Q. My friend is going through a hard time. She's getting divorced, her job takes everything out of her, and she'll soon be a single parent of a 6-year-old. I want to help her, but she seems to close off when I try. Short of beating down the door, what can I do?
--Beth G., Delray Beach, Florida

A. For many women, it's much easier to help than be helped. To make matters worse, we all have beliefs about when and how it's okay to get assistance. We may think, for instance, that our friends will abandon us if we're too needy or ask for too much; or that asking for assistance makes us vulnerable in some way.

Before you do anything, reflect on your own story. What are you comfortable accepting, and what pushes your "too much" or "too close" buttons? What do you believe about good friends and helping? Is the amount of help a friend accepts a sign of how close you are? What's your "code" of friendship when it comes to aiding and comforting? Most of us never ask ourselves these crucial questions.

I certainly didn't, until I almost lost a friend over this exact issue. She was caught in a similarly awful life chapter, and I felt shut out. Finally, we had a frank (and heated) conversation about our impasse. I discovered that when I said, "What do you need?" she felt burdened. She thought, "Great, here's one more thing I have to do -- tell Jennifer what to do for me." While my code of friendship includes the belief that you need to ask friends for help, hers was: "Good friends help without having to be told." Neither approach is right or wrong, of course, but our differences were ruining our friendship.

Ask your friend out for tea. Share what you know about your own beliefs, and include how you, too, can find it hard to accept help (if that's indeed the case). Then ask her how she most likes to be helped. By giving her a chance to pause and consider, you'll encourage her to articulate what type of assistance she needs.

Whatever comes of your conversation, though, remember that it's not about you getting to take care of her the way you want. Ultimately, it's your friend's choice -- and she may truly need to retreat for a time to get herself together. Be available to her as much as you can, and trust that, in the long run, you'll stay connected through this rough patch.

Coach Jennifer Louden is the author of six books, including "The Life Organizer: A Woman's Guide to a Mindful Year." Visit her at jenniferlouden.com. Email any questions you have about the challenging life issues you face today to jennifer@bodyandsoulmag.com.