While social media enables us to make connections with more people than ever before, social isolation is a growing epidemic in the U.S. The National Science Foundation has reported the number of Americans with no close friends has tripled since 1985 and an unprecedented number of Americans are living alone, particularly those over sixty. Generation Z and Millennials report being the loneliest despite their high consumption of social media. After major surgery, Val Walker developed a plan of action for those seeking to heal from the pain of isolation. For 24 years she’s led support groups for people living with chronic illness, grief and trauma. A blogger for Psychology Today, her first book The Art of Comforting was recommended by the Boston Health Commission as a guide for families impacted by the Boston Marathon Bombing.