What really causes estrangement between parents and children, and how can you prevent it, especially after divorce? In this episode of The Moving On Method, host Michelle Dempsey-Multack sits down with psychotherapist and author Whitney Goodman (aka @sitwithwit) to unpack the nuanced emotional dynamics that lead to parent-child estrangement. From parentification to narcissistic family systems, Michelle and Whitney explore what it takes to be the safe, emotionally attuned parent your child needs, particularly when co-parenting in a high-conflict situation. What You’ll Learn: Why estrangement is becoming more openly discussed, and what’s actually driving it How parentification harms children (even when well-intentioned) The critical difference between protecting vs. over-sharing with your child How to build emotional safety and connection during divorce or co-parenting What “parenting without a roadmap” really means, and how to do it with confidence Episode Highlights: 03:44 – Is estrangement really on the rise, or are we just talking about it more? 08:29 – The difference between abandonment and emotional cutoffs 13:52 – Why parents repeat unhealthy dynamics or swing too far in the other direction 19:41 – How to avoid parentifying your child during divorce 26:35 – “My child is my rock”: When closeness crosses emotional boundaries 31:18 – What to say when your child repeats something the other parent said 34:50 – Can you be a “safe parent” even if you can’t control the other home? 37:11 – Parenting through estrangement fears: What conscious parents need to hear Meet the Guest: Whitney Goodman, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and author of Toxic Positivity. Best known for her online presence as @sitwithwit, Whitney helps individuals navigate family estrangement, generational trauma, and emotionally mature parenting through her work at callinghome.co. Tools, Frameworks, and Concepts Mentioned: Parenting Without a Roadmap – Whitney’s emotional navigation model for parents without healthy templates Parentification – A breakdown of the emotional role-reversal between parent and child Narcissistic Family Systems – Traits and long-term impacts Emotional Maturity vs. Emotional Oversharing – Why kids need honesty with boundaries Safe and Stable Parent Model – A guiding principle for high-conflict parenting Closing Insight: "Bad parents don’t worry about being bad parents. Conscious ones do." Being afraid your child will resent you one day is a sign you’re already trying to parent with awareness. But trying isn’t enough; you need tools, insight, and support. Want to learn more? This in-depth and informative course from Michelle was created to address this topic: How to Safeguard Your Relationship With Your Children When You Have a High-Conflict Ex Spouse: https://community.momsmovingon.com/checkout/how-to-safeguard-your-relationship-with-your-children-when-you-have-a-high-conflict-ex-spouse-course Get one-on-one coaching from Michelle: https://michelledempsey.com/coaching/ Learn more about The Moving On Method® https://michelledempsey.com/shop-courses/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMichelleDempsey Website - https://michelledempsey.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/michelle645 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themichelledempsey1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mldempsey/ LINK TO TRANSCRIPT: https://transcripts/moving-on-method-ep257-parentification-estrangement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices