PICTURE PERFECT IMAGE OF HOLIDAY GATHERINGS AS HAPPY FAMILIES GATHERED AROUND DINNER TABLES ISN'T EVERYONE'S REALITY.

ACCORDING TO A HARRIS POLL CONDUCTED LAST MONTH, ABOUT 18% OF THOSE SURVEYED SAID THEY HAD ONLY LIMITED INTERACTIONS WITH THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY.

WHEN WE ASKED VIEWERS IF THEY'D BE WILLING TO SHARE THEIR STORIES OF ALIENATION FROM FAMILY, WE GOT MORE THAN 1600 RESPONSES.

HERE ARE SOME OF THEM.

CAMILLA: MY NAME IS CAMILLA HUDSON.

I LIVE IN CHICAGO, AND I'M ESTRANGED FROM MY SON.

ANGELA: MY NAME IS ANGELA REED.

I AM FROM FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, AND I AM ESTRANGED FROM MY MOTHER.

CAMILLA: I DON'T HAVE A PHONE NUMBER FOR MY SON.

I DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS FOR MY SON.

ANGELA: THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS FOR INITIATING THE ESTRANGEMENT.

SOME OF THEM EVEN GO BACK TO CHILDHOOD.

AND AS A MOTHER MYSELF, THINGS I WOULD NEVER DO TO MY KIDS.

JONATHAN: MY NAME IS JONATHAN SIMCOSKY AND I LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

I GREW UP IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AND I NO LONGER SPEAK WITH MY PARENTS OR MY BROTHER.

FRANCES: MY NAME IS FRANCES SCOTT AND I LIVE IN MISSOULA, MONTANA, AND I AM ESTRANGED FROM MY ADULT DAUGHTER AS OF ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO.

JONATHAN: I'M THE GAY SON OF A SOUTHERN BAPTIST PREACHER.

SO THE RELATIONSHIP WAS ALWAYS PRETTY DIFFICULT.

BUT I WOULD SAY SORT OF, THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT OF DONALD TRUMP BECAME REALLY UNTENABLE FOR ME.

THE CONVERSATION HAS JUST BEEN ABOUT LIKE THE EXTENT TO WHICH HIS MORAL FAILINGS MATTER.

THEY'RE GIVING DONALD TRUMP A PASS WHEN I DON'T GET ONE.

>> MY NAME IS CENTER LESLIE.

I LIVE IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

I'M ESTRANGED FROM MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHER.

FRANCES: THE FIRST 2 OR 3 YEARS, I DIDN'T COPE VERY WELL AT ALL.

>> WITH MY MOTHER, IT JUST FELT LIKE I COULD NEVER DO ANYTHING RIGHT.

FRANCES: I WOULD SOMETIMES BE IN A STORE AND I MIGHT SEE THIS LOVELY INTERACTION GOING ON WITH A GRAND CHILD AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS.

AND I WOULD, I BASICALLY HAD TO LEAVE THE STORE BECAUSE IT JUST MADE ME SO SAD.

>> I SENT A TEXT THAT JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, UNTIL YOU CAN PRETEND LIKE YOU LIKE ME, I'M NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE.

AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HER SINCE.

>> MY SON SENT MY THERAPIST THREE SEPARATE EMAILS.

HE OUTLINED A LOT OF VERY SPECIFIC THINGS IN THESE EMAILS.

AND LITERALLY, FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF, GOING ON TWO YEARS, MY THERAPIST AND I LITERALLY WENT THROUGH HIS EMAIL, THESE EMAILS, POINT BY POINT BY POINT.

ANGELA: THE BIGGEST HURDLE TO OUR RELATIONSHIP IS HER NOT TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY AND RECOGNIZING THE THINGS THAT SHE MAY HAVE DONE WRONG.

FRANCES: I WOULD SAY TO HER, CERTAINLY, THAT I AM SORRY FOR ANY TRAUMA THAT I MAY HAVE CAUSED HER.

I CERTAINLY FEEL LIKE MY ALCOHOLISM CAUSED SOME OF THAT FOR HER, AND I AM DEEPLY SORRY.

JONATHAN: I DON'T MISS THE FIGHTING, AND THE SAME FIGHTS GOING ON AND ON.

SO I'M SO - - SORT OF GRATEFUL TO BE LIBERATED FROM THAT.

