Joshua Coleman Ph.D.

About

Joshua Coleman, Ph.D., is a psychologist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and a Senior Fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families. He is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles and chapters and has written four books: The Rules of Estrangement (Random House); When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along (HarperCollins) The Marriage Makeover: Finding Happiness in Imperfect Harmony (St. Martin's Press); and The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework (St. Martin's Press). He is also the co-editor, along with historian Stephanie Coontz, of seven online volumes of Unconventional Wisdom: News You Can Use, a compendium of noteworthy research on the contemporary family, gender, sexuality, poverty, and work-family issues. His books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Russian, Polish, and Croatian.

Books by Joshua Coleman Ph.D.

Recent Posts

Parental Engagement When an Adult Child Has a Mental Illness

Parents with mentally ill adult children suffer with ongoing feelings of worry and guilt. They may be especially worried and guilt-ridden if their child cuts off contact.

The Lonely, Fractured Lives of Estranged Grandparents

Despite a strong focus on attachment theory within families, many parents overlook their children's deep bond with their grandparents.

Why Estrangement Reconciliation Is Often Within Reach

Reconcilations between parents and estranged adult children are often more possible than they seem.

Should I Help My Adult Child More?

Today's parents help their adult children more than previous generations. Is that the right idea, or does it prevent their kids from growing up?

'My Daughter-in-Law Stole Our Son From Us!'

"We were so close to our son until he got married. Now he doesn't want anything to do with us."

Does Social Media Worsen Parental Estrangement?

When your adult child unfriends you on Facebook: Understanding the many ways that social media worsens estrangement.

10 Common Mistakes Therapists Make With Estranged Parents

Can therapists sometimes make situations worse between parents and their adult children? Yes. Here are some of the most common mistakes.

Why Should You Stop Trying with Your Estranged Adult Child?

Am I a bad parent if I stop reaching out to my adult child? Sometimes giving up is best for everyone.

Why Should I Have to Apologize to My Estranged Adult Child?

Do you just enable an estranged child's bad behavior by apologizing to them?

Estranged From Adult Children at the Holidays?

Here are some things you can do to feel better when you're not seeing a loved one over the holiday.