I recently wrote an article that discussed whether it was healthy for a woman to not have any female friendships. The article struck a cord with many Madame Noire readers and I received tons of feedback from women that felt compelled to share their own personal stories of friendships and fall-outs with fellow women.

It always warms my heart to read about women with great female friends. But for the many women that don’t have similar stories to share, I truly empathize. I definitely understand how negative experiences with other women can cause a woman to become guarded. I’ve been there. But I still encourage women to take the initiative to befriend one another. I firmly believe that it is very possible and very necessary to establish friendships with other women- even if it’s with just one other woman. Why? Because I’m a huge proponent of sisterhood- especially among black women. And if you are too, then you probably now thinking, “Well how do we accomplish this Dr. Phoenyx?

Well, oftentimes I’ve noticed that difficulty in initiating and maintaining friendships with other women is just a result of not knowing exactly how to A) Choose friends wisely and B) Be a true friend. So I’d like to share a bit of advice.

But before I do, I like to share one more thing. Women can and should get along. Remember this- whatever you put out into the world, you will also receive- and that goes for friendship too. If you know how to be a true friend, and practice that in your everyday life, you will be able to create friendships with other women. And even if you only manage to become great friends with just one other woman, I can assure you that the love and support you’ll receive from her is definitely worth all your effort. Here are 6 tips on how to be a true friend to other women.