When Should We Go No Contact with Our Families? (With Noelle Mering)

Experts say family estrangement is on the rise, even as abuse is not. But why? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with author Noelle Mering the findings of her book "No Contact: How a Seductive Ideology Broke Families and Friendships and How We Can Repair Them"

References and resources

Family estrangement on the rise: 

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/24/family-estrangement-children-parents-beckhams

Rates of abuse dropping: https://www.healio.com/news/psychiatry/20251120/incidence-of-child-maltreatment-declined-overall-in-us-from-2012-to-2023

Why do families get estranged? https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/01/why-parents-and-kids-get-estranged/617612/

Do we need more boundaries? https://www.ted.com/podcasts/how-to-be-a-better-human/set-boundaries-and-find-peace-w-nedra-glover-tawwab-transcript

Is calling family estrangement a trend offensive? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/phil-lane-msw-lcsw

Websites

The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: linktr.ee/josephholmes Noelle Mering: noellemering.com