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Upcoming event: Katonah Study Group will discuss estrangement with FSC

Mourning the Living: The Grief of Sibling Estrangement Join us for this event on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 6:30 - 8:00 EST Learn more at katonahstudygroup.org

A Comprehensive List of Books about Estrangement

From the post: Where to Begin? If you’re recently estranged from an adult child or have been living with estrangement for years, you may find yourself searching for understanding, support, or ways to cope with the changes in your family relationships. Books specifically focused on family estrangement can be a helpful starting point. Of course, no book can take away your pain or restore a relationship with your child. But ...

When estrangement comes to work

When Family Estrangement Comes to Work During the holidays, grief over family ruptures drains a worker's productivity. Estrangement can affect an employee's attention and focus, disrupting attendance and output at work. The massive surge in family estrangement creates a form of "brain drain" that hurts a company's bottom line. Employees often bring to work estrangement issues like boundary violations, criticism, or unresolved conflict. Deep grief, rumination, and sleep deprivation inevitably ...

Sad my sister has always despised me

I'm the oldest, she's three years younger. We were both homely little girls born to physically attractive parents who I think were dismayed by what they got. I was quick and smart; my sister was not smart. We never had more in common than our parents, an angry alcoholic father and a needy neurotic mother. As a child my sister played the baby role as long as she could, while ...

Chicago Tribune opinion piece: From Nazi Party membership records to family lineages, databases reveal hidden histories

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/08/05/opinion-nazi-membership-family-histories/?share=htorzm0iw2raopon2smr

When Caring for Mom or Dad Divides a Family

  A new survey finds that the stress of caring for aging parents can break sibling bonds. KEY POINTS One in five people report experiencing permanent sibling estrangement due to caring for an aging parent. Nearly half of caregivers report that they resent a sibling because caregiving was not shared fairly. Gender expectations can shape how families divide care; daughters are typically the hands-on caregiver. A family text thread may ...

A Terminal Illness Sets a Cruel Deadline for the Estranged

When a relative gets a life-threatening diagnosis, the estranged -- like Prince Harry -- face a cruel deadline that poses difficult questions: Should I call? Would my presence help or harm? If I stay away, will I regret it? If I return, will I lose the boundaries that made life bearable? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brothers-sisters-strangers/202607/a-terminal-illness-sets-a-cruel-deadline-for-the-estranged

A Midlife Awakening: Seeing Things Anew in Our 50s and 60s

In midlife, some see things with fresh eyes, requiring a narrative revision. KEY POINTS In midlife - after parents die, children leave, careers plateau - some people do an emotional audit. Many find that the facts of their lives have not changed, but they often find the meaning has changed. Such an awakening prompts a reorganization of relationships, purpose, and identity,   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brothers-sisters-strangers/202606/a-midlife-awakening-seeing-things-anew-in-our-50s-and-60s

The Estrangement Library features Brothers, Sisters, Strangers

From the review: "As a parent, reading Brothers, Sisters, Strangers gave me a fuller perspective on how estrangement affects other members of a family. Learning more about sibling estrangement helped me better understand the consequences of estrangement between my own children. "It also reminded me that whether the cutoff is between siblings, parents and children, or other relatives, the losses—while different in some ways—often feel quite similar. "This book doesn’t ...

Seeing Anew in Our 50s and 60s

  In midlife - after parents die, children leave, careers plateau - some people do an emotional audit. Many find that the facts of their lives have not changed, but they often find the meaning has changed. Such an awakening prompts a reorganization of relationships, purpose, and identity,