If you were the family scapegoat, you may have spent years believing you were the problem. You may have been blamed for conflict, criticized more harshly than others, or told you were difficult, dramatic, selfish, or too sensitive. These messages shape how you see yourself and your role in the family. You become the focus […]
The Family Scapegoat: Why Dysfunctional Families Need Someone to Blame Read More »
Healing from an emotionally abusive relationship is especially hard when we don’t get closure. You may be wondering how you can heal or move forward without an apology, a final conversation, or an explanation. This article explores why closure is so hard to let go of and how healing is still possible, even when the
The death of an estranged parent is one of the more emotionally complicated losses a person can face, bringing up feelings of sadness, relief, guilt, anger, or nothing at all. Regardless of how the relationship ended and what you’re feeling right now, grieving is an integral part of healing from complex or abusive relationships. This
If you’re estranged from a parent or family member, you may have been surprised by how often you feel judged for cutting off family. The questions, the comments, the pressure to explain yourself can be just as painful as the relationship you stepped away from. This article is here to ground you. You’ll learn why
How to Cope with Being Judged for Cutting Off Family Read More »
If you’re reading this, you’re probably grappling with one of the most difficult decisions a person can face: cutting ties with family over politics. You might be questioning whether you’re overreacting, wondering if you’re being too sensitive, or feeling guilty about distancing yourself from people who raised you or shared your childhood. Let me be
Cutting Ties with Family Over Politics: How to Know When It’s Time Read More »
Going no contact with parents isn’t a decision anyone makes lightly. Yet when someone chooses this path to escape abusive or toxic family dynamics, they’re often met with judgment, disbelief, and harsh criticism. Western society tends to view these decisions as impulsive, selfish, or evidence that someone hasn’t tried hard enough. In reality, it’s far
Going No Contact with Parents: A Trauma-Informed Perspective Read More »
As family estrangement gets more media attention, some are suggesting that therapists cause family estrangement—or at least encourage family cutoffs. This criticism are typically made of adult children’s therapists by the media, estranged parents, and their therapists and advocates. While it’s true that some adult children decide to cut ties with a parent as part
Holidays can be a challenging time for those who’ve cut ties with relatives, whether you have no contact or limited contact with toxic family members. Society often equates happy holidays with idealized family gatherings and meaningful family traditions. So, it’s not surprising that so many estranged adult children find the holiday season difficult. Holidays can
Coping with the Holidays When You’re Estranged from Family Read More »
Many families experience estrangement. Sometimes an estrangement lasts a lifetime and other times family members reconcile and either put aside their differences or forge a stronger relationship. An estrangement can be a complete cutoff of all communication (no contact) or a partial cutoff where one person makes a consistent effort to limit contact or emotional
It can be hard to understand why adult children cut ties with a parent. This is usually because we assume that parent-child relationships are not only important but loving. Family is forever. Blood is thicker than water. These sayings reflect our assumptions that family relationships are close and long-lasting. Parent-child relationships, in particular, are expected
The Real Reasons Adult Children Cut Ties with Parents Read More »
