A therapist explains that friendships do not always fit an all-or-nothing choice to “cut off” or “stay.” Instead, people can look for patterns in conflict, evolving needs, and genuine harm to decide whether a relationship can be repaired, needs to change, or should end.
The outlets frame the topic around “peace” and boundary-setting trends, emphasizing that not all difficult behavior signals the same outcome. The Conversation focuses on the clinical distinction between ordinary conflict, relationship change, and circumstances that cross into real harm. Phys.org highlights the broader social discussion of protecting one’s wellbeing and removing “toxic” people, using the therapist’s guidance as a way to clarify when distancing is appropriate and when it is not. Across both, the central point is that people can assess a friendship using consistent indicators rather than reacting to single incidents.