BUT I REGRET THE BROKENNESS.

CAMILLA: I OCCASIONALLY HEAR PEOPLE TELL ME, WELL, I WOULD NEVER DO THAT.

I COULD NEVER DREAM OF CUTTING OFF A FAMILY MEMBER.

AND FOR THOSE PEOPLE, I JUST, I'M GLAD THAT THEY COULD NEVER DREAM OF IT.

FRANCES: IF IT IS BEST FOR HER FOR US TO NOT BE IN CONTACT, I RESPECT THAT.

ANGELA: IT'S A LITTLE HEARTACHY, THAT I DON'T HAVE A MOM FOR SOME OF THESE, LIKE, BIG EVENTS AND HOLIDAYS AND WHATNOT.

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE I WANT HER THERE.

IT'S LIKE I WANT WHO I WANTED AS A MOM THERE.

>> I'VE MADE MY PEACE WITH THE FACT THAT I MAY NOT, IT MAY NOT EVER CHANGE, BUT I REMAIN HOPEFUL THAT IT CAN AND IT WILL.

JOHN: THERE'S STILL A TABOO ABOUT BREAKING FAMILY TIES, BUT A GROWING NUMBER OF GROUPS ARE RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT IT AND HELPING PEOPLE DEAL WITH IT.

FAMILY THERAPIST WHITNEY GOODMAN'S ONLINE COMMUNITY CALLING HOME IS ONE OF THEM.

SHE'S THE AUTHOR OF "TOXIC POSITIVITY: KEEPING IT REAL IN A WORLD OBSESSED BEING HAPPY."

WHITNEY, JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE JUST BEEN THROUGH WITH THE ELECTION, THERE ARE A LOT OF FOCUSES ON POLITICAL DIVISIONS AS BEING A REASON FOR FAMILIES BEING DIVIDED AND NOT SPEAKING TO ONE ANOTHER.

BUT ARE THERE OTHER CAUSES OR WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF THIS?

WHITNEY: I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SURPRISED HOW LITTLE PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT POLITICS ARE THE REASONS THAT THEY'RE NOT SPEAKING TO THEIR FAMILY.

THE MOST COMMON REASONS THAT I'VE BEEN GIVEN ARE THINGS LIKE EMOTIONAL ABUSE THAT'S STILL HAPPENING IN ADULTHOOD, EMOTIONAL NEGLECT IN BOTH CHILDHOOD AND ADULTHOOD, AND ALSO EMOTIONAL IMMATURITY ON THE PART OF THE PARENT OR THE OTHER FAMILY MEMBER.

JOHN: YOU KNOW, I THINK THE COMMON THOUGHT IS, OR AT LEAST THE SOCIETAL THOUGHT, IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED IF A FAMILY MEMBERS ARE SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER.

BUT CAN THIS ALSO BE A RATIONAL STEP?

WHITNEY: ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, RESOLVING THIS IS THE IDEAL OUTCOME, BUT THAT REQUIRES EVERYONE INVOLVED TO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE FIND THAT IN A LOT OF FAMILIES, THERE ARE NOT ALWAYS TWO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LEARN THE SKILLS TO COMPROMISE AND FIX THE PROBLEM, AND THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE ESTRANGEMENT HAPPENING.

JOHN: WHAT IS ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PERHAPS BOTH SIDES OF THIS, FOR THE PERSON WHO DECIDES TO WALK AWAY AND THE PERSON WHO'S LEFT WHEN THE OTHER ONE WALKS AWAY?

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE?

WHITNEY: I THINK THERE'S AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF PAIN ON BOTH SIDES, AND THERE'S STILL CERTAINLY A STIGMA THAT I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY FAR MORE COMMON THAN YOU REALIZE.

AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR BOTH SIDES TO TAKE THE SPACE AND TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT WENT WRONG IN THE RELATIONSHIP AND WHAT CAN I OWN ON MY END, WHAT CAN I IMPROVE?

ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE HAS DECIDED TO BECOME ESTRANGED FROM YOU.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT YOUR ROLE AND ALSO JUST LISTEN TO THE BOUNDARIES THAT THE OTHER PERSON IS SETTING AND TRY TO RESPECT THOSE BOUNDARIES.

JOHN: BUT ALSO JUST REMOVING THE STIGMA.

DO PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