The Grief of Family Estrangement

Supporting adults and families navigating grief that doesn’t fit in tidy boxes.

Therapy in Georgia, Florida, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, South Carolina & Vermont

LET'S TALK

You are not “too much” for grieving what others don’t understand.

Grief doesn’t just happen after death…

  • It can come from a parent who never saw you.

  • A family that shut you out.

  • A childhood that never felt safe.

  • Or the version of yourself you had to leave behind just to survive.

If you’ve lost someone (or something) and don’t feel like you’re “allowed” to grieve it, I want you to know: you are not broken. You are grieving in a world that often doesn’t make space for your pain. I specialize in helping the high-achieving, heart-centered adults and families—especially Black families—process grief that is layered, nuanced, and often overlooked.

Ready to explore your grief with care and dignity?

LET'S TALK

You Might Be Navigating…

Loss of a parent, sibling, or caregiver

Estrangement or complicated family ties

Grieving someone who is still alive

Spiritual or cultural pressure to "move on"

Shame around how long it’s taking to “get over it”

Isolation in your grief—like no one gets the depth of what you’re carrying

Why Grief Often Triggers Old Attachment Wounds

When we experience grief, especially in the context of family or childhood, it often reactivates deep attachment wounds:

  • Feelings of emotional abandonment

  • Fear that our needs make us unlovable

  • Attempts to suppress or over-function through pain

  • Distrust that anyone can truly support us in our most vulnerable state

I work with clients to gently unearth these patterns and begin to form a secure, compassionate relationship with themselves—one that can hold grief without shame or shutdown. If you’re ready to move through grief with your nervous system—not against it: Let’s Talk

  • "This is the first time I felt like someone didn’t try to fix my grief. Miranda gave me the space to actually feel what I’ve been carrying for years."

    —Client in grief and estrangement therapy

What Makes My Approach Different

  1. Attachment-informed grief work: We explore how past emotional ruptures shape your ability to feel, grieve, and receive support

  2. Culturally grounded: I recognize the unique grief experiences of Black families and families of color—especially the silence, the strength expectations, and the spiritual layers

  3. Emotionally spacious: No timeline. No toxic positivity. Just presence, pacing, and attunement.

  4. Trauma-aware: We don’t retraumatize. We co-regulate, reframe, and reprocess with care.

Want to explore whether individual or family therapy is the best next step?

LET'S TALK

Grief & Attachment FAQs

  • Grief therapy is a focused form of support that helps you process loss—whether it's the death of a loved one, estrangement from family, or the pain of unmet childhood needs. While talk therapy may cover a range of issues, grief therapy holds space for sorrow, anger, and identity shifts in a way that’s paced and trauma-aware. In our work, grief is treated as relational—not something to “get over,” but something we learn to carry with more support and self-compassion.

  • Absolutely. Many of my clients are grieving relationships that were never safe, nurturing, or whole. We explore not just what was lost—but what was never given. If you’re navigating family estrangement, emotional cutoff, or complex loss, therapy can offer validation, language, and tools to move forward without shame.

  • Not at all. Your story unfolds at your pace. You’ll never be pushed to revisit something before your nervous system is ready. Our sessions center your emotional safety—and I’ll guide you in listening to your body’s cues with care.

  • Yes, on a case-by-case basis. I offer short-term family therapy for clients who want support navigating reconnection, caregiving roles, or boundary-setting with estranged loved ones. We’ll first meet individually to assess whether this is the right path for your situation.

  • Grief rarely exists in a vacuum. It often stirs up anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma. My approach weaves in attachment theory, trauma-informed care, and nervous system regulation, so we can hold the full picture of what you’re navigating—without rushing your healing process.

  • Yes. I facilitate a Grief Group specifically for women navigating family estrangement. It’s a supportive space to share your experience, connect with others who understand, and receive guidance grounded in attachment theory and emotional safety. This group is open to those estranged from a parent, sibling, or family system—especially when the loss feels unacknowledged or misunderstood.

    Learn More

Have more questions? Feel free to reach out or schedule a free consultation—I’d be happy to help.

LET'S TALK