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Blogs About Living in the In-Between
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GRIEF in Friendships

Andreina Zamudio
Andreina Zamudio, LCSW | Holistic therapist, and fellow traveler on the path toward freedom.

Lately, I have been experiencing the grief of losing a friendship that felt loving, fun, exciting, and hopeful; it was a sisterhood. It has been really difficult to navigate grief I did not know existed. It was a 15+year sisterhood-until I actually realized that she wasn’t around when I needed most. No call. No text. Nothing.

Although I was confused and doubted, I felt the grief rumble over my heart and eyes when I sat on my couch following a circulo. The message that came to me was: Reciprocity is a mutual exchange, an intentional exchange. Of course, there is much more to this but it was this moment where it punched me in the heart and it sat with my Spirit. This 15+year friendship has completed its cycle; and it did 3 months ago when I had last sent the text.

The ancestral teaching of reciprocity has taught me so much about my relationships with people, mother nature, day to day experiences, and most importantly with myself. Through this grief, I have gained deeper knowledge about what my heart is worthy of which is an intentional exchange. Not just any exchange. Life is way too precious.

I have learned that when there is reciprocity I am not exhausted, depleted, lonely, and pulling out receipts. Reciprocity has shown me that it is truly a gift to hold and to be held. The teachings never end, but for now, what a bittersweet gift.

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Information found on this website is for educational purposes only and do not constitute therapy, a therapeutic relationship or clinical supervision.

My offerings and practice acknowledge and honor the first cuidadores of the Tongva land that I occupy today known as Long Beach, CA.
Andreina Zamudio LCSW © 2026