Parents whose adult children have cut off contact wonder: How did this
happen? Where did I go wrong? What happened to my loving child? Over
time, holidays, birthdays, and even the birth of grandchildren may pass
in silence. Anguish may turn into anger. While time, in and of itself,
does not necessarily heal, actions do, and while every estrangement
includes situation-specific variables, there are practical, effective,
and universal techniques for understanding and healing these
not-uncommon breaches.
Psychotherapist Tina Gilbertson has developed these techniques and tools
over years of face-to-face and online work with parents, who have found
her strategies transformative and even life-changing. Gilbertson cuts
through the blame, shame, and guilt on both sides of the broken
relationship. Parents will feel heard and understood but also challenged
-- and guided -- to reclaim their role as "tone setter" and grow
psychologically. Exercises, examples, and sample scripts empower parents
who have felt powerless. Gilbertson shows that reconciliation is a
step-by-step process, but the effort is well worth it. It is never too
late to renew relations and experience better-than-ever bonds.