Dyadic Encounter

For this assignment, I decided to interview my best friend Cindy. We met while working together and have been best friends for about 8 years. She is the person I can confide in, trust, and have open honest conversation with. Many people find it hard to believe, but we have not had a fight, that either of us can recall. I believe this is because we have always had a high level of respect for each other and we respect the other’s opinion. We may not always agree on something, but we respect the each other’s choices. I will cover our communication style and how the way we interact with each other strengthens our friendship. Self-disclosure is an important part of any close relationship. Without sharing our own fears and weaknesses, we can come off as cold and unapproachable. Finding common themes, in strength and in weakness, creates a bond and understanding between two people. Cindy and I have always been very good at self-disclosure. When talking one-on-one, we take time to listen to each other, showing positive reciprocity. The more we got to know each other, the more comfortable we felt divulging information. This is because we came to count on a supportive environment, where our thoughts and feelings are respected. Being able to talk through situations and be supportive gives us self-clarification and self-validation. Often this happens when one of us is feeling unsure about something, and the other is able to provide a soundboard and support, where others might try to force their opinion. Our talks do not always have to do with the present. We often talk about things in our life that have shaped who we are. Often these things still weigh on our mind, and can be a source of doubt. By talking about them, we give these things less power over us. It serves as a catharsis, and allows us to see that we are not the only one who deals with issues from the past. Even though Cindy comes from a close-knit family, she understands and empathizes with me when I talk about