The Complicated World of Family Cutoffs, Part II: The Work of Repair and Reconnection

About This Event

The Complicated World of Family Cutoffs, Part II: From Cutoff to Intervention

• Presenters: Tracy K. Ross, LCSW & Judith Aronowitz, RN, LCSW
• Format: In-Person & Live on Zoom
• Date: October 30th, 2026
• Time: 2:00PM to 4:00PM (ET)
• Continuing Education: 2 NYS CE Credits

Registration 

This advanced clinical workshop focuses on therapeutic intervention with families experiencing estrangement, emotional cutoff, and significant relational rupture. Building on the conceptual foundations presented in Part I, the workshop moves from understanding family cutoff to the clinical work of assessing readiness for repair, identifying conditions that make reconnection possible, and intervening with family members whose experiences and narratives may differ substantially.

The workshop integrates family systems theory, particularly Murray Bowen's concepts of emotional cutoff, differentiation, triangles, and multigenerational transmission, with contemporary clinical approaches to attachment, relational trauma, mentalization, and family estrangement. Karl Pillemer's research on family estrangement and reconciliation also informs the workshop's examination of the conditions that may facilitate repair.

What you will learn:

• Use Bowen Family Systems theory to accurately spot the difference between protective relational distance and emotional cutoff.
• To identify clinical indicators that suggest a family is ready to begin repair or reconnection work
• Recognize multigenerational patterns, alliances, and relational injuries that may contribute to the development and maintenance of family estrangement
• Formulate realistic treatment goals that distinguish repair from reconciliation and allow for multiple possible outcomes.

Presenters:

Tracy Ross, LCSW

Tracy Ross is a licensed clinical social worker, couples and family therapist, mediator, collaborative divorce professional, and parenting coordinator with more than 30 years of clinical experience. Her practice focuses on couples and families navigating relational rupture, estrangement, divorce, and major family transitions. She has developed a particular area of clinical expertise in working with parents and adult children experiencing partial or complete estrangement and in helping families determine when and how relational repair may be possible.

Judith Aronowitz, RN, LCSW

Judith Aronowitz started her career as a Pediatric Nurse before realizing she was most drawn to healing relationships. She trained at the Ackerman Institute for the Family where she was a faculty member for 10 years on the Resilient Family project. She is also trained as a certified Discernment Counselor. Currently, she is in Private Practice in NYC working with Individuals, Couples, and Families. She is passionate about systems thinking and theories and along with Tracy Ross has developed courses on Family work and presents throughout the country.