Where Parents Talk: Evidence-based Expert Advice on Raising Kids Today

Healing Estrangement: Reconnecting with Your Adult Child

Catherine Hickem · August 9, 2025

Author · Executive Coach · Life Coach · Leadership · Relationshipsin

Interview with Catherine Hickem

Healing Estrangement: Reconnecting with Your Adult Child — Catherine Hickem

Podcast: Where Parents Talk: Evidence-based Expert Advice on Raising Kids Today

August 9, 2025 · 33 min

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Healing Estrangement: Reconnecting with Your Adult Child

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Where Parents Talk: Evidence-based Expert Advice on Raising Kids Today

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Key topicsWhy Parents Must Grieve the Child They Imagined to Truly Love the One They HaveParents don’t just raise children-they raise dreams. When those dreams collide with reality, whether through career choices, identity shifts, or unexpected turns, unspoken grief often creeps in. Left unacknowledged, this grief can harden into distance, resentment, or even estrangement. Catherine explains why facing this loss is not only natural but essential: it clears the path for genuine acceptance, deeper love, and healthier adult relationships. Drawing from four decades as a psychotherapist and her own experience as a mother, she brings compassion and clarity to a family dynamic most people feel but rarely discuss-making her a rare and credible voice in helping parents move from disappointment to connection. From Parent to Partner-The Shift Most Families Fail to MakeThe hardest part of parenting isn’t the sleepless nights or teenage rebellion-it’s knowing when to step out of the authority role and step into partnership. Too many parents miss the moment when their child no longer needs direction, but respect. The result is tension, distance, or even estrangement. Catherine breaks down what this transition really requires: letting go of control, learning the art of listening, and showing up as a steady ally in adulthood. With four decades as a psychotherapist and her own lived experience as a mother, she offers a rare blend of candor and compassion that helps parents make the leap from managing their children’s lives to being invited into them. Why Expectations Are the Silent Killers of Parent-Adult Child ConnectionIt’s rarely the big blowups that fracture families-it’s the quiet weight of unspoken expectations. Holiday gatherings, milestone decisions, and even casual conversations often mask assumptions that leave adult children feeling unseen or judged. Over time, those invisible pressures can be more damaging than outright conflict, eroding trust and driving distance. Catherine explains why expectations must be named and dismantled before real connection can thrive, and how parents can trade silent judgment for honest dialogue and healthy boundaries. With decades as a psychotherapist and a mother who has navigated these very dynamics, she offers a candid roadmap for parents ready to stop sabotaging the very relationships they long to protect. View all topics →

About Catherine Hickem

Author, Psychotherapist & Founder of Parenting Adult Children Today

40+ years Licensed psychotherapy experienceThousands Parents guided2024 Founded Parenting Adult Children Today20 years Led The Dash Group

For over 40 years, Catherine Hickem has helped families and leaders navigate emotional complexity with clarity and purpose. A licensed clinical social worker, seasoned psychotherapist, and executive coach, Catherine has worked with thousands of parents and professionals alike—guiding them through seasons of conflict, change, and growth. Her career has spanned both private practice and corporate leadership, including two decades at the helm of The Dash Group, a consultancy focused on developing impactful leaders, healthy cultures, profitable outcomes.

Today, Catherine is leading a national conversation around one of the most overlooked family dynamics: the relationship between parents and their adult children. Despite how common this phase of life is, few resources exist to help parents navigate the transition from authority figure to trusted ally. Meanwhile, 26% of adults aged 18–40 are estranged from at least one parent, a data point that underscores the urgency of Catherine’s work.

Through her platform, Parenting Adult Children Today, she provides resources that are clear-eyed and compassionate, rooted in both clinical experience and personal story. Catherine speaks with empathy and credibility, as a professional who has seen these wounds play out in therapy rooms, and as a mother who has walked the path of reconnection and herself.

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About this episode

Estrangement between parents and adult children is more common than many realize — affecting an estimated 26% of adults aged 18 to 40. In this episode of theWhere Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino talks withCatherine Hickem, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, psychotherapist, founder of Parenting Adult Children, author and mom, about why these painful breakups happen and how to repair them.

Hickem emphasizes the importance of discipline and self-awareness in fostering healthy connections, while also addressing the emotional and mental health implications of estrangement.

The conversation unpackes the critical role of consent in relationships and the impact of bullying in these dynamics, encouraging parents to be proactive in their approach to rebuilding trust and understanding with their children.

Discover how modern pressures — from social media and device use to mental health challenges — can widen the communication gap, and what parents can do to rebuild trust, respect, and connection.

Key takeaways:

Why parent–adult child estrangement is on the riseHow hormonal changes and social media can impact family relationshipsThe role of self-awareness and healthy discipline in reconnectionAddressing consent, respect, and past hurts such as bullyingPractical strategies to bridge the generational divideHow to move forward with empathy, patience, and hope

Links referenced in this episode:

whereparentstalk.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

Parenting Adult Children Today

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Guest: Catherine Hickem