Mark your calendar! Nov. 6th is our Friendsgiving Gratitude Potluck!
Hope, Help, & Healing for Fractured Families
The Reconnection Community
Families with addiction often experience strained relationships. This program offers support to focus on healing and reconnecting with ourselves and develop new strategies to improve our relationship with our loved ones.
"To heal the Fruit, we must heal the Root "
where do you stand?
LEVELS OF ESTRANGEMENT
Estrangement isn't always an all or nothing experience. In fact, there are many levels in-between, and even different types of estrangement:
Cordial Contact
Being on "good terms" with someone at family events and gatherings but noticing a slight change in how one feels. Communication is respectful and functional. You may not be especially close, but conversations are civil and cooperative. There’s room for everyday exchanges and occasional warmth.
Low Contact
Greater awareness of unhappiness in relationship; slowing down communication, not visiting as often. Communication becomes limited or one-sided. Texts or calls might go
unanswered or receive short, detached replies. Contact may occur only for holidays, major events, or practical reasons, with little emotional connection.
Conflicted Contact
There is still communication, but it often feels tense, unpredictable, or painful. Interactions may include petty accusations, defensiveness, or intentional misunderstandings. The adult child or their spouse may react with hostility or refuse to take responsibility for hurtful behavior. Conversations tend to go in circles or end in conflict, leaving
the parent emotionally drained.
No Contact
Proactively cutting attempts to communicate - could last for X amount of time. The adult child clearly expresses a wish for no communication—or completely ignores messages and attempts to reconnect. There is no ongoing dialogue, though one or both parties may still hold hope for future reconciliation.
Complete Estrangement
Loss of relationship, no communication or efforts being made; living life without this person. All contact has ended, and the relationship is fully cut off. There is no communication, no mutual expectation of change, and often a deep grieving process for the loss of the relationship as it once was.
resources to support healing estranged relationships
As modern society faces an epidemic of "cut-off" culture, there is now a plethora of books, podcasts, articles, and professionals getting on the bandwagon to help both adult children and their parents navigate this painful new trend.
Below is a short list of some of today's leading voices in the Estrangement Movement: therapists, coaches, and authors that provide resources for parental estrangement. Most offer free content however some are subscription-based.
*Dr. Joshua Coleman, formerly estranged parent/author
*Mathias J. Barker, LMHC, formerly estranged adult child- free webinar “Navigating the Divide”
*Rachel Haack, LMFT
*Roberta Wasserman, LCSW, estranged parent/author of 12 step workbook
*Peter H. Anderson, LMFT
*Kathy Sinsheimer, MFT
*Dr. Karl Pillemer, Cornell University, author
*Dr. Kristina Scharp, Rutgers University
Tania Khazaal, formerly estranged adult child/coach
*Mending Spaces Retreats for estranged parents
PODCASTS:
'Family Troubles' with Dr. Joshua Coleman
'The Reconnection Club' with Tina Gilbertson
'The Estranged Mom Coach' with Jenny Good
'The Terri Cole Show'
'The Reconciled Relationships' with Sally Harris
'The Estranged Heart' with Kreed Revere
'When Our Adult Children Walk Away' with Dr. Janet Steinkamp
'Family Disappeared' with Lawrence Joss [parental alienation]
'Surviving Narcissism' with Dr. Les Carter
Support groups for estranged parents and families*
Heart180
Non-profit organization that provides Faith-based support called Faith Filled Fridays, weekly zoom prayer calls for parents, children, and loved ones walking through the pain of family estrangement.
PEAK Support Network
Parents of Estranged Adult Kids (PEAK) A nonprofit organization that provides a safe, no-fault environment focused on personal healing and self-awareness for parents. It offers support groups for mothers, fathers, couples, siblings. Also offered are webinars, day retreats, therapist referrals and books. Some programs have cost.
P.E.A.C. International, Inc .
Parents of Estranged Adult Children (PEAC) A nonprofit organization with a faith-based focus. Offers no cost parent-led online, and in person support groups (one in Telford, PA) for moms, dads, couples, and a private Facebook group. Good resource list of books.
Parental Alienation Advocates
A nonprofit dedicated to fostering education, advocacy, and support for individuals grappling with the distressing impact of parental alienation, estrangement, erasure, and family disconnection. No-cost 12-step support group online offering weekly meetings, a weekly podcast (Family Disappeared), and free resources.
ShareWell
No cost Peer-led virtual Support Groups for Parents Estranged from Adult Children.
*Disclaimer
The resources provided on this page are for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement. Additional resources are continuously being made available; please research to learn more about new offerings.