In this special video, we reflect on Fern Schumer Chapman’s book Brothers, Sisters, Strangers: Sibling Estrangement and the Road to Reconciliation one year after its release. Fern shares her experience of estrangement from her brother, the heartbreak that shaped her journey, and what compelled her to write a book on sibling estrangement.

Released during the pandemic, the book faced early marketing challenges but has since reached a growing audience across print/ebook/audio formats. Fern describes how sharing her story encouraged others—many feeling shame and isolation—to acknowledge their own painful sibling cutoffs, and how the book affected her relationships with her brother and mother.

After its release, Psychology Today invited Fern to further explore sibling estrangement through blog posts. Brothers, Sisters ...