Estranged and Deranged

Episode 12 is one of our most important conversations yet.
For the first time, we’re joined by a father.
Joe shares what it’s like to be blindsided by estrangement after a completely normal lunch with his daughter. No warning. No argument. Just a text filled with words like “toxic” and “respect my boundaries.”
He hasn’t spoken to her since April 24, 2024.
In this episode, we talk about:
  • Being cut off without explanation
  • When one parent is estranged but the other still has contact
  • The strain on marriage when loyalty feels divided
  • Missing a grandchild you’ve never met
  • The first year of shock and grief
  • Whether begging for contact ever helps
  • What resilience really looks like
Research shows many adult children who go no contact are estranged from their fathers. Yet in our 10,000-member community, men make up only about 2 percent.
This episode matters.
If you are a parent navigating estrangement, you are not alone. We see you. We hear you. And we will continue giving parents a voice.
Visit estrangedandderanged.net for support resources and live event information.
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Creators and Guests

Host
Candi Morris
Candi is a mother who has experienced the devastating loss of an adult child and lives with the ongoing pain of adult child estrangement. These lived experiences deeply shape her voice and her work. She is the co-founder of Estranged and Deranged LLC, co-host of the Estranged and Deranged podcast, and author of When They Walk Away. Candi is passionate about giving estranged parents language, validation, and community-especially in the spaces where their grief is often misunderstood or dismissed.
Host
Christina Workman
Chris is a grief educator, writer, and speaker who supports parents navigating child loss and family estrangement—without sugarcoating or silencing. With over 35 years as a nurse and lived experience as a bereaved mother, stepmother, and grandmother, she brings both credibility and candor to conversations most people avoid.
Producer
Maranda Taylor
Maranda Taylor is a podcast producer, business strategist, and media visionary who helps turn powerful stories into platforms that grow. She specializes in shaping structure, messaging, and audience expansion while supporting hosts in sharing authentic, meaningful conversations. Behind the scenes, she blends strategy with heart to build shows that connect and make an impact.

What is Estranged and Deranged ?

Estranged and Deranged is the podcast for parents who were cut off, shut out, rewritten, and then told to “work on themselves.”
Hosted by Chris Workman and Candi Morris, we talk about adult child estrangement the way no one else will, blunt, honest, darkly funny, and done tiptoeing. We unpack grief, guilt, silence, therapy buzzwords used like weapons, and what it’s like to lose a child who’s still alive… and still blaming you.
This is not a redemption tour.
It’s not kid-bashing.
And it sure as hell isn’t about staying quiet to keep the peace.
It’s about reclaiming your voice, your sanity, and your life without apologizing for existing.
If you’ve been erased, labeled the problem, or told your pain doesn’t count because you’re “the parent”… welcome.
You’re not deranged.
You’re just done swallowing bullshit.