Not on Speaking Terms: Clinical Strategies to Resolve Family and Friendship Cutoffs

Relationship breaks children from parents; friends from one another; between siblings are a common issue in therapy. Given the magnitude of the problem and the pain it causes, it is surprising that so little has been written to help clinicians understand the genesis of cutoffs, the complex dynamics involved in particular cutoffs, and how to undertake the delicate work of helping clients consider and work toward reconciliation. Not on Speaking Terms is designed to close this gap.

This book demonstrates how relationship rifts affect people in therapy, and how therapists can help. Organized around some of the most common issues that cause these cutoffs, such as jealousy, betrayal, abandonment, and miscommunication, it explores the prevalence and significance of these rifts, provides definitions, and presents case examples from literature and life.