Co-authored with Sarah Bergenfield Internal family systems (IFS) therapy generally begins with this request: Turn your attention inside and notice. Whatever you notice, we’ll call it a part. It might be saying... Read more »
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 »
In my early life, twinship was usually seen as a very close relationship—and stressful for the family because of the extra work and energy required. Issues related to emotional and cognitive development... 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 »
Multigenerational households are a growing trend in the US and Canada. Many sources cite economic reasons—the lack of affordable housing, childcare, and senior housing—but the benefits extend well beyond the financial. For... Read more »
Brian and Naomi were like many long-time married couples with kids you’d see at the neighborhood barbeques. From all appearances, they were happy enough with each other (they quarreled like everyone else,... Read more »
When a parent falls ill, siblings – some of whom may not have had much contact in recent years – are suddenly thrown together again and required to avoid falling into old... Read more »
The form at the doctor’s office asks for your emergency contact, and you sit there, pen hovering over the line, not sure whose name to write. It’s a small moment. But if... Read more »
When a 45-year-old woman called seeking an appointment for treatment of depression and anxiety, the psychotherapist assumed she would be a standard case. But during the initial visit, the client said her... Read more »
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... Read more »