Episode 12 is one of our most important conversations yet.

For the first time, we’re joined by a father.

Joe shares what it’s like to be blindsided by estrangement after a completely normal lunch with his daughter. No warning. No argument. Just a text filled with words like “toxic” and “respect my boundaries.”

He hasn’t spoken to her since April 24, 2024.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Being cut off without explanation
• When one parent is estranged but the other still has contact
• The strain on marriage when loyalty feels divided
• Missing a grandchild you’ve never met
• The first year of shock and grief
• Whether begging for contact ever helps
• What resilience really looks like

Research shows many adult children who go no contact are estranged from their fathers. Yet in our 10,000-member community, men make up only about 2 percent.

This episode matters.

If you are a parent navigating estrangement, you are not alone. We see you. We hear you. And we will continue giving parents a voice.

Visit estrangedandderanged.net for support resources and live event information.

It makes you feel small.
It makes you feel desperate.
It makes you question your dignity.

So why do estranged parents keep doing it?

In Episode 11 of Estranged & Deranged, Chris and Candi take on one of the most painful and misunderstood phases of parental estrangement: begging.

The texts that go unanswered.
The emails sent into silence.
The apologies for everything.
The panic that says, “Fix this before you lose them forever.”

This is not a conversation about weakness. It is a conversation about survival mode.

When attachment is threatened, the nervous system reacts. Begging can become an attempt to restore connection, reduce uncertainty, and quiet the fear of permanent loss. But what happens when the reaching out only deepens the hurt?

In this episode, we discuss:

• The psychology behind begging
• Why being “left on read” keeps parents stuck
• The emotional cost of shrinking yourself
• Power dynamics in estrangement
• When begging delays acceptance
• What it feels like to finally stop

This is real talk from lived experience. No sugarcoating. No professional titles. Just two women having the conversations most people avoid.

If you are an estranged parent struggling with when to stop reaching out, this episode is for you.

You cannot spend the next decade on your knees trying to prevent a possibility. If they come back, you want to meet them standing up.

Website: https://estrangedandderanged.net
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/EstrangedandDeranged

Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Parental estrangement is more common than people realize — but the moment you say the word “estranged,” the room goes quiet.

In Episode 10 of Estranged and Deranged, we talk about what really happens when estrangement enters everyday conversations. The silence. The judgment. The forced optimism. The comments that try to minimize something deeply painful.

We also respond to this week’s “Comment of the Week,” where accusations of “not taking accountability” surface yet again — something many estranged parents hear regularly.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why people get uncomfortable when estrangement is mentioned
• The stigma around estranged parents
• Being accused of seeking sympathy
• The emotional impact of phrases like “They’ll come around”
• Why “At least they’re alive” doesn’t land the way people think it does
• How estrangement affects grandparents and extended family
• Why silence doesn’t heal family estrangement

If you are navigating estrangement from an adult child and feel misunderstood, judged, or minimized, this conversation is for you.

You are not alone.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome + Episode 10
02:00 Comment of the Week: “Take Accountability”
07:30 Accused of Seeking Sympathy
12:00 When Estrangement Enters the Room
18:00 Grief vs. Estrangement
24:00 Real-Life Social Reactions
31:00 “They’ll Come Around”
35:00 “At Least They’re Alive”
39:00 Judgment, Pity & Discomfort
43:00 Why We Refuse to Stay Silent
48:00 Support for Estranged Parents + Closing

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https://estrangedandderanged.net

📚 Books on estrangement and grief are available directly on our website.

🤝 Join our private Facebook support group:
When They Walk Away – A Support Group for Estranged Parents

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