The Sibling Estrangement Journal

Chicago-based author Fern Schumer Chapman has written several award-winning books. Viking/Penguin released her most recent work, BROTHERS, SISTERS, STRANGERS: Sibling Estrangement and the Road to Reconciliation, in 2021. She writes a blog for psychologytoday.com, and some of her posts are compiled in her latest work, THE SIBLING ESTRANGEMENT JOURNAL: A Guided Exploration of Your Experiences through Writing. Her memoir, MOTHERLAND, is a popular choice for book clubs, and her YA works are read in middle and high schools. Twice, Oprah shows have featured her work.

A companion guide to Brothers, Sisters, Strangers to help you make peace with your sibling relationship.Sibling estrangement often carries profound hurt, grief, and a deep stigma. The loss of a brother or sister through estrangement can raise elemental doubts that ripple through a life, altering every family relationship, and an individual's identity, self-esteem, and ability to trust.More than just a writing journal, it offers a private, emotional outlet to understand and process the grief of sibling estrangement. Putting feelings into words brings relief. Research shows that writing from the heart for 20 minutes daily helps you make sense of your emotions and construct meaning from your experiences.In these 20 informative chapters and subsequent questions, you will discover your own truths and resilience by connecting the dots in your behavior that play out in your sibling relationship. By answering the questions in this journal-regardless of whether you are the shunner or the shunned- you will gain insights into toxic patterns of relating, rumination, and the risk factors for estrangement. You will learn how to endure the loss of a living family member.Here, you'll discover what you think by seeing what you write. Be honest; be brave. It won't always feel good, but you will feel better.