For me, I didn't get a DX of Schizoaffective right away. I had clearly a mood disorder, I was terribly, horribly depressed. Over time, the mood disorder persisted and also disordered thinking, and hallucinations, and delusions. I didn't get diagnosed with Schizoaffective until after my first hospitalization.

Good luck to your partner's friend. Maybe she can just start with her GP and describe her symptoms and go from there. Some people find going to a medical doctor less disturbing than a therapist or a psychiatrist.