The Friendship Formula: How to Say Goodbye to Loneliness and Discover Deeper Connection

About The Friendship Formula 

The Friendship Formula is a self-help book for anyone age 12 to 112 looking to make friends and deepen their current relationships.  

This book is filled with easily-digestible lessons on rich psychological concepts such as emotional attachment, defense mechanisms, and power dynamics, each anchored in my own stories of love and laughter, pain and rejection, rediscovery and renewal.

Readers have the chance to dive deep and develop insights about themselves, decipher relational needs in others, and master the interpersonal dance of friendship.

Give someone a friend, and they might be less lonely.  Teach someone how to friend, and they will never be lonely again.  Too many of us feel isolated and unwanted.  Loneliness truly has become an epidemic.  Our little planet has plenty of other issues - war, world hunger, global warming, people who put pineapple on pizza.  And yet, when we fight against issues like world hunger, we don’t just send food to the needy.  We teach them how to grow crops, be resourceful, and become self-sufficient.  Similarly, The Friendship Formula isn’t just about making friends – it’s about learning the art of friendship:

• Recognize the self-defeating beliefs that hold you back
• Understand your attachment needs 
• Identify barriers to friendship and connection
• Discover the key to building a healthy relationship
• Notice bids for human connection 

Praise from Readers:

"This book is amazing and provides readers with an opportunity to learn how to be a friend, make friends, and keep friends!! I loved the "Questions to ponder?" and the wonderful personal stories. It is very relevant for any age group. This book is well written and very insightful. I am a clinical psychology graduate student and will be referring my patients of all ages to this book. Thank you for the hope you have provided for people of all generations!!" - Amazon Review

"Many write and talk about the importance of friendship. This book goes steps further in elucidating the art of friendship. One learns the nature of attachments, their importance, their roadblocks, and the practical know how to be an excellent friend and attract friendship. Shumway covers all the nuts and bolts and pertinent theories. It is well written and fun to read. I have recommended it to a number of my clients." - Amazon Review

"I read your book, twice, and liked it. Lots of good points, and very easy to read. Not my preferred text style (I am more on the Lewis/Alberoni, slightly more academic and a few more literary references), but I can see how literally everyone can pick it up and actually get what you mean. On the other hand, unlike so many of the contemporary American ‘friendship’ books, it is written with the heart in the right spot, I.e. how to be better oneself at friendship / being a friend, and it has lots of practical advice. You really love being a good friend and want to share that. Not make a fancy superficial business out of it like all the ‘Don’t be lonely’ books. So love it."  - C.L.