The Reconciled Relationships Podcast

The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy, family, and togetherness. But when your adult child isn't speaking to you, Thanksgiving and Christmas can feel like some of the loneliest days of the year.

How do you get through the holidays when there's an empty chair at the table? When everyone else is celebrating, but you're just trying to survive?

In this episode of The Sally Harris Show, Sally answers a heartfelt question from a mom struggling with exactly that. Having experienced 10 Christmases without her own daughter, Sally understands the grief, uncertainty, and heartbreak that can come with family estrangement during the holidays.

She shares practical encouragement to help you prepare emotionally, navigate difficult family gatherings, decide whether to change traditions, and find the support you need when the holidays feel overwhelming.

You'll hear why it's okay to do things differently this year, how to handle uncomfortable questions from family members, and why your peace doesn't have to depend on whether your adult child comes home for Christmas.

You can miss your child, grieve what isn't, and still give yourself permission to experience moments of peace and joy.

In this episode: - The last Christmas without Sally's daughter - How to survive the holidays without your child - Planning ahead for the hardest days - Finding your person: building holiday support - Handling uncomfortable family questions - Giving yourself permission to change traditions - When Christmas doesn't feel the same - You can be okay even if they're not - Finding hope through the holidays

❤️ Need extra support this holiday season? Sally's 6-week Breakthrough Accelerator begins November 2nd! This intimate small-group coaching experience is limited to just 6 moms and is designed to help you move forward with faith, healing, and renewed strength. You'll have support through Thanksgiving and into the Christmas season. 👉 Learn more and apply here: https://www.sally-harris.com/BreakthroughAccelerator?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=accelerator&utm_content=holidays-empty-chair

Remember, December 25th may be hard, but December 26th is a new day. There is still hope.

Not sure where you are in your healing journey? Take Sally's free EmpowerMom Quiz: https://www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=quiz&utm_content=holidays-empty-chair

Free guides: https://www.sally-harris.com/free-guides From Struggle to Strength self-study course: https://www.sally-harris.com/self-study Mini courses: https://www.sally-harris.com/mini-courses

About Sally Sally Harris is a Christian coach for moms of estranged, disrespectful, or distant adult children. After a 10-year journey with her own daughter, and the reconciliation God brought, Sally helps moms find peace, get their voice back, and hold on to hope rooted in faith.

🙏 Know a mom who needs this today? Send her this episode. She may be listening alone tonight.

If this episode encouraged you, please follow the show and leave a rating and review. It helps other moms find hope too.

Connect with Sally Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris Website: https://www.sally-harris.com

Ready to stop putting your life on hold? The Breakthrough Accelerator is a six-week, small-group coaching experience for just SIX moms.

Apply here: https://www.sally-harris.com/BreakthroughAccelerator?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=accelerator&utm_content=didnt-tell-me

Why did your adult child cut you off without telling you what was wrong? Maybe you've replayed every conversation, every holiday, every text, wondering what you missed. You would have listened. You would have tried to make things right. But what if your adult child believes they already told you?

In this episode, I talk about why adult children sometimes choose silence instead of communication, the signs we may have missed, and what you can do when reconciliation feels impossible. After walking through a 10-year estrangement with my own daughter, I've learned this: your life cannot wait for that phone call. You can begin healing, strengthening your boundaries, and finding peace right now, and that work can prepare you for real connection in the future.

Just like the father of the prodigal son, you can keep your heart open while continuing to live your life. God is still at work, even when you can't see it.

My next Breakthrough Accelerator begins November 2, limited to six moms ready to make meaningful progress in their emotional well-being, marriage, health, boundaries, or patterns of enabling. Apply here: https://www.sally-harris.com/BreakthroughAccelerator?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=accelerator&utm_content=didnt-tell-me

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

EMPOWER MOM QUIZ: https://www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=quiz&utm_content=didnt-tell-me

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/ FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

If you're feeling ready for support and want to learn more about working together, start with a short application for a Heart-to-Heart Consultation: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=consult&utm_content=criticizes-everything

Does it feel like your adult child criticizes everything you do? Your tone. Your advice. The way you parented. Sometimes it can feel like even the way you exist is somehow wrong.

But not every harsh word your adult child says is the truth about you.

In this episode, I talk about what may be underneath all that criticism, and why sometimes we're so focused on the words that we miss the music underneath them. We'll look at the difference between healthy accountability and taking responsibility for someone else's emotions, why adult children may project their struggles onto Mom, and how to respond calmly without over-explaining, chasing their approval, or allowing disrespect.

You do not need to audition for your adult child's respect. You can love your son or daughter without absorbing their emotional chaos, and you can protect your peace without giving up hope for your relationship.

If you're ready for support, apply for a Heart-to-Heart Consultation, a private 30-minute call with me to talk through what's happening in your family and what your next step could be: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=consult&utm_content=criticizes-everything

EMPOWER MOM QUIZ: https://www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=quiz&utm_content=criticizes-everything

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com

Are you exhausted from chasing your estranged adult child—sending the texts, trying to keep the peace, over-apologizing, or constantly wondering what you can do to fix the relationship?

