Key points

There is a lot of conversation about no contact or family estrangement being a recent trend or fad.

Many of these ideas minimize survivors’ experiences and mischaracterize what estrangement actually is.

In reality, many value family so much that they refuse to repeat harmful patterns and want to break the cycle.

Oprah recently hosted a powerful conversation on family estrangement and the choice to go no-contact. Shortly after, the New York Times ran a piece titled “Life Is Too Short to Fight With Your Family,” 1 which only amplified the public discussion.

Since then, I’ve noticed a wave of commentary—some helpful, but some unfortunately deeply misinformed. In my work with survivors of abusive, neglectful, or chronically unsafe families, I hear the same misconceptions ag

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