Loneliness – Building Connections and Finding Belonging

Are you lonely? Have you recently moved to a new city and feel disconnected? Do you lack a network of close friends to relate to? Are you unemployed, working less, or primarily spending your time with children? Do you find yourself surrounded by noise, activity, and people, yet still feel a deep sense of loneliness? You’re not alone—it’s common for both single and married women to experience loneliness at different stages of life.

At Colorado Women’s Center, we work with many women who struggle with loneliness. There are generally two forms of loneliness—social and emotional. When a married woman describes herself as lonely, it often stems from either a lack of emotional connection with her partner or over-reliance on her partner to meet all her social needs, which can prevent her from reaching out to others.

Social loneliness occurs when someone lacks a sufficient social network. Everyone needs people in their lives, and women, in particular, need a social structure to feel a sense of connection and belonging. The reasons some women have less active social lives vary—shyness, being new to an area, long work hours, or caring for children alone. Regardless of the reason, it’s crucial to work on developing or rebuilding a social network. Women who maintain active social lives are less likely to suffer from social loneliness.

Emotional loneliness is different; it’s the feeling of being lonely despite having an active social life. This happens when there’s an absence of close emotional connections or depth in relationships. Surface-level interactions, while they may provide some social engagement, don’t fulfill the deeper need to bond and connect. This is why some women, despite being surrounded by people, invited to every event, and having thousands of friends on social media, still feel lonely. Deep, close relationships are often more challenging to build than a broad social network, but they are essential for truly feeling connected and understood.

At Colorado Women’s Center, we understand that developing close relationships can be daunting. It requires vulnerability, self-disclosure, and the risk of rejection—all of which can be intimidating. But without taking these risks, it’s difficult to find meaningful connections. Building these relationships takes time and effort, and it involves putting yourself out there, meeting new people, and viewing other women as allies rather than competitors. Overcoming insecurities and breaking down barriers are vital steps in curing loneliness and forming close, supportive relationships.

Loneliness can be debilitating. When we feel cut off from human connection, it’s easy to become depressed, anxious, and fearful. The truth is, we need each other—desperately. At Colorado Women’s Center, we help our clients become more secure in themselves, enabling them to reach out, form the connections they need, and find contentment in the relationships they already have.

Is something holding you back from exploring new interactions and companionship? Do you feel stuck or need help breaking out of the routine? Do you need to build the confidence to join established social groups? If you’re ready to change your life, embark on new adventures, and expand your social network, Colorado Women’s Center is here to help.

We offer therapy in our beautifully designed offices in Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Broomfield, as well as online therapy to support women throughout Colorado. Learn more about our therapy for loneliness for women.

Contact Colorado Women’s Center today to schedule an appointment with one of our skilled counselors and therapists, and start your journey toward overcoming loneliness and building meaningful connections.