Adult children cutting off parents as some blame therapy for family estrangements

Some parents and researchers argue that therapy may sometimes contribute to adult children becoming estranged from their parents, by encouraging people to cut contact or by focusing too narrowly on one person’s account. The article also notes that therapy can help people communicate and repair relationships, and that ending contact may be warranted in cases of abuse.

A 2025 YouGov poll of 4,395 US adults found nearly four in 10 were estranged from at least one close family member, including 16% from a parent. In two surveys covering more than 5,200 estranged parents, 1,014 said their adult child began therapy in the year before the estrangement, while 515 said the child reported therapy influenced their decision. The surveys were not peer-reviewed or nationally representative and relied on parents’ accounts, so they cannot establish therapy’s role.