Family Estrangement in Therapy: 8 Things Clinicians Need to Understand with Karl Melvin. MA. MIACP | continuing education | family therapy | mental health

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Family estrangement is no longer a fringe issue. It's showing up more frequently in our therapy rooms, our culture, and even in mainstream media. But many clinicians were never formally trained to work with it.

In this episode, I'm joined by therapist, researcher, and author Karl Melvin to explore the clinical complexity of family estrangement and why it requires more nuance than simply labeling it "no contact" or "toxic family." We talk about estrangement as a continuum, the central role of rejection, the layered psychological and relational impacts, generational gaps, stigma, and what therapists may unintentionally miss when supporting clients navigating cutoffs or reconciliation attempts.

Karl shares insights from his research, his book, and years of clinical work, including how to think systemically, stay perspective-neutral, and manage your own family-of-origin bias as a therapist.

This conversation is also a preview of Karl's continuing education training now available inside my learning platform:

"8 Things Every Therapist Should Know About Family Estrangement."
This 1.5-hour NBCC-approved course gives you a structured, practical framework to confidently assess, conceptualize, and support clients experiencing estrangement without oversimplifying or pathologizing the experience.

If you're working with clients who are estranged from parents, adult children, siblings, or extended family or you want to feel more grounded when these cases arise, this episode will give you clarity. And the full training will give you the framework.

You can access the course and earn 1.5 contact hours here.

Learn more about his book, Navigating Family Estrangement, here.

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The Therapy Show with Lisa Mustard is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice. Always consult with your own healthcare provider regarding any personal health or medical conditions.