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Shopify.comaq slash special offer. Our families can be our biggest source of love and support,

but family members can also cause us grief, heartache, stress, and pain, sometimes more than almost anyone else

can. When that happens, we might feel we have no choice but to cut ties. Psychologists who study

family estrangement say that estrangement is far more common than many people realize. But stigma

around the topic can keep people from reaching out for the help they need to cope

with their family members, decide whether they want to reconcile, and figure out how to do it

if that's what they wish.

So how common is family estrangement? What are the most frequent reasons that it happens?

If you're estranged from a family member,

by your choice or theirs, how can you decide whether it makes sense to try to repair the relationship?

Can therapy be helpful? And if so, what should you look for in a therapist? Is there a difference

between estrangement between parents and children, between siblings, or between other family members?

And why does the stigma around estrangement persist?

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life.

I'm Kim Mills.

My guest today is Dr. Lucy Blake, a developmental psychologist and senior lecturer in psychology

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