Personally, I would take a deep breath, put my own feelings to one side and help my friend.
As you say, this project is her baby, she is obviously wanting to control it her own way, but is it really such a hardship to write these notes? Look on it as a chance for a chat, time to spend together.
If you still consider it too much of a trigger, I would suggest it is more likely the nature of this particular friendship rather than the specifics of the task which is the real issue. Only you know the answer to that.
What ever you chose to do though, drinking is never a solution.