The grief of outgrowing a friendship because of misaligned values, with Gina Moffa

She's the same person you've loved for years… until suddenly she isn't. Maybe it was a comment that stopped you cold, or the slow realization that the worldview you thought you shared has been cracking underneath you for a while. How do you stay connected when you can no longer relate?

Danielle sits down with therapist and author Gina Moffa to talk about what happens when a friendship splits over values– not just opinions, but matters of principles and identity.

🎧 BUT WAIT… THERE'S MORE.

This week's bonus content for Office Hours members includes an extended version of this episode (12 additional minutes of content!), including strategies Gina provided to help you navigate a friendship that dissolved because of split values.

You’ll also enjoy a coaching exercise Danielle personally uses with clients to help you identify the gap between your lived values and your ideal values, and position yourself to attract friendships that actually align.

Members of Office Hours get supplementary material like this with every episode to deepen their friendships. Join anytime (and get your first 2 weeks free) at: https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/office-hours.

TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why perceived similarity matters more to friendship quality than actual similarity • Values vs. opinions: how to tell the difference and why it changes everything • Repetition compulsion and why we sometimes seek familiarity over safety • The grief of losing a friend who's still alive but no longer recognizable • How to decide whether to stay, speak up, or step away

ABOUT GINA MOFFA

Gina Moffa is a licensed psychotherapist, grief and trauma specialist, and author of Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss. Based in New York City with nearly two decades of clinical experience, she specializes in helping people navigate grief, loss, and life transitions. She is currently writing her next book on friendship breakups.

CONNECT WITH GINA:

• Website: https://ginamoffa.com • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginamoffalcsw/ • Book, Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go • : https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/gina-moffa-lcsw/moving-on-doesnt-mean-letting-go/9781538740675/ • Grief Coaching: https://www.ginamoffacoaching.com

📚 EPISODE RESOURCES & REFERENCES:

• "Similarity in Relationships as Niche Construction" — the study on 1,523 pairs of friends showing that value similarity matters most in early friendship formation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26828831/ • Gina Moffa, Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss • : https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/gina-moffa-lcsw/moving-on-doesnt-mean-letting-go/9781538740675/ • Danielle Bayard Jackson, Fighting for Our Friendships • : https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/book

🎙️ GET FEATURED ON THE PODCAST

Have a friendship question, hot take, or personal story you want featured? Send a voice note via Instagram DMs @friendforward or email a voice note or video to hello@betterfemalefriendships.com.

WORK WITH DANIELLE BAYARD JACKSON:

• Join Office Hours for bonus content and community → https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/office-hours • Join the Friendship Elevated Fall 2026 Waitlist → https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/friendship-elevated-waitlist • Check out more connection resources → https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/resources

FOLLOW DANIELLE BAYARD JACKSON:

• Get the book "Fighting for our Friendships" → https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/book • Follow on Instagram → https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/instagram • Follow on TikTok → https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/tiktok • Learn more about Danielle → https://friend-forward.captivate.fm/website

🗣️ BOOK DANIELLE TO SPEAK

Looking for a speaker on women's cooperation, communication, and conflict? Send your inquiry to info@tellpublicrelations.com.