My name is Clare Cogan, and I have been estranged from my mother for nearly two years, with low contact characterising our relationship prior to this.

Professionally, I have a background in social work, leading into 18 years of training in healing practices, and for the last 12 years, as a therapeutic mentor for teenagers and their families.

I take a holistic, integrative approach, navigating nearly 30 years of understanding the science and presentation of neurodivergence and approaching all my work with compassion and acceptance.

My experience as an estranged daughter, which has led to estrangement from my entire family, has been an opportunity for me to deeply reflect on the impact of family dysfunction, especially when parenting our own children in the face of this type of loss. My first book on this subject is currently being edited, and my hope is it will shine a light on this often-avoided topic.

Stepping into this role of facilitator, I bring with me my personal experience of motherhood, 20 years of bringing two teenage boys through their own tricky times without maternal guidance. I also bring my facilitation skills, which have been further enhanced through running regular drumming circles for women, where the intention is to hold a safe space for these women to explore and share their experiences.

My hope is that by bringing women together who have had their own experience of estrangement, we can see, hear, and validate each other’s experiences as a collective.