Fault Lines: Fractured Families and How to Mend Them

Families are complicated systems; they include a varying degree of personalities and are expected to get along. Some people try harder than others to make this happen, while others throw in the towel and decide it’s simpler if a person isn’t part of their life anymore. Dr. Pillemer conducted a nation-wide study on the effects of estrangement on individuals and families as a whole. The results are in Fault Lines: Fractured Families and How to Mend Them. Every aspect of separation is difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Dr. Pillemer offers many therapeutic approaches to estrangement that are proven effective. Dr. Pillemer scoured the country to find individuals who have been, currently are, or had been estranged from a family member; he tells their stories to not only prove his points but also, to show that those who can relate are not alone.
The information presented is thorough, well-researched, and well-said. It is beneficial that the first part of the book contains stories and advice on current estrangements but then finishes with stories of people who have since reconciled with advice. This book would be beneficial for therapists, individuals on either side of family estrangement, or those just interested in the topic. Just know you’re not alone, and there is hope.