When Karen Riddell first started writing, she found it very isolating and challenging. Though she had completed her undergraduate and law degrees at University of North Carolina and practiced civil litigation in Atlanta, when she would later sit down to pen blog posts for Psychology Today, the pace was different. “I joined a writers' group when I first started writing and those eight women are some of my dearest friends,” says Karen who lives in Roswell. "We all have taken different paths as writers but we are each other’s greatest cheerleaders and resources!”
She hit pause on her career when the rapid arrival of three daughters spurred her to swap her briefcase for a diaper bag, and she became an avid community volunteer and leader.
After an exciting foray running a small business in the fashion world, Karen found a new passion: friendship and its power to positively impact a person’s life personally and professionally, emotionally and physically. Karen became a friendship blogger on Psychology Today’s website and became certified in both positive psychology and life coaching. She also began speaking to groups about the power of friendship. Recently, she addressed the Roswell Woman’s Club.
"Karen's presentation to The Roswell Women's Club last fall left an impression on me. I had never given much thought to the biological benefits of friendship," says Mary Fazio, who also hosted a networking event featuring Karen. "Her work opened my eyes that the importance of relationships extends well beyond social enjoyment. As a natural extrovert, I had not given much thought to helping others strategize how to make new friends, and being cognizant of intentionally nurturing existing relationships. Karen's book is a great resource and reminder that friendship matters!"