S2 E4: When Should You Let Go of a One-Sided Friendship?Conflict Coach with Dr. Emily Taylor • Season 2, Episode 4
Nov 11, 2025 • 28m
Dr. Emily Taylor coaches Sarah, who is feeling increasingly frustrated with the inconsistency of her long-time friend Julie. We all have cherished friendships that we’d like to last forever, but knowing when it’s time to let one go is an important part of maintaining healthy boundaries.
In this episode, Dr. Emily helps Sarah understand the signs of growing out of a friendship and the opportunity to establish several layers of friendships that can receive different levels of her time and attention. Together, they develop a strategy to realign Sarah’s friendship with Julie to better match her current stage of life.
In this episode you’ll learn how to:
- Recognize when a friendship has become one-sided
- Triage your friendships to different levels of intimacy
- Appropriately respond when a boundary is crossed
Let us know how these strategies work in your own life! Email Dr. Emily at conflictcoach@byu.edu or connect with her on social media: @conflictcoachwithdremily
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Conflict Coach
00:53 Meet Sarah: Frustration with a Close Friend
06:44 Signs You’re Growing Out of a Friendship
14:53 Triaging Friendships
16:28 Sarah’s Plan for Setting Boundaries
24:19 Conclusion and Key Takeaways