Estranged
A Workshop For People Who Are Estranged Or Distant From A Parent Or Caregiver
No contact, Low contact? We get it. You belong here.
Explore your most beautiful life in a supportive group.
First you were mistreated. THEN your family has denied or minimized that mistreatment.
On top of that, culture tells you that you should forgive, get along, or just be quiet.
Even well meaning people say things that make you feel like YOU are the problem:
“Oh everyone has trouble with their parents.”
“Shouldn’t you be over that by now?”
“I’m sure they did their best.”
Lots of folks who create distance with a parent or caregiver struggle with self-doubt or self-blame.
We wonder if we are overreacting. Some of us struggle with guilt about hurting our parent. We wonder if what happened to us is really harmful enough to warrant this distance. And maybe we miss our parent, or maybe we don’t. It’s painful either way.
Sometimes we believe that we are being “too difficult”, or that we are the problem.
We hear that going no-contact is a trend that came from TikTok.
(It’s not.)
If you find yourself experiencing these painful thoughts, please take a breath.
These thoughts and feelings are SO common for folks who have been mistreated over a long period of time by a parent or caregiver who does not take responsibility or engage in their own healing.
SO many brave and amazing adults are estranged or disengaged from a parent or caregiver, and too many of us feel ashamed, isolated, or confused about this experience.
This workshop will help you feel less alone and more understood. Even if you don’t sign up for this workshop, I want you to know there are SO many people who have been there. You are NOT alone.
You are not the problem.
You deserve to live in your truth.
You deserve to choose who you are in relationship with.
You deserve to be free.
In this workshop we will explore ways to continue to build your most beautiful life as a person who is estranged or disengaged from a parent or caregiver.
I’ll share what has helped me and many others.
Sign up and I’ll notify you when the next workshop is coming up!
“Everything about the workshop felt supportive to me, however the aspect of the workshop that really stood out was the tool of introspective inquiry to connect with my “inner girl”. I had been experiencing a lot of strong feelings that previously felt incongruent to my full adult awareness. This practice was exceptionally helpful and so insightful.”
We will explore:
Identifying your right spot on the distance continuum, which can change over time
Tuning into your nervous system and listening to your body to create more safety
Listening to the parts of yourself that may have been pushed aside so that you can heal
Identifying and celebrating YOUR relationship values and boundaries
The workshop includes learning concepts from Annie, reflection time, and group discussion. We may also split into optional smaller breakout groups.
Who’s Annie?
I am estranged from a parent. If you speak diagnoses, I’ve got Complex PTSD.
I’m a white, queer, neurodivergent person, a parent to 2 kids who are teens and older, and I’ve got earned secure attachment with my partner and a few close friends/chosen family.
I have a masters in clinical psychology, and was a licensed psychotherapist for about 20 years. Now I’m a healer working outside of the medical model, helping people heal from trauma and stuck, painful emotions.
The process and information I share in this workshop come from my learning from healers, thinkers and authors including EbonyJanice Moore, Thea Monyée, Clementine Morrigan, Irene Morning, bell hooks, Prentis Hemphill, Richard Schwartz, Sonya Renee Taylor and SJ Kahn.
Frequent Questions:
Do I need to identify as a trauma survivor to attend this workshop?
Nope. If you have needed to disengage or create distant from your parent or caregiver in order to live your most beautiful life, you belong here. You do not need to justify why you need space from them and you don’t need to identify in a particular way.
Is it OK to attend if I’m still in some contact with the parent or caregiver in question?
Yes. There is a spectrum of how much distance is right for each relationship. You will never need to justify your needs and choices in this space. There is no expectation that you need to make a particular choice to be welcome here, and your choices might change over time.
Should I attend if my parent was the one who cut off contact with me?
This workshop is designed for folks who had some choice in decreasing contact with their parent or caregiver. Some folks attend where there has been disengagement on both sides.
Will the workshop be recorded?
Yes. The workshop will be recorded and the recording will be shared only with the folks who registered.
Do I have to share my story?
Nope. We will not be sharing our entire stories in depth or detail. Some folks will choose to share parts of their stories and others won’t.
Can I attend if I’m not in therapy?
Yes. This workshop can be a great addition to ongoing therapy or other healing, but therapy is not a requirement.
Can I attend and stay quiet?
Yes. There will be some space for questions and discussion, but if you decide to stay quiet, that will be welcome too. You will be asked to share and you’ll be free to pass.
Can I work with you 1:1 instead or in addition to this workshop?
Yes. To work with me individually, start here.
What this isn’t:
This workshop is not therapy. Annie is NOT a licensed psychotherapist.
There is no support provided outside of the workshop.
If you’d like to see if Annie is a good fit for you for healing sessions, check that out here.
I do encourage you to set up support for yourself after the workshop because a lot of stuff might come up and you deserve support! After the workshop, you might plan to spend time with a person you trust, have someone you trust on call, or even watch your favorite show while you wrap yourself up in a blanket.