Strong in 5: Friends and Family: Our Foundation in Life

We all know what it feels like when a relationship starts to shift — sometimes gradually, sometimes all at once. And when a connection we did not want to lose begins to fade, it does not just affect our hearts. It affects our focus at work, our ability to handle stress, our nervous system, even our immune system. That is not an overreaction. That is biology. In this episode of Strong in 5, Kristen Lee Picard — associate clinical social worker and Reiki Master Teacher specializing in emotional wellness and mental health support — brings the science of human connection to the surface. Research from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running studies on happiness ever conducted, puts it plainly: good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Strong social ties increase survival odds by 50%. Close relationships lower the risk of memory loss by 70%. Connected people recover from illness three times faster. The people in our lives are not just a nice part of life — they are foundational to our health. Kristen walks through five simple ways to stay close to the people who matter, even when life gets full.