03478cam a2200325 4500 615092623 TxAuBib 20221201120000.0 200611s2021||||||||||||||||||||||||eng|u 2020026928 9780525561699 hardcover 0525561692 hardcover (OCoLC)1158502944 TxAuBib Chapman, Fern Schumer,. Brothers, sisters, strangers : sibling estrangement and the road to reconciliation / Fern Schumer Chapman. [New York, New York] : Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, [2021] 292 pages ; 24 cm. Includes bibliographical references. Introduction -- Estrangement. The challenges of sibling relationships ; Different types of estrangement ; The grief of estrangement ; Risk factors for sibling estrangement ; The stigma of estrangement ; The possibility of reconciliation -- Reconnection. Estrangement and self-esteem ; Social media and the estranged ; Reconnection and reestablishment of a sibling relationship ; Estrangement and mental illness or addiction ; Estrangement's ripple effect in the family ; A balance between the individual and the family -- Reconciliation. A limited relationship with a difficult sibling ; An irreparable sibling relationship ; The dreaded holidays for the estranged ; The benefits of reconciling with an estranged sibling ; Other remarkable reunions of estranged siblings ; A family reunion -- Epilogue. A warm, empathetic guide to understanding, coping with, and healing from the unique pain of sibling estrangement. "Whenever I tell people that I am working on a book about sibling estrangement, they sit up a little straighter and lean in, as if I've tapped into a dark secret." Fern Schumer Chapman understands the pain of sibling estrangement firsthand. For the better part of forty years, she had nearly no relationship with her only brother, despite many attempts at reconnection. Her grief and shame were devastating and isolating. But when she tried to turn to others for help, she found that a profound stigma still surrounded estrangement, and that very little statistical and psychological research existed to help her better understand the rift that had broken up her family. So she decided to conduct her own research, interviewing psychologists and estranged siblings as well as recording the extraordinary story of her own rift with her brother--and subsequent reconciliation. Brothers, Sisters, Strangers is the result--a thoughtfully researched memoir that illuminates both the author's own story and the greater phenomenon of estrangement. Chapman helps readers work through the challenges of rebuilding a sibling relationship that seems damaged beyond repair, as well as understand when estrangement is the best option. It is at once a detailed framework for understanding sibling estrangement, a beacon of solidarity and comfort for the estranged, and a moving memoir about family trauma, addiction, grief, and recovery-- Provided by publisher. 20221201. Chapman, Fern Schumer. Siblings. Siblings. Family relationships. Interpersonal relations. Alienation (Social psychology.) Family problems. Family and Relationships.