<h1 style="text-align: center;">Behind every family estrangement is a story of love, hurt, and boundaries</h1> <p>Dr. Ann Kelley is joined LIVE from Psychotherapy Networker with Dafna Lender, to explore the complex dynamics of parent-child estrangement. Focusing on the emotional and psychological impacts of cutting off family relationships, together they highlight the cultural influences that contribute to these estrangements, the therapeutic perspectives on navigating such situations, and the importance of empathy and boundaries in managing family dynamics. This conversation is about learning to hold both empathy and boundaries &#8211; understanding why someone might step away, and how to stay grounded and compassionate in the process. It’s an honest look at the<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-20247 alignright" src="https://therapistuncensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/family-estragnement-2-dafna-300x158.webp" alt="" width="249" height="131" /> heartbreak, the healing, and the hope that can emerge when families face difficult truths.</p> <h5><em><strong>Time Stamps for Navigating Family Estrangement: The Space Between Love &amp; Self-Protection with Dafna Lender (284)</strong></em></h5> <p>03:06 Understanding the impact of estrangement<br /> 05:58 Cultural influences on family cutoffs<br /> 09:14 Therapeutic perspectives on estrangement<br /> 17:54 Boundaries and the spectrum of estrangement<br /> 32:52 Navigating boundaries and self-protection<br /> 46:31 Finding meaning in senselessness<br /> 52:21 Exploring values in relationships</p> <h5><em><strong>About our Guest &#8211; Dafna Lender </strong></em></h5> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-20251 alignleft" src="https://therapistuncensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dafna-smiley-enlarged-Dafna-Lender-273x300.jpg" alt="" width="154" height="169" />Dafna is a family therapy expert and attachment specialist. Dafna is an international trainer and supervisor for practitioners who work with children and families. She is a certified trainer and supervisor/consultant in both Theraplay and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), as well as an EMDR therapist. Dafna’s expertise is drawn from 28 years of working with families in many settings: at-risk after school programs, therapeutic foster care, in-home crisis stabilization, residential care and private practice. Dafna is author of Integrative Attachment Family Therapy (2023) and the co-author of Theraplay the Practitioner’s Guide (2020). She teaches and supervises clinicians in 15 countries in 4 languages: English, Hebrew, French and Spanish.</p> <h5><em><strong>Resources for Navigating Family Estrangement: The Space Between Love &amp; Self-Protection with Dafna Lender (284)</strong></em></h5> <p><a href="https://www.dafnalender.com/">Dafna&#8217;s website</a> &#8211; Resources, courses &amp; additional information</p> <p><a href="https://www.pesi.com/item/integrative-attachment-family-therapy-121812?utm_term=&amp;utm_campaign=US+%7C+BH+%7C+NB+%7C+N/A+%7C+Dynamic+%7C+Performance+Max+%7C+US+%7C+RET&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;hsa_acc=7268932594&amp;hsa_cam=20947151930&amp;hsa_grp=&amp;hsa_ad=&amp;hsa_src=x&amp;hsa_tgt=&amp;hsa_kw=&amp;hsa_mt=&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20947152890&amp;gbraid=0AAAAABu1_nwBDP1JjhzasgW_DQ-uo-ikW&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPzHBhDCARIsALlWNG0ZgjEkqUrQys-T9mYSzcGtgP1Bl_3sgt_eNYtBWibovu_itbGPZxcaArhjEALw_wcB"><em>Integrative Attachment Family Therapy: A Clinical Guide to Heal and Strengthen the Parent-Child Relationship through Play, Co-regulation, and Meaning-Making</em></a> &#8211; Get your copy of her paperback</p> <div class="Qr7Oae" role="listitem"> <div class="OxAavc NVbRL" data-item-id="1599771571"> <div class="Ih4Dzb"> <div class="q4tvle JqSWld yqQS1" tabindex="0" role="textbox" aria-label="We will publish show notes that include any books, important references, and links you suggest. Are there any specific ones you want to be listed for this episode?" aria-disabled="true"><a href="https://www.dafnalender.com/resources/theraplay-the-practitioners-guide"><em>Theraplay the Practitioners Guide</em></a> &#8211; The definitive guide to Theraplay® for practitioners, officially endorsed by the Theraplay® Institute</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="Qr7Oae" role="listitem"> <div class="OxAavc NVbRL" data-item-id="760207585"> <div class="pYfr3c"> <div class="prOLdf"> <div class="g53bl"> <div class="cTDvob D1wxyf RjsPE" role="heading" aria-level="3" aria-describedby="i.desc.760207585"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <hr /> <h3><strong><a href="http://therapistuncensored.com/bas"><span style="color: #800080;">Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!  </span></a></strong></h3> <p>Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-19737 alignleft" src="https://therapistuncensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Course-Logo-Options-Thumbnails-300x300.png" alt="" width="163" height="163" /> who you are and how you connect with others.</p> <p>Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&amp;A&#8217;s &#8211; Next one is November 14th!</p> <p><strong>Earn 6 Continuing Education</strong> Credits – Available at Checkout</p> <p>As a listener of this podcast, <strong>use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount</strong>.</p> <hr /> <p><a href="http://therapistuncensored.com/join"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-19612 " src="https://therapistuncensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/join-our-premium-platforms-1-2-300x113.png" alt="" width="446" height="168" /></a><a href="http://securerelatingbook.com/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-17401" src="https://therapistuncensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SecureRelating-NextBigIdea-1-236x300.png" sizes="(max-width: 94px) 100vw, 94px" srcset="https://therapistuncensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SecureRelating-NextBigIdea-1-236x300.png 236w, https://therapistuncensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SecureRelating-NextBigIdea-1.png 471w" alt="" width="94" height="119" /></a></p> <h4><span style="color: #008000;"><a style="color: #008000;" href="http://securerelatingbook.com/">Get your copy of Secure Relating here!!</a></span></h4> <h4 data-wp-editing="1"><strong>You are invited! </strong></h4> <h4 data-wp-editing="1">Join our exclusive community to get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus an ad-free, private feed. 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