Ginny & Georgia: A guide to identity, coping, and friendship

Whether you’re a Ginny & Georgia super fan or just a casual watcher, it’s no secret that the show tackles topics like identity, coping, and what trusting relationships look like. This guide is designed to provide you with tools, articles, and resources to reflect on and discuss these same themes in your own life.

Identity is a recurring theme in Ginny & Georgia. We see characters of different ages, upbringings, races, sexualities, family dynamics, abilities, etc. In Season 3, Abby explores her sexuality and finds comfort in a new relationship. While we can’t change certain parts of our identities, Abby shows us that we can discover and continue to explore the people we are.

What makes us who we are?

There are many factors, both external and internal, that shape who we are. Different aspects shape our identities, like our gender, race, culture, sexuality, socioeconomic status, upbringing, and career. Our personalities, hobbies, likes, and dislikes also play a role in our identity. Remember, there is no single part of our identities that defines us. We are a combination of many different parts. Truly digging deep to find out who we are is both an ever-changing and lifelong process.

Reflect on your own life: What has shaped your identity? What about your identity has changed over time? What is something that you’ve learned or realized about yourself recently?

Embracing who we are

No matter who we are or what our identity is, we deserve to be celebrated just for being us. Different ways that we can embrace who we are include being kind to ourselves, taking care of ourselves, and creating and achieving the goals we set for ourselves. Celebrating ourselves doesn’t have to be a big thing. The little things we do each day to love and care for ourselves are how we embrace who we are.

Reflect on your own life: What aspects of yourself are you proud of? How do you practice being kind to yourself? What’s a goal that you achieved that makes you feel proud?

In Season 3 of Ginny & Georgia, we see how various characters cope with life’s challenges in their own way. Throughout the show, Ginny continues to work through her understanding and control her self-harm. In the past, Ginny used self-harm as an unhealthy coping skill to deal with difficult moments and past traumas. We also see her replace self-harm with other coping skills like running, therapy, and others. In season three, Ginny opens up to Bracia about her self-harm as her “one good friend.” We see how much Ginny trusts Bracia and how Bracia handles the conversation with care.

Similarly we learn that Marcus’ drinking may have started socially. However, over time and with the stress of his depression, he pulled back from things he loved, isolated, and struggled at home and school. Even if it’s messy, having safe people who can step in and support your well-being is really valuable.

Like Ginny and Marcus, all of us can find healthier coping strategies and lean on good friends, family, and others for support with life’s challenges.

Finding new ways to cope

Self-harm is an example of an unhealthy coping skill that may relieve stress or pressure in the moment, but it can lead to more stress and issues in the long run. These unhealthy habits can be difficult to break, but it is possible to break them. Recovering from an unhealthy coping skill like self-harm often involves finding an activity or healthy coping skill to replace the unhealthy one that still provides a dopamine hit. For example, this may include exercise, creating music or art, or another activity that makes you feel good.

Reflect on your own life: What healthy coping skills do you use? What unhealthy coping skills do you want to stop using? What hobbies or activities do you like to do that make you feel good?

Finding people who can support you

Remember, when you are recovering from unhealthy coping skills like self-harm, that you are not alone. Finding support helps with healing. You can reach out to a friend, a loved one, or anyone else you trust and who has supported you in the past. It doesn’t have to be in person. You can talk to someone via text, online, in a letter, on the phone, etc. You can also tell them what you need from them and how they can support you.

Reflect on your own life: Who in your life can you go to for support? What does support look like or feel like to you? What was something that someone did in the past that made you feel supported?

Friendship plays a crucial role in Ginny & Georgia. Max, Abby, Nora, and Ginny, or M.A.N.G.’s friendship is a central part of the show. In season three, we see Max struggling to navigate this friendship dynamic. She feels that her friends are pulling away from her, no matter how hard she tries to support them. This leaves Max feeling hurt, ignored, and disappointed.

Max’s struggles show us that as our lives change or as we experience hardships, our friendships may change, too. During these times, we can still provide support or space, respect our friends’ boundaries, and do our best to show up for our friends and ourselves.

What makes a good friend?

Having good friends in our lives is good for our mental health and overall well-being, but what makes someone a good friend? Good friends have the following characteristics: they listen to us, they respect and accept our boundaries, and they are safe people who let us be open and honest. A good friend is someone we trust. We can talk to them about what we are going through, and we know that they will see us and make us feel heard.

Reflect on your own life: Who in your life do you consider to be a good friend? Who in your life has made you feel safe, seen, and heard? Do you consider yourself to be a good friend?

How can friends support each other?

The best way of supporting our friends is just being there for them, but what does this look like? One way you can be there for your friends is to check in on them. A quick text, a short phone or FaceTime conversation can make a difference, especially if they are going through a hard time.  Another way to support your friends is to make time for them. Spending time with our friends feels good and is good for our mental health, too.

Finally, respecting your friends’ wishes, needs, and boundaries is an important way to support them. For example, if they are going through something difficult and they don’t want to talk about it, giving them the space not to will make them feel safe and supported.

Reflect on your own life: How have your friends supported you in the past?  How do you support your friends? What are different ways that you and your friends can support each other?