There is also the fact that friendship dynamics have changed drastically over the last few years. “The pandemic turned people’s lives upside down and friendship dynamics completely changed overnight,” says Jessica Alderson, a relationship expert and cofounder of SoSyncd. “It was a lot to deal with and some friendship dyads need external support to adjust to these changes.”

And with more people than ever attending therapy (a record 634,649 people completed the NHS Talking Therapy programme last year), there is a higher chance that friendship groups could find themselves considering it when conflict gets too tough to work through alone. “Inside the counselling room, friendship therapy is taken just as seriously as couples therapy and, in some ways, even more so. This is because it’s less common so people who choose to go to friendship therapy are often prepared to make a huge effort to make things work. Ultimately, it means that both people care deeply about the friendship, which is a positive sign in itself,” says Alderson.

That said, it can still be tricky for outsiders to get their heads around. Sam noted that friends and family initially found it strange when they found out she was doing it. “Mostly, though, they were surprised that we went through the effort of it all,” she adds. But she also notes that, to her, it was an experience worth going through because in the process both she and her friend were able to find better ways to communicate, and they’re still friends to this day. “People still don’t know that friendship therapy is a thing,” adds Fox Weber. “And it could help so many who are struggling with people they care about.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Meet the women going to therapy to save their friendship