letters at your own pace, no small talk panic required. Download Slowly free and get 30% off Slowly Plus using my link: https://open.slowly.app/miXL/l8ei5iw6.
In this episode you’ll hear about:
- Oona’s own stories about what she experienced going through divorce and the diverse responses people offered, from condolences to congratulations
- All the nuanced feelings of divorce – including heartbreak, stress, relief – and how to ask friends how they’re feeling without making assumptions about their experiences
- Five phases of divorce, including heartbreak, roller coaster, mending, letting go, and moving on
- The Ring Theory, creating a divorce support team, and different approaches to supporting friends through divorce
Resources & Links
Check out Oona’s book, Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women and learn more about the Ring Theory.
And preorder my book! Are We Friends Yet? comes out June 16. The missing vocabulary for every relationship in your life and a real plan for what to do with it. When you sign up to order the book, you get immediate access to the Less Lonely Club Community and the 10-Day Connection Reset Private Podcast.
Listen to Episode Episode 100 about the Wheel of Connection.
Like what you hear? Visit my website, leave me a voicemail, and follow me on Instagram and TikTok!
Want to take this conversation a step further? Send this episode to a friend. Tell them you found it interesting and use what we just talked about as a conversation starter the next time you and your friend hang out!
This episode is sponsored by Slowly, a digital pen pal app used by over 10 million people worldwide. If you’ve been looking for a low-pressure way to connect with someone completely outside your normal friendship circle, this is it. Exchange letters at your own pace, no small talk panic required.
Download Slowly free and get 30% off Slowly Plus using my link: https://open.slowly.app/miXL/l8ei5iw6
WANT MORE?
My book, Are We Friends Yet? hits shelves June 16. Get on the waitlist for pre-order bonuses + a first look.
Dive into The Connection Reset. A 10-day private podcast to help you see the abundance of connection that already exists in your day-to-day (Yes. Really. I promise you have more than you realize). Start today.
