Rules of Estrangement

A compassionate and practical guide for parents navigating the pain of estrangement from an adult child, written by a psychologist who has lived through it himself. "A ray of hope." "A really helpful book for estranged parents." "I feel so much lighter after reading this book." "I've seen many parents and adult children grappling with these issues, and this is exactly the book they have all been waiting for." ~ Lori Gottlieb Has your adult child cut off contact with you? Are you struggling with feelings of grief, shame, guilt, confusion, or loss? Do you hope to rebuild the relationship but don't know where to begin? Parent-child estrangement is one of the most painful and isolating experiences a parent can face. Yet many estranged parents find themselves navigating this loss without support, understanding, or practical guidance. Too often, public discussions reduce estrangement to simplistic narratives, when the reality is usually far more complex. Drawing on more than forty years of clinical experience and his own journey through estrangement and reconciliation with his daughter, psychologist Dr Joshua Coleman offers parents a compassionate roadmap for understanding, healing, and, where possible, rebuilding relationships with their adult children. In Rules of Estrangement , Dr Coleman explores the emotional, relational, and cultural factors that contribute to family estrangement, offering practical strategies for navigating difficult conversations, repairing trust, responding constructively to criticism, and fostering healthier family relationships. You'll learn how to: Understand the complex causes of family estrangement Manage feelings of grief, shame, anger, and guilt See the situation from both the parent's and adult child's perspective Communicate more effectively during periods of conflict or distance Create opportunities for reconciliation and relationship repair Find acceptance and move forward when reconciliation is not possible Insightful, reassuring, and deeply compassionate, Rules of Estrangement provides the emotional support, practical tools, and renewed hope that estranged parents need to navigate one of life's most challenging family experiences.

A compassionate and practical guide for parents navigating the pain of estrangement from an adult child, written by a psychologist who has lived through it himself. "A ray of hope." "A really helpful book for estranged parents." "I feel so much lighter after reading this book." "I've seen many parents and adult children grappling with these issues, and this is exactly the book they have all been waiting for." ~ Lori Gottlieb Has your adult child cut off contact with you? Are you struggling with feelings of grief, shame, guilt, confusion, or loss? Do you hope to rebuild the relationship but don't know where to begin? Parent-child estrangement is one of the most painful and isolating experiences a parent can face. Yet many estranged parents find themselves navigating this loss without support, understanding, or practical guidance. Too often, public discussions reduce estrangement to simplistic narratives, when the reality is usually far more complex. Drawing on more than forty years of clinical experience and his own journey through estrangement and reconciliation with his daughter, psychologist Dr Joshua Coleman offers parents a compassionate roadmap for understanding, healing, and, where possible, rebuilding relationships with their adult children. In Rules of Estrangement , Dr Coleman explores the emotional, relational, and cultural factors that contribute to family estrangement, offering practical strategies for navigating difficult conversations, repairing trust, responding constructively to criticism, and fostering healthier family relationships. You'll learn how to: Understand the complex causes of family estrangement Manage feelings of grief, shame, anger, and guilt See the situation from both the parent's and adult child's perspective Communicate more effectively during periods of conflict or distance Create opportunities for reconciliation and relationship repair Find acceptance and move forward when reconciliation is not possible Insightful, reassuring, and deeply compassionate, Rules of Estrangement provides the emotional support, practical tools, and renewed hope that estranged parents need to navigate one of life's most challenging family experiences.

A guide for parents whose adult children have cut off contact that reveals the hidden logic of estrangement, explores its cultural causes, and offers practical advice for parents trying to reestablish contact with their adult children. "Finally, here's a hopeful, comprehensive, and compassionate guide to navigating one of the most painful experiences for parents and their adult children alike."--Lori Gottlieb, psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone Labeled a silent epidemic by a growing number of therapists and researchers, estrangement is one of the most disorienting and painful experiences of a parent's life. Popular opinion typically tells a one-sided story of parents who got what they deserved or overly entitled adult children who wrongly blame their parents. However, the reasons for estrangement are far more complex and varied. As a result of rising rates of individualism, an increasing cultural emphasis on happiness, growing economic insecurity, and a historically recent perception that parents are obstacles to personal growth, many parents find themselves forever shut out of the lives of their adult children and grandchildren. As a trusted psychologist whose own daughter cut off contact for several years and eventually reconciled, Dr. Joshua Coleman is uniquely qualified to guide parents in navigating these fraught interactions. He helps to alleviate the ongoing feelings of shame, hurt, guilt, and sorrow that commonly attend these dynamics. By placing estrangement into a cultural context, Dr. Coleman helps parents better understand the mindset of their adult children and teaches them how to implement the strategies for reconciliation and healing that he has seen work in his forty years of practice. Rules of Estrangement gives parents the language and the emotional tools to engage in meaningful conversation with their child, the framework to cultivate a healthy relationship moving forward, and the ability to move on if reconciliation is no longer possible. While estrangement is a complex and tender topic, Dr. Coleman's insightful approach is based on empathy and understanding for both the parent and the adult child.

A guide for parents whose adult children have cut off contact that reveals the hidden logic of estrangement, explores its cultural causes, and offers practical advice for parents trying to reestablish contact with their adult children. "Finally, here's a hopeful, comprehensive, and compassionate guide to navigating one of the most painful experiences for parents and their adult children alike."--Lori Gottlieb, psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone Labeled a silent epidemic by a growing number of therapists and researchers, estrangement is one of the most disorienting and painful experiences of a parent's life. Popular opinion typically tells a one-sided story of parents who got what they deserved or overly entitled adult children who wrongly blame their parents. However, the reasons for estrangement are far more complex and varied. As a result of rising rates of individualism, an increasing cultural emphasis on happiness, growing economic insecurity, and a historically recent perception that parents are obstacles to personal growth, many parents find themselves forever shut out of the lives of their adult children and grandchildren. As a trusted psychologist whose own daughter cut off contact for several years and eventually reconciled, Dr. Joshua Coleman is uniquely qualified to guide parents in navigating these fraught interactions. He helps to alleviate the ongoing feelings of shame, hurt, guilt, and sorrow that commonly attend these dynamics. By placing estrangement into a cultural context, Dr. Coleman helps parents better understand the mindset of their adult children and teaches them how to implement the strategies for reconciliation and healing that he has seen work in his forty years of practice. Rules of Estrangement gives parents the language and the emotional tools to engage in meaningful conversation with their child, the framework to cultivate a healthy relationship moving forward, and the ability to move on if reconciliation is no longer possible. While estrangement is a complex and tender topic, Dr. Coleman's insightful approach is based on empathy and understanding for both the parent and the adult child.