I have heard many people share negative experiences when reaching out for professional help, and I have spent several years trying to figure it out. As a therapist myself for 13 years, I know professionals are generally doing their best. However, due to the tight psychological and biological bonds to family, some view family through a very narrow and subjective lens and thus, can’t meet … Continue reading Why are therapists getting it wrong when working with family dysfunction?

Unboxing video of my new book “Navigating Family Estrangement”. The book launch is in Hodges and Figgis (Dublin) on Wednesday July 3rd from 6pm…pop in an say hello if you are in the area. Links to purchase here: Amazon (US) – https://www.amazon.com/Navigating-Family-Estrangement-Karl-Melvin/dp/1032423064 Amazon (Ireland/UK) – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Family-Estrangement-Understand-Challenges/dp/1032423064 Amazon (Canada) – https://www.amazon.ca/Navigating-Family-Estrangement-Understand-Challenges/dp/1032423064 Amazon (Spain) – https://www.amazon.es/Navigating-Family-Estrangement-Understand-Challenges/dp/1032423064 Amazon (France) – https://www.amazon.fr/Navigating-Family-Estrangement-Karl-Melvin/dp/1032423064 Amazon (Germany) – https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Karl-Melvin/dp/1032423064 Continue reading My Book has arrived

It is understandable for estranged adults to not want to share their family issues with friends for a range of reasons. This includes feeling like they are betraying their family or burdening their friends. This video explores why having this difficult conversation is so hard but might be necessary to get the support estranged adults both need and deserve. Continue reading Are you afraid to share your family situation and estrangement with friends?

As Christmas is so synonymous with family time, those who have a difficult (or no) relationship with their family may also have to deal with uncomfortable questions around if they will be spend time with family during this period. My latest video discusses why these questions are so hard and how scripting basic responses can help deflect the situation and quickly move onto a different … Continue reading Difficult Family Questions over Christmas

Christmas can be fraught with challenges when living with ongoing family conflict and estrangement. The video below discusses the 5 the most common challenges, which include Guilt and Shame, Chronic Indecision, managing difficult family visits, etc. Finding practical solutions to these can very helpful in creating a sense of autonomy for my clients. Continue reading Common Challenges of Family Conflict and Estrangement over Christmas

As Christmas is so synonymous with family time, those who have a difficult (or no) relationship with their family may also have to deal with uncomfortable questions around if they will be spend time with family during this period. My latest video discusses why these questions are so hard and how scripting basic responses can help deflect the situation and quickly move onto a different … Continue reading Difficult Family Questions over Christmas

Many of my clients have reached out to me because they are at a point where they genuinely don’t know how to move forward. In some cases, they have no desire to reconnect or reconcile with estranged kin, but due to the bonds of family, there is a strong chance they will cross paths again at some point. In other cases, they desperately desire to … Continue reading Why Parking Family Struggles is Important

January can be a symbolic time for some to reflect on where they are now and where they would like to be in 12 months. However, for those struggling with family issues, such is the scale and impact of these that it can keep them feeling stuck in their heads and hearts, irrespective of the time of year. And this can then contaminate other areas … Continue reading Learning how to PARK Family Struggles – January Estrangement Clinic

Research, Publishing, and the Importance of Rejections My name is Karl Melvin, and I’m accredited with the IACP. As a therapist, early in my career, I came to specialize in working adults who were struggling with their family in various ways, to the point where the relationship had completely broken down. In 2016, I returned to college to do a Master’s in Counselling and Psychotherapy, … Continue reading My Journey to Estrangement Publishing