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Counseling Services
Friendship Building
IntroductionThe following provides suggestions for building new friendships. Friendships don't just happen. Although one person may start a friendship, both partners will need to contribute to the building process. You can initiate a friendship by moving toward a prospective friend and starting a conversation. You will probably have very few friends if you wait for them to come to you. Remember that initial relationships with others are generally a little awkward. Allow yourself some time to feel comfortable with the beginning of a friendship--the initial awkwardness is natural and will lessen as you get to know each other. Following are some tips to help you get started making new friends.
InvolvementBe where other people are. You can't make friends if you aren't in the situations where there are people. Involvement entails both COMMUNICATION and LISTENING. Share feelings, ideas, opinions and activities, and listen -- listening to both the speaker's words and feelings conveys your interest.
Send Friendly, Non-Shy Signals to OthersIt helps both you and them loosen up. Try these suggestions from Dr. Arthur Wasamar, author of Making Contact, a system he calls SOFTEN. Soften breaks down this way.
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Counseling Services 120 Richmond Quad University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY 14261-0053 Tel: (716) 645-2720 Fax: (716) 645-2175 Director: Sharon Mitchell E-Mail:
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