Sometimes the harder we chase, the more stuck we become.

In this episode, I'm talking about what can happen when you stop chasing your adult child and start choosing YOU. We'll talk about breaking the cycle of rejection, letting go of the need to fix what isn't yours to heal, and why surrender doesn't mean giving up.

You can love your son or daughter without begging for crumbs. You can step back without abandoning them. And you can continue to pray, hope, and trust God while also taking care of your own heart.

If you've been measuring your worth by your adult child's silence, rejection, or absence, I hope this episode reminds you: their healing is not your assignment. You have permission to step out of the storm and begin reclaiming your peace. 10-3-26 reedit final

❤️ Ready to stop running in circles and start taking care of you?

Schedule a Heart-to-Heart Consultation with me. We'll talk about what's happening in your relationship with your adult child, where you feel stuck, and what your next steps could look like.

👉 https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

✨ Take the EmpowerMom Quiz: Discover where you are in your journey and what may be keeping you stuck.

👉www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom

Subscribe for weekly encouragement, practical guidance, and faith-based support for moms navigating difficult or estranged relationships with their adult children.

You can still love them. You can still pray for them. And you can stop chasing.

If you're feeling ready for support and want to learn more about working together, I invite you to start with a short application. From there, you'll receive next steps to book your Heart-to-Heart Consultation. Start here: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com

If you're feeling ready for support and want to learn more about working together, I invite you to start with a short application. From there, you'll receive next steps to book your Heart-to-Heart Consultation. Start here: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

When your adult child disrespects you, do you find yourself defending yourself, explaining your intentions, or getting pulled into another argument? Sometimes the most powerful response is silence. In today's video, Sally Harris shares four practical ways to handle disrespect from your adult son or daughter without sacrificing your self-respect or losing your peace. You don't have to match their energy, tolerate hurtful behavior, or participate in every argument. Learning when to speak, when to walk away, and when to remain silent can change the way you navigate these difficult interactions. In this video, we'll discuss: Why respect starts with YOU. How to disengage from disrespectful and harmful conversations. Why silence can be a powerful boundary. How to communicate calmly instead of reacting emotionally. How to release what you cannot control while protecting your own peace. Remember, silence isn't about punishment or ignoring the problem. It's about refusing to participate in a harmful exchange while modeling the respect you want in your relationships. You can love your adult child AND stand up for yourself.

💙 READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP? If you're a mom struggling with estrangement, disrespect, or difficult boundaries with your adult child, you don't have to navigate this journey alone. Schedule a Heart-to-Heart Consultation with Sally to explore how coaching can help you move forward with faith, confidence, and a renewed sense of self-worth.

👉 Schedule your Heart-to-Heart Consultation: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

Not sure where to begin? Take the FREE EmpowerMom Quiz to discover where you are in your journey and what your next step could look like.

👉 Take the EmpowerMom Quiz: www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom

Subscribe for weekly encouragement, practical guidance, and faith-based support for moms navigating difficult relationships with their adult children. Healing is possible. People can change. And God is still at work, even when you can't see it.

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com

Do you ever get to tell your estranged adult child how much they hurt you?

When your adult child finally opens the door to reconnection, you may feel enormous pressure to listen, stay calm, and make the most of the opportunity. But underneath all of that may be another question: What about me?

Your grief matters. Your feelings matter. And wanting your adult child to care about your inner world does not make you selfish or needy.

In this episode of The Sally Harris Show, I'm talking about what happens when reconciliation begins, but the relationship still feels one-sided. We'll talk about why I believe moms often need to go first by listening and creating a safe space, why that doesn't mean ignoring your own pain, and when there may be room to begin sharing your side too.

In this episode, we'll talk about:

• Why listening first doesn't mean their pain matters more than yours • How to become a safer place for difficult conversations • What to do when you're reconnecting but still walking on eggshells • Why you deserve to be heard too • How to manage expectations as a relationship slowly begins to heal • Why you shouldn't compare your family's timeline to anyone else's

Reconciliation is rarely an overnight fix. Every family is different, and rebuilding trust and communication takes time. Your voice doesn't disappear simply because you're choosing to listen first.

If you're a mom struggling with estrangement from your adult child and you're ready for support, you can apply for a Heart-to-Heart Consultation with me below. It's a 30-minute call where I can hear more about what's happening in your family, how it's affecting you, and where you may need guidance moving forward.

Subscribe to The Sally Harris Show for weekly conversations about faith, healing, estrangement, reconciliation, and becoming the mom you want to be when that door opens again.

God is still at work in your family. Don't give up hope.

If you're feeling ready for support and want to learn more about working together, I invite you to start with a short application. From there, you'll receive next steps to book your Heart-to-Heart Consultation. Start here: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

EMPOWER MOM QUIZ: www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com

Is my adult child's estrangement my fault?

If you've ever laid awake replaying your parenting mistakes, wondering what you should have done differently or asking yourself whether YOU are the reason your adult child walked away, this episode is for you.

Mom guilt can become incredibly heavy during estrangement. Maybe there are things you wish you could go back and change. Maybe there's an apology you need to make, a pattern you need to work on, or a moment you wish you had handled differently.

But taking responsibility for your part is not the same as taking responsibility for the entire story.

In this episode, we're talking about the difference between healthy self-reflection and unhealthy self-blame, why estrangement is rarely a story with one villain and one innocent person, and how to do the work God is asking of you without allowing guilt and shame to become your identity.

Because "I made mistakes" and "I am the mistake" are two very different things.

You can own what is yours. You can grow. You can change. And you can still allow yourself to experience peace and grace while God continues working on your family.

❤️ READY FOR YOUR NEXT STEP?

If you're a mom struggling with estrangement or a difficult relationship with your adult child and you're ready to work on YOU, apply for a private Heart-to-Heart Consultation with me here:

👉 https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

Not ready for a consultation yet? Take the free EmpowerMom Quiz:

👉 www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom

Healing is possible. People can change. And God is still at work even when you can't see it.

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com

What does a mom do when years go by and she still hasn't heard her daughter's voice?

In this episode of The Sally Harris Show, I sit down with a mom who has been estranged from her daughter for more than six years. She shares the heartbreak of missed birthdays, holidays, graduations, unanswered attempts to reconnect, and eventually learning that her daughter had changed her phone number.

But this isn't only a story about estrangement. It's a story about what happens to a mom in the waiting.

We talk about the things she wishes she had done differently, the attempts she made to repair the relationship, and the difficult realization that she cannot make her daughter be ready for a conversation.

Most importantly, we talk about surrendering an adult child to God, continuing to pray when you cannot be part of your child's life, and allowing God to keep working in YOU while you wait.

The silence from your adult child may be painful—but God is not silent.

If you're a mom dealing with an estranged daughter or son, no contact with an adult child, rejection, unanswered messages, or the grief of missing important moments in your child's life, I pray this conversation gives you hope and reminds you that God is still at work.

❤️ Ready for support in your own estrangement journey?

Apply for a Heart-to-Heart Consultation with me here: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

Not sure what kind of support you need? Take the free EmpowerMom Quiz: www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com

Are you constantly wondering what to say to your estranged adult child? Maybe you've rewritten the same text five times, drafted an apology you're afraid to send, or keep searching for the perfect words that might finally fix the relationship.

But what if the next right step isn't another text, letter, apology, or explanation?

In this video, I'm sharing what to do instead.

So many moms of estranged adult children get stuck trying to find the one thing they can say or do that will finally change everything. But there is no perfect sentence—and chasing the right words can keep you focused on an outcome you cannot control.

Instead, we're talking about:

• Why the first right step may be inward, not outward

• The healing work that IS within your control

• Why boundaries can be gates instead of walls

• How to stop chasing and trying to force an outcome

• What it means to prepare faithfully for the relationship you hope to have

Your job isn't to force reconciliation. It's to prepare faithfully—to become a healthier, more grounded version of yourself so that when the door does open, you're ready to walk through it.

❤️ READY FOR PERSONAL SUPPORT?

If you're unsure what the next right step looks like in your specific situation, apply for a Heart-to-Heart Consultation with me. We'll talk privately about where you are, where you feel stuck, and what coaching might look like for you.

👉 https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

EMPOWER MOM QUIZ: www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com

If your adult child came back into your life today, who would they find?

When you're estranged from your adult son or daughter, it's easy to spend so much time wondering when they'll come back, whether they'll understand your heart, or if they'll ever notice how much you've changed. But there's another question that may be even more important: Who are you becoming while you wait?

In this episode of The Sally Harris Show, I'm talking about the work we can do as moms during estrangement—not to manipulate our adult children into reconnecting, but to become healthier, stronger versions of ourselves.

We'll talk about why rebuilding a relationship takes time, what happens when both you and your adult child have changed during the separation, and why reconciliation may feel unfamiliar at first.

I also share part of my own reconciliation story and the moment I realized my daughter could hear the change in me before we were even seeing each other again. I was communicating differently. I wasn't giving all of my opinions or making the conversation about me. I was becoming curious about who she was and what her life looked like.

And that's what I want you to remember: the work you're doing now matters. Your healing, growth, faith, and the woman you're becoming are not wasted—even if your adult child isn't acknowledging those changes yet.

💗 READY FOR PERSONAL SUPPORT?

If you're tired of trying to figure out this relationship on your own, apply for a Heart-to-Heart Consultation with me. We'll talk about what's happening with your adult child, where you're feeling stuck, and what kind of coaching support may be the best next step for you.

👉 Heart-to-Heart Consultation: https://www.sally-harris.com/H2Happ

Not ready for a consultation yet? Take my free EmpowerMom Quiz to get a better understanding of where you are in your journey and what kind of support may be helpful for you.

👉 Take the EmpowerMom Quiz: www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom

Subscribe for more conversations about adult child estrangement, healing, faith, boundaries, reconciliation, and becoming the woman you want to be when that door opens again.

📞 BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/

FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris

WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com