Navigating Female Friendships and Social Challenges

Friendships are an important part of our students’ lives, as they provide emotional connection and support, foster a sense of belonging and self-esteem, and offer multiple health benefits, including increased happiness. However, female friendships can also be complex, with several common social challenges, including fitting in, finding good friends, and dealing with jealousy or comparison.

At Roland Park Country School, one of our core values is to “live healthy and be well” and we want all of our students to thrive, including in their friendships. Therefore, we were thrilled to welcome Erica Rood, a certified life coach, founder of Inspire Balance Coaching, and author of Power Up Your Parenting: A Guide for Parents of Preteen and Teen Girls, as the featured speaker for the annual Doug and Carol Croft Linde, 1982 Health Colloquium on November 5. 

 As a former educator with more than 20 years of experience, Ms. Rood offers programs that are a unique blend of teaching and traditional life coaching. She guides girls to learn from their experiences, deepen self-awareness, develop authentic confidence and master positive mindsets. She also provides parents and guardians with proven techniques to reduce conflict, improve communication, and create a stronger, more connected relationship with their daughters.

Ms. Rood spent the day meeting with students in Lower, Middle and Upper School to talk in age-appropriate ways about nurturing friendships, elements of healthy and unhealthy dynamics in a  friendship, and tips for navigating conflict. “You have everything you need to be a good friend,” Ms. Rood told the Lower Schoolers. “Your friendship superpowers help make your school, your home, and your community a better place.”

In her conversation with Middle Schoolers, Ms. Rood also talked about the importance of setting personal boundaries and explained different types of friendships the girls may experience. “You deserve friendships that feel good, where you can be real, set limits and feel respected,” Ms. Rood said. “Knowing your worth, your friend values, and your boundaries is the way you attract the right kinds of friends.”

In the Upper School, Ms. Rood also talked about the importance of cultivating self-awareness in having healthy friendships and how challenging negative thoughts and being honest with friends can help address challenges that may arise. “When you know who you are, you stop chasing relationships that drain you and start creating ones that support you,” she told the Upper School students. “Redefining your relationships begins with knowing yourself.”

In each of her student meetings, Ms. Rood reviewed several “sticky situations” that students submitted in advance to offer coaching guidance of how to handle each one, weaving in the importance of personal values, boundaries and qualities of healthy friendships. 

In the evening, Ms. Rood spoke with our parent community about the complex world of adolescent friendships, including what makes friendships unique and common social challenges, relational aggression and signs of relational trouble. She also shared an overview of parenting strategies to support their daughters’ development of confidence, resilience, emotional intelligence, and social awareness.

It was a meaningful and empowering day for both students and parents and we are so grateful to Ms. Rood for sharing her expertise and guidance with our community. See more information about Ms. Rood, including resources for parents, here.

About the Doug and Carol Croft Linde, 1982 Health Colloquium 
The Doug and Carol Croft Linde, 1982 Health Colloquium allows RPCS to engage nationally recognized wellness speakers and researchers annually to work in partnership with our students, employees and parents – as well as the local community. These academic seminars with industry professionals enable RPCS young women to explore their interests in mental and physical health while also equipping them and their families with the tools and insight needed to flourish across any stage of life. The Colloquium was originally funded by past parent and former trustee James (Jim) Robinson and supported through the Annual Fund.