This is a biggie. I often have friends joke with me about me being their therapist, or I hear people saying they don’t need a therapist because they have their friends. Friends are an essential part of your support system and you do need them. As a therapist I am always encouraged to hear when people have and use this resource. However, they aren’t going to be able to function in your life the same way a therapist does, and this is precisely because they’re IN your life. What you do and what you’re going through effects them. They also have expectations of you (if you have a balanced, give and take friendship) that a therapist doesn’t. So while many friends are amazingly objective, they can’t really be, because they love you. And also, people (even the most open ones) eventually tell their therapist things they don’t tell their friends - TRUST ME.