Parental Estrangement

Having your adult child pull away from you or ask for “no contact” is a heart-breaking experience for any parent. Today Parental Estrangement is a growing and deeply painful trend. It can feel sudden, confusing, and profoundly destabilizing—especially when the reasons for the distance are unclear or feel incomplete. For some, it includes losing their relationship with their grandchildren.

Parents often come to therapy carrying a complex mix of confusion, grief, anger, guilt, and longing. You may find yourself replaying past conversations, questioning what went wrong, or wondering whether reconciliation is even possible.

Together, we will focus on strategies to help you cope with the emotional toll of estrangement, including the experience of ambiguous loss—a form of grief that can feel ongoing and unresolved. Our work will help you manage overwhelming emotions, reduce self-blame, and find steadiness during a very uncertain time.

If your adult child is open to reconnecting, I will help you develop practical, emotionally attuned strategies for repair—whether that means writing a letter, having a first conversation after a long silence, or navigating ongoing contact in a healthier way. If reconciliation is not currently possible, therapy can still help you move forward with greater self-understanding, resilience, and self-compassion.