Coaching Your Family Relationships: Help for Parents of Adult Children

Parenting Adult Children Today with Catherine Hickem

Catherine Hickem · February 3, 2026

Author · Executive Coach · Life Coach · Leadership · Relationshipsin

Interview with Catherine Hickem

Parenting Adult Children Today with Catherine Hickem

Podcast: Coaching Your Family Relationships: Help for Parents of Adult Children

February 3, 2026 · 44 min

Listen to Catherine Hickem on Coaching Your Family Relationships: Help for Parents of Adult Children.

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Parenting Adult Children Today with Catherine Hickem

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Coaching Your Family Relationships: Help for Parents of Adult Children

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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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Episode 206: Parenting Adult Children Today withCatherine Hickem

Are you parenting your adult children with the same mindset you had when they were little? It might be time for a shift.

In this powerful episode, I'm joined by Catherine Hickem, a licensed therapist and founder of Parenting Adult Children Today. We talk about the emotional journey of parenting grown kids and why so many families are experiencing estrangement and emotional disconnection.

Catherine brings decades of experience, both professional and personal, to this conversation. She shares her own heartfelt story of healing with her father, the powerful restoration that took place between them, and why she believes it’s never too late to repair a family relationship.

We cover:

Why parenting adult children requires a different mindset than parenting younger kidsHow unconscious expectations can damage connectionThe role of fear, disappointment, and emotional reactivity in estrangementWhat it really means to “do your own work” as a parentHow emotional maturity and self-awareness create safety for adult childrenPractical first steps for shifting how you show up in your relationshipsThis episode is packed with wisdom and hope. If you’ve ever felt like you “did your best, but your child still won’t talk to you,” or you’re asking, “why won’t my adult child talk to me?” this conversation will speak directly to your heart.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Catherine’s work at Parenting Adult Children TodayThe importance of emotional healing and growing self-awarenessThe idea that our success as parents isn’t how our children turn out, it’s how we show upThis is how you know if you need help with this…

You’re walking on eggshells around your adult childYou’re carrying guilt, fear, or confusion about what went wrongYou feel like your adult child is pulling away and you don’t know whyYou want to reconnect but don’t know where to startYou find yourself stuck in anxiety, reactivity, or resentmentClick Here to download the free guide: 5 Steps to Take Before Trying to Repair the Relationship with Your Adult Child

Tina Gosney is a Family Conflict Coach and parent educator. She works with parents of adult children.

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1. If your emotions are running the show and you need help stopping the spiral so that you can think clearly, calm your body, and respond from a steadier place, consider joining Reset to Connection. To see if this is a good fit for you: CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE

2. If you're ready to dive deeper and want community support along with private coaching, join Bridge to Connection. Set up a Connection Clarity Call with Tina to see if this is a good fit for you: CLICK HERE TO SET UP A CALL

3. To explore your private coaching options, let's talk: CLICK HERE

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Tina is certified in family relationships and a trauma-informed coach.

Visit tinagosney.com for more information on coaching services.

Guest: Catherine Hickem