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Creating Lasting Friendships in an Increasingly Lonely World with Dr. Marisa Franco

Virtual Author Talk

2026-07-28 14:00:00 2026-07-28 15:00:00 America/New_York Creating Lasting Friendships in an Increasingly Lonely World with Dr. Marisa Franco Psychologist, Professor, and New York Times Bestselling Author Virtual Branch -

Tuesday, July 28
2:00pm - 3:00pm

Psychologist, Professor, and New York Times Bestselling Author

Have questions for the author? Submit your question at registration and you may just hear the answer live! 

Join us in virtual conversation with bestselling author Dr. Marisa Franco, one of the world’s leading experts in human connection. Her book, Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make–And Keep–Friends, explores the science of different attachment styles and how they impact our relationships–often in ways we don’t realize!

How do we make and keep friends in an era of distraction, burnout, and chaos, especially in a society that often prizes romantic love at the expense of other relationships? In Platonic, Dr. Marisa G. Franco unpacks the latest, often counterintuitive findings about the bonds between us—for example, why your friends aren’t texting you back (it’s not because they hate you!), and the myth of “friendships happening organically” (making friends, like cultivating any relationship, requires effort!). As Dr. Franco explains, to make and keep friends you must understand your attachment style—secure, anxious, or avoidant: it is the key to unlocking what’s working (and what’s failing) in your friendships.

Making new friends, and deepening longstanding relationships, is possible at any age—in fact, it’s essential. The good news: there are specific, research-based ways to improve the number and quality of your connections using the insights of attachment theory and the latest scientific research on friendship. Platonic provides a clear and actionable blueprint for forging strong, lasting connections with others—and for becoming our happiest, most fulfilled selves in the process.

Register today to learn more about how to harness the science of human connection to create cultures of belonging. 

About the Author:

An enlightening psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and TED speaker, Dr. Marisa G. Franco is known for digesting and communicating science in ways that resonate deeply enough with people to change their lives. 

Dr. Franco works as a professor at The University of Maryland and authored Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make – and Keep – Friends. She writes about friendship for Psychology Today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications like The New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice.

Dr. Franco speaks on belonging at corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities across the country, including Harper Collins Publishers, Cisco, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and The Department of State.

Please be aware that registration is done through a third party, and you may be asked to share your email address and/or phone number.

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cm 1.1 01/03/2023

Virtual Branch

Branch manager
Maddie Hines

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