Dear Therapist: My Best Friend Can’t Find a Job Because of COVID-19

Editor’s Note: Every Monday, Lori Gottlieb answers questions from readers about their problems, big and small. Have a question? Email her at dear.therapist@theatlantic.com.

Dear Therapist,

My best friend and I both just graduated from college. I am very lucky to still have my current job and be able to attend graduate school next year, but she’s out on the job market and having quite a tough time ever since the COVID-19 crisis began.

She already had a lot of anxiety about getting a good job before the economic crash, but things have just compounded now that jobs are few and far between. I’ve tried to help in every way that I can. I’ve proofread cover letters and offered mock job interviews or assistance with her résumé, but every time I do, she just kind of shuts down and either doesn’t respond to me or ignores what I have