IRL - Small Group (Session 5: Why Do I Feel Lonely Around Other People?)

Feeling connected online but lonely in real life? Learn practical tools to build deep, meaningful adult friendships in a digital world. Making friends as an adult can feel tough. Starting with good intentions often leads to surface-level small talk, drifting apart, or feeling isolated. You're not awkward or bad at connecting—modern life simply lacks natural ways to build deep adult friendships. Lasting connection begins not by trying harder, but by practicing in spaces designed for genuine interaction. IRL is a small-group program designed to help adults understand how meaningful relationships form, build practical connection skills, navigate social anxiety, and develop sustainable strategies to cultivate lasting friendships in everyday life. Session 5: Why Do I Feel Lonely Even Around Other People? Understand the difference between loneliness and being alone, explore your own patterns of disconnection, and learn practical ways to build genuine belonging. You'll learn to: • Recognise your own patterns of loneliness. • Understand your emotional connection needs. • Develop healthier ways to connect with others. Read more about this program on our website. Is This Program Right for You? This program is suitable if you: ✔ Find it difficult to make or maintain friendships ✔ Feel anxious or awkward in social situations ✔ Often worry about what others think of you ✔ Want to spend less time online and more time connecting in real life. ✔ Want to feel more confident starting conversations ✔ Feel lonely, isolated or disconnected ✔ Want meaningful relationships rather than just more social interactions ✔ Are looking for practical skills in a supportive small-group environment No prior experience is needed. Simply bring an openness to participate and connect with others in a respectful, supportive environment. You'll never be pressured to share more than you're comfortable with. Participation is encouraged, but always at your own pace. Why Small-Group Learning Works Learning alongside others offers something that books, podcasts and individual learning cannot. Hearing different perspectives, sharing experiences and practising new skills together often leads to deeper understanding, greater confidence and lasting change. Our groups are intentionally limited to 4–8 participants to create a safe, supportive environment where everyone has the opportunity to participate, ask questions and receive individual attention from the facilitator. Many participants also find that small-group program complement individual counselling by providing opportunities to apply new skills, learn from others and continue growing between therapy sessions.