blog

Nov 20 2023

15 Tips for the Estranged to Cope with the Holidays

How to navigate negative emotions, seasonal hype, and family events.
Nov 4 2023

Why Black Families Feel Intensely the Stigma of Estrangement

Chimére L. Sweeney, an advocate for Black women and founder of The Black Long Covid Experience, explains why Blacks may not want to admit they have estranged relatives -- especially to whites.
Nov 3 2023

Huff Post features FSC in article about sibling rivalry

Here's how to mend a sibling rivalry that's lasted into adulthood.
Oct 10 2023

New study finds half of LGBTQ are estranged from family

"When I came out to my parents, the rejection hit me so badly I could barely get out of bed most mornings in college..."

Can narcissism be identified in children?

  "Once you see it," one woman says, "you can't unsee it."   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brothers-sisters-strangers/202309/can-narcissism-be-identified-in-children     photo credit: Ibrahem Bana

My mother’s German synagogues today…

  In my mother’s town, Stockstadt am Rhein, two Jewish families had lived among 2,000 people for centuries. On the Sabbath, my 98-year-old mother remembers that her family walked to synagogues in Biebesheim or Erfelden to worship with other Jews who lived in towns along the Rhein River. Decades after the Holocaust, all that remains of Jewish life in these two towns are the synagogue buildings. In 1988, fifty years ...

Five Ways the Sibling Dynamic Reappears in Adult Relationships

Sibling therapist Karen Gail Lewis, Ph.D. explains how the sibling dynamic can appear in partner relationships, friendships, even co-worker interactions. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brothers-sisters-strangers/202309/5-ways-the-sibling-dynamic-reappears-in-adult-relationships  

Can family members reconcile without discussing their issues?

There are no hard and fast rules on how to reconcile after estrangement. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brothers-sisters-strangers/202308/can-family-members-reconcile-without-discussing-their-issues

How to reconcile with an estranged family member

Last month, I examined the idea of going no contact. This month's post explores what it takes to reconcile with a family member: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/brothers-sisters-strangers/202307/how-to-reconcile-with-an-estranged-family-member?fbclid=IwAR3dpCxvI4pETq2nb0ItKYfw8ckZ194dU8dOtiZ9HUDNQdbuKDYhvTutIE4

How to Explain Family Estrangement to Your Children

New psychologytoday.com blog post: When relatives cut ties, children suffer. Here's how to help them understand. KEY POINTS One in four Americans are estranged from a close family member, according to a national survey. Children, who have no control over family relations, can be devastated by family losses due to estrangements. When children witness a cutoff, they often fear their parents might abandon them; they may need reassurance.