Repeated conflict
The same arguments return, despite efforts to communicate differently.
Online therapy across the UK
Therapy for parents and adult children
When a once-close family relationship becomes tense, distant or cut off, it can affect every part of life. Therapy offers a calm place to understand what has happened and consider a healthier way forward.
Work together or attend individually · Online sessions · No pressure to reconcile
When relationships change
Love and hurt can exist together.
The relationship between a parent and an adult child changes over time. Expectations, independence, partners, grandchildren, caring responsibilities and old family patterns can all affect how you relate to one another.
Conversations may become defensive or stop completely. You may feel rejected, misunderstood, guilty, angry or unsure whether contact is possible. Therapy is not about deciding who is to blame. It creates space to understand the relationship more clearly.
Reasons people seek support
You do not have to wait until the relationship reaches breaking point.
Online therapy for parents and adult children may be helpful when you are experiencing:
Emotional distance
Contact feels strained, limited or very different from how it once felt.
Changing boundaries
Independence, family roles or expectations have become difficult to negotiate.
Estrangement
Contact has reduced or stopped, leaving grief, uncertainty or unresolved feelings.
Life transitions
A new partner, parenthood, illness, bereavement or caring role has changed the relationship.
Different perspectives
You remember events differently and struggle to feel heard or understood.
How therapy may help
A space for understanding, boundaries and choice.
Reconciliation is not the only goal.The work will respect each person’s circumstances, safety, boundaries and choices.
- Recognise patterns that keep conversations stuck
- Understand your own feelings, needs and responses more clearly
- Communicate difficult experiences with greater steadiness
- Consider boundaries that protect wellbeing and dignity
- Make sense of grief, anger, guilt or rejection
- Explore whether repair, different contact or acceptance feels appropriate
Ways of working
You can attend together—or begin on your own.
Therapy does not require both family members to be ready at the same time.
Individual support
A parent or adult child can attend alone to understand the relationship, strengthen boundaries and consider their choices.
Sessions together
A parent and adult child may attend together when both wish to explore communication, understanding or repair.
A considered beginning
The initial assessment helps us discuss what is happening and whether individual or joint work may be suitable.
Your therapist
Professional support, grounded in compassion.
I’m Diana Simpson, a BACP-accredited registered therapist with an MSc in Psychology. I offer a non-judgmental space where family experiences can be explored without forcing a particular outcome or assigning blame.
Common questions
Before you begin
Can I attend without my parent or adult child?
Yes. Individual therapy can help you understand the relationship, work with difficult feelings, strengthen boundaries and consider your choices even when the other person does not attend.
Will therapy pressure us to reconcile?
No. Therapy does not assume that reconciliation is always possible or appropriate. The work may involve repair, different communication, clearer boundaries, acceptance or deciding what form of contact feels safe and healthy.
Can we attend from different locations?
Yes. Online sessions can allow a parent and adult child to join from separate private locations when this is agreed as suitable.
What happens in the initial assessment?
We discuss what has brought you to therapy, what you hope may change and whether the way I work is appropriate for your needs. You can also ask practical questions before deciding on further sessions.
Do I have to book a free call first?
No. If you feel ready, you can book an initial assessment directly. The free 15-minute call remains available if you would prefer to ask questions first.
Your next step
Begin when you feel ready.
Book an initial assessment to start exploring what is happening, or choose a free 15-minute call if you would like a brief conversation first.