First, is she cocking the hammer first? That will make racking the slide easier.
Second, yes, you can buy different weight recoil springs--Wolff sells them in (IIRC) one-pound increments. You can also buy a "calibration pack" which will have five or so springs, each in different weight.
http://www.gunsprings.com/
You may have to juggle your carry ammo to match a lighter spring. You can also look into using a square-cut FPS with the light spring, and perhaps be able to use your current ammo.
Lots of options--don't give up.