Estrangement from an adult child is one of the most painful experiences a parent can face, filled with a litany of unanswered questions like, “should I reach out?”. This week on All Together: The Family Science Insights Podcast, host Marie Stella interviews psychotherapist and estrangement specialist Tina Gilbertson, LPC to answer this question, and find out what makes for a successful reconnection.

Specializing in supporting parents of estranged adult children, Tina Gilbertson, LPC is the founder of the Reconnection Club, an online resource for parents of estranged adult children. With a master’s degree in counseling psychology, Tina Gilbertson, LPC is licensed as an LPC in Colorado and Oregon, and is also a Board-Certified Telemental Health Provider, offering online therapy to clients in both states, as well as training and consulting globally.

In this episode, Tina Gilbertson, LPC sheds light on how estrangement affects both the parents and children directly involved, as well as the family unit as a whole. Additionally, she addresses some common misconceptions about estrangement, both on the parents’ and children’s end, offering advice to those who are struggling with estrangement.

Together, Marie and Tina Gilbertson, LPC weigh up various habits that may be effective in finding peace, managing grief, and maintaining reconnection. So, tune in to this episode for evidence-based insights and expert advice on navigating estrangement!

Follow Tina Gilbertson, LPC’s work via the following links: Reconnection Club: https://reconnectionclub.com Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/constructive-wallowing/201407/6-tips-setting-better-boundaries Website: https://tinagilbertson.com/about/

Produced by the Family Science Labs, a division of LMSL, the Life Management Science Labs.

Explore LMSL at https://lifemanagementsciencelabs.com/ and visit http://fa.lmsl.net/ for additional information about Family Science Labs.

Follow us on social media to stay updated: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@familysciencelabs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/family.science.labs.1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/family.science.labs/ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/showcase/familysciencelabs/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaScienceLabs/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@family.science.labs/

You can also subscribe and listen to our podcasts on your preferred podcasting platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-together-the-family-science-insights-podcast/id1648226863 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KsAHQ9cboyvEwXq2oNGXF Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/97921230-f6e8-4e0b-aaf6-57475fa796d7/all-together-the-family-science-insights-podcast iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/102676509 Podbean: https://familyscienceinsights.podbean.com/ PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/3401811 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/all-together-the-family-scienc-4903181

In this episode of All Together, we dive into the topic of grandparenting, discovering why grandparents are important in a child’s life and how we can better connect with them and value them in our families. Joining host Sarah Stancombe in this topic is Dr. Freiberg, who publishes under J.W. Freiberg, J.D., Ph.D.

J.W. Freiberg, J.D., Ph.D. studies chronic loneliness through the lens of a social psychologist turned lawyer. He is the author of Surrounded by Others and Yet So Alone: A Lawyer’s Case Stories of Love, Loneliness, and Litigation, which explores chronic loneliness through case stories mined from his three decades as an attorney. J.W. Freiberg, J.D., Ph.D. is also the author of Four Seasons of Loneliness, and the editor of Growing Up Lonely, papers collected from the 2018 Symposium on Childhood Loneliness at The Kennedy Center in Boston. He is a member of the Massachusetts state bar and the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

In this episode, J.W. Freiberg, J.D., Ph.D. explains the role of the grandparent - someone who unconditionally loves a child, and is an important relation in the family, but often less stern than the parent. This role can be extremely important in times of complex family situations, and is vital to the grandchild for understanding the families cultural roots and family traditions.

Together, Sarah and J.W. Freiberg, J.D., Ph.D. discuss questions from the internet about including grandparents more or less in the lives of grandchildren depending on the parents wishes. J.W. Freiberg, J.D., Ph.D. suggests a strategic approach to involving the grandparents in the grandchild’s life, if some planning is necessary.

Connect with J.W. Freiberg, J.D., Ph.D. via his website: https://thelonelinessbooks.com/

Click on the ‘articles’ page to view an article based on the podcast conversation. View Dr. Freiberg’s book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Books-J-W-Freiberg/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AJ.%2BW.%2BFreiberg

Produced by the Family Science Labs, a division of LMSL, the Life Management Science Labs.

Explore LMSL at https://lifemanagementsciencelabs.com/ and visit http://fa.lmsl.net/ for additional information about Family Science Labs.

Follow us on social media to stay updated: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@familysciencelabs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/family.science.labs.1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/family.science.labs/ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/showcase/familysciencelabs/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaScienceLabs/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@family.science.labs/

You can also subscribe and listen to our podcasts on your preferred podcasting platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-together-the-family-science-insights-podcast/id1648226863 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KsAHQ9cboyvEwXq2oNGXF Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/97921230-f6e8-4e0b-aaf6-57475fa796d7/all-together-the-family-science-insights-podcast iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/102676509 Podbean: https://familyscienceinsights.podbean.com/ PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/3401811 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/all-together-the-family-scienc-4903181

In this episode of All Together, host Sarah Stancombe is joined by expert Kurt Ela, Psy.D. to discuss the role of grandparents in the family, their impact on grandchildren, and their relationship with parents.

Kurt Ela, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He works with patients throughout the life cycle, with an emphasis on child and adolescent therapy as well as parenting and grandparenting. He has been awarded the Department’s Psychotherapy Supervisor of The Year Award, The Wellness Coach Recognition Award, and The William Licamele, M.D. Distinguished Seminar Teacher Award. Kurt received his BA from Amherst College and his doctorate from The George Washington University. He completed his internship at the University of Pennsylvania where he worked with pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients. In this episode, Kurt Ela, Psy.D. explains how a grandparent can take on many different roles in families - everything from someone distant, someone fun, a babysitter, to even a surrogate parent. Some grandparents struggle with distance, and this is where technology can help to ensure their involvement in the family. On the other hand, some parents may consider grandparents to be overbearing. Kurt Ela, Psy.D. advises open communication between parents and grandparents to ensure boundaries and expectations regarding caring for the grandchildren are clear. Together, Sarah and Kurt Ela, Psy.D. explore how to be better grandparents. Grandparents can be a light in the darkness when families go through hardship, especially if they foster a safe and familiar environment, where their home has structure, routine, and safe, familiar faces. By listening to what their grandchildren need and enjoy, grandparents can be a positive influence on their lives.

Connect with Kurt Ela, Psy.D. via the follow platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-ela-36339289/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkurtela/ Follow Kurt Ela, Psy.D.’s work via his website: www.decadeofchildhood.com

Produced by the Family Science Labs, a division of LMSL, the Life Management Science Labs.

Explore LMSL at https://lifemanagementsciencelabs.com/ and visit http://fa.lmsl.net/ for additional information about Family Science Labs.

Follow us on social media to stay updated: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@familysciencelabs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/family.science.labs.1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/family.science.labs/ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/showcase/familysciencelabs/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaScienceLabs/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@family.science.labs/

You can also subscribe and listen to our podcasts on your preferred podcasting platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-together-the-family-science-insights-podcast/id1648226863 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KsAHQ9cboyvEwXq2oNGXF Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/97921230-f6e8-4e0b-aaf6-57475fa796d7/all-together-the-family-science-insights-podcast iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/102676509 Podbean: https://familyscienceinsights.podbean.com/ PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/3401811 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/all-together-the-family-scienc-4903181