Family estrangement is a touchy topic, currently prominent in the zeitgeist. Celebrity family rifts are splattered across headlines daily; op-eds have labeled estrangement an “epidemic” and a “crisis”; and even Oprah recently explored the “rising trend” of going no contact on her podcast. The subject is rampant on social media too, pitting the so-called “Doormat Moms” against the proud #nocontact crowd, all mediated by a throng of Instagram-savvy therapists and influencers. Estrangement affects an enormous segment of the population. According to recent studies and surveys , between a quarter to a half of the population is estranged from at least one family member (it’s unclear whether these numbers are rising or simply have now become acknowledged). And for many estranged individuals, like me, our experience is far more nuanced than the current discourse might suggest.…