Family Estrangement

Are your family relationships strained or distant? 

Has contact become increasingly difficult to maintain, or broken down completely?

The conversation about family conflict and estrangement is everywhere right now. But it doesn't always reflect your experience, does it?

The absence at family occasions. The things that can't be said. The hope that keeps catching you off guard. You may feel sidelined, unsure exactly what happened or what to do next.

These can be very painful experiences to navigate. They often bring a confusing mixture of emotions - grief, shame, anger, relief. Many people describe a feeling of ambiguous loss, where someone is still very much alive yet feels unreachable. The impact can be significant and enduring.

Estrangement can happen for many different reasons:

Disapproval of a partner

Conflicting values or lifestyle choices

Financial disagreement

  Divorce or remarriage

Family betrayal

Religious or cultural differences

Sexuality, or gender choice

It can also happen - gradually or suddenly – where the reasons seem far from clear.

I bring both lived experience and significant professional experience of family estrangement, and understand the complexity involved. I can help you make sense of what has happened and find a way forward that feels right for you.

I work with individuals and with family pairs.