How do people “redo” family after an estrangement from the family they grew up in? This was the central question of a study by Rin Reczek of The Ohio State University. Estrangement... Read more »
How common are cutoffs nowadays? In a 2025 YouGov poll of 4,395 U.S. adults, a whopping 38 percent were currently estranged from at least one family member. Sibling estrangement is the most... Read more »
When you’re estranged from your child, the urge to fix, explain, or repair can feel overwhelming. Many parents come to me saying, “Just tell me what to do so I can make... Read more »
Sibling estrangement is not just about not talking to your brother or sister. It has much broader ramifications, as sibling rejection can profoundly shape an individual’s personality and their roles in the... Read more »
Recent media portrayals of family estrangement have sometimes trivialized the phenomenon, framing it as a generational fad or a product of social media–driven “boundary culture.” Britt Frank’s post, “The Dangers of Calling... Read more »
Family estrangement has been framed in major media outlets as everything from a “growing trend” to a “social epidemic.” But this framing reveals a deep cultural bias: When the act of estrangement... Read more »
Why would a qualified, ethical therapist support their client’s decision to estrange from their family? Aren’t families sacred relationships that must be preserved at all costs? Not always. In fact, family estrangement... Read more »
Gray divorce refers to couples aged 50 and older ending their marriage. Researchers found that the divorce rate for this group has been the fastest growing in the U.S., doubling between 1990... Read more »
In the last decade, the amount of research that has provided evidence of the correlation between social support and well-being has exploded. If you want to live a long and healthy life,... Read more »