From political differences to secret-sharing, here’s how to fix a floundering friendship (and when to walk away). Jessica and Claire have been best friends for over 30 years since they met at college. Now they live on other sides of the United States, but once a year they meet up for a girl’s weekend with Emily, the third member of their close-knit friendship group from student days.
“It’s generally the only time we see each other, but for the last few years, Claire and I have been nitpicking at each other over dumb stuff, which then blows up into an argument. Last weekend, it got to the point where both of us said we can’t do this anymore, it’s just not fun for anybody,” says Jessica, 55. Jessica had heard about a growing trend for “friendship therapy” where two friends see a therapist together in an attempt to work out their issues .
“We were at do-or-die point, either fix the friendship or end it, but we both wanted to try and salvage what’s been an important relationship for us,” says Jessica. Jessica and Claire are now seeing Barbie Atkinson, a psychotherapist in Texas, who offers friendship therapy. Friendship clients make up 25% of her business.
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