Taylor Swift may be quietly recalibrating how she shows up in her longtime friendship with Blake Lively, according to a psychotherapist who analyzed their recently revealed text exchanges. The messages surfaced as part of Lively’s ongoing legal battle with her “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni, whom she sued over alleged sexual harassment on set and an alleged retaliatory smear campaign.
Expert claims Taylor Swift and Blake Lively’s friendship is ‘under strain’ amid text messages
Court documents unsealed on January 20 reportedly included text conversations between Lively and Swift, offering a rare glimpse into how the pop star responded while the controversy unfolded. New York City–based psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert, author of the forthcoming book Therapy Nation, reviewed the exchanges and said they do not suggest a fallout, but they do point to mounting tension. “From what I’ve seen, the texts don’t point to a dramatic betrayal or one person clearly being ‘in the wrong,’” Alpert explained. “What they really show is a friendship under a lot of strain.”
He noted that Lively’s messages reportedly showed a shift in tone, becoming more careful and guarded. According to Alpert, that change likely reflects the intense legal and public scrutiny she faces. “Blake seems to be operating in a very guarded place. When someone is dealing with legal stress and public pressure, their communication often becomes more careful and cautious, and maybe less natural,” he said. “That kind of tone shift can unintentionally create distance, even with close friends,” Alpert continued.
He added that Taylor did not appear to harbor bad blood toward the TV star, but instead felt uneasy amid the legal fallout that followed. “Taylor’s response doesn’t read as anger to me. It reads more like emotional pullback,” he said. “When messages start to feel stiff or overly calculated, people often retreat, not because they want to end the relationship or there’s a conflict, but because it no longer feels easy or safe,” Alpert claimed.
Jonathan said Taylor’s messages showed her pulling back from Blake and creating more distance. “What stands out in Taylor’s messages is a shift toward self-protection,” the expert added, noting, “This doesn’t suggest physical danger, but it does point to emotional and reputational unease.”
Originally reported by Khushali Srivastava for RealityTea.
