An urgent guide to combatting the loneliness epidemic, with 100 ways to increase connectivity right now, from the iconic therapist and Holocaust survivor appointed as New York’s first-ever loneliness ambassador.

US surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy recently sounded the alarm that loneliness ‘represents an urgent public health concern’ — social media overuse, the effects of the pandemic, and the lack of ‘third places’ have all combined to make us more alone than we’ve ever been. Now, trusted therapist Dr Ruth K. Westheimer has made it her mission to shine a light on the problem and help us break out of the box of isolation.

We are social animals. We are not meant to live in solitude. We have a shared desire to connect and create lasting bonds with the people around us. But the heaviness of loneliness can make this feel impossible. In tackling this problem with compassion and her trademark no-nonsense approach to therapy, Dr Ruth provides practical, sincere strategies for finding companionship, community, and intimacy.

With her tips on navigating family, finding friends and lovers, and using technology in healthy ways, you will find wisdom and help here, whether you’ve been struggling with loneliness for years or only recently. The Joy of Connections isn’t just a guidebook for overcoming loneliness: it’s a vital kick in the pants we all need to start seeking — and finding — deep and lasting human connections.

‘Nonagenarian therapist Ruth Westheimer speaks from deep experience when she offers counsel on how to overcome loneliness … She urges readers to take practical steps: get a dog, buy colourful clothes, be an active listener, become a mentor, talk to strangers, write honest profiles on dating apps. A lifetime’s insight informs this upbeat guide to building social and intimate connections with others.’

‘Dr Ruth’s strategies are essential for building the kinds of bonds that will reduce loneliness and transform lives.’

‘Dr Ruth has done it again! If only I could give this book to my lonely twenty-something self.’

‘With her newest book, The Joy of Connections, my friend and honorary bubbe Dr Ruth has brought her particular brand of expertise and insight to address the crisis of loneliness. She is as practical, savvy, enthusiastic, and tough as ever — all her best qualities — to help us all face the challenges of loneliness and improve our wellbeing.’

‘Dr Ruth’s brilliance and insight into human behaviour will continue to enlighten and support all those whose loneliness and isolation have been crippling.’

‘Dr Ruth brings her decades of therapeutic experience to offer a practical approach for building relationships. Her Menu for Connection is a how-to guide for anyone struggling with loneliness. If you have ever found yourself wondering, “How can I do this?”, now you literally have 100 ways!’

‘This is a delightful and timely reminder that humans are supposed to be social, sincere, and companionable and it offers a series of practical tips that are easy to fold into your life to make that happen.’

Praise for Stay or Go: Dr Ruth’s rules for real relationships:

‘Ever practical, Dr Ruth wants to help you figure out whether you have enough of the whole package — love, lust, trust — to make the union worth saving.’

Praise for Stay or Go: Dr Ruth’s rules for real relationships:

‘A clearly written, succinct resource for those waffling with the decision to stay or move on from a long-term relationship.’

Praise for The Doctor Is In: Dr Ruth on love, life, and joie de vivre:

‘An exuberant celebration of life by America’s favourite octogenarian sex guru … Her warmth, wit, and wisdom shine through this lively account of a life well-lived. A joy for her many fans, old and new.’

Praise for The Doctor Is In: Dr Ruth on love, life, and joie de vivre:

‘Part memoir and part life manual, the latest from renowned sex therapist Dr Westheimer uses stories from her remarkable, often arduous journey to instruct readers on embracing positivity … Her wit and brassy style breathe new life into familiar self-help material.’

Dr Ruth K Westheimer broke stigmas for more than forty years, beginning in the 1980s with her nationally syndicated US radio show Sexually Speaking. She authoured or co-authoured forty-six books on many topics, and was named New York’s Ambassador to Loneliness, the first such position in the United States. A beloved therapist known to millions as ‘Dr Ruth’, she died in July 2024. Allison Gilbert is an Emmy Award–winning journalist and the author or co-author of numerous books. Pierre Lehu has collaborated with Dr Ruth for more than four decades.