What is friendship therapy and how could it help my friendships?

Friends enhance the quality of our lives. Yet when these
friendships break down, it can really start to impact our mental and
physical health.   You might have had a
falling out with a childhood friend, or your bestie might be going through a hard time and consequently built up a wall between you.  Friendships, just
like any relationship, come and go throughout our lives. Sometimes it’s only
natural to go your separate ways – especially if you’re dealing with a toxic
friendship. But if your friendship is worth salvaging, perhaps consider giving
friendship therapy a try.  

What is
friendship therapy?  

Traditionally,
couples therapy has focused on romantic couples, married couples, or family
members.  Nowadays, couples therapy has
extended to include our friendships. Since our friends are – more often than
not – a longstanding and integral relationship in our lives, it makes sense
that if for whatever reason there’s a breakdown in that relationship, therapy
may be a positive way of intervening and repairing it. 

Friendship therapy is essentially couples therapy for
friends. Those in platonic relationships can seek counselling to address common
relationship issues such as lack of communication, conflict resolution, and
feelings of betrayal or neglect.  

Why
friendship therapy?  

Strong relationships
enhance the quality of our lives. Having the social support of our friends can
quickly turn a bad day into a good one, help us to feel a sense of purpose, and
make us feel less alone in the world. Since the pandemic, many of us have faced a whole new host of friendship challenges, making it even harder to stay connected and
maintain healthy relationships.  

For
friends who are finding it hard to communicate or have
difficulty supporting each other through difficult times, friendship therapy
may help. It offers a safe space for friends to air out their dirty laundry and
let more meaningful conversations happen.   Like all relationships, friendships require work to maintain them.  A trained counsellor can help friends restore
their bond and build a better understanding of each other’s needs.   

When should you seek friendship
therapy? 

 If your friendship has been suffering
during the pandemic or you’re finding it hard to stay connected with friends,
you might want to consider friendship therapy.  

You might also seek friendship therapy if you or your friend are
struggling with the following issues in your friendship:  

If you
are finding your friendship is causing you undue stress in your life, then
it’s a good idea to seek professional help. If you are concerned for your friend’s wellbeing and it’s affecting your
relationship, then suggest friendship therapy as a way to help solve these
issues, together,  with a trusted
professional.  

Tips on helping a friend
through a hard time  

If you’re interested
in broaching the subject of friendship therapy with your friend, make sure to
do so in an empathetic manner. Show your friend some sympathy, and give them
space to listen to them without judgment. 

You can try a statement such as, “I’m sad that you’re in a
tough situation right now. I want to be able to help”, or, “I recognise we’re
both hurting and I want us to be closer again. What do you think about trying
out friendship therapy as a way to get our friendship back to a healthy
place?”.  

Ask them if there’s anything you can do to help support
them. You may find honest,
non-judgmental discussions like this will be what it takes to fix any issue
within your friendship. If, however, things aren’t going the way you hoped or
if you both struggle with expressing your concerns, a friendship therapist can
be exactly what you need to steer your friendship out of the tough place it’s
currently in. 

Rebuilding your
friendship  

Finding the right therapist
can be all it takes to mend your friendship. When it comes to finding a friendship
therapist, look for someone who is trained in couples counselling since
relationship-building will be their expertise. Cost concerns should also be
brought up so you both know exactly how much you’ll be investing in
counselling. When you bring up the idea of friendship therapy with your friend,
be careful to do so in a compassionate way. Make it clear to your friend that
your intention is to rebuild your relationship and give it the attention it
deserves.

Taylor Machuca-Koniw is a freelance writer with a passion
for yoga, bubble baths, and baking. She and her American husband have been in a
long-distance relationship for 7 years, and are pros at how to make
long-distance work. Taylor is a language enthusiast – she speaks Russian and
Ukrainian and is currently learning Spanish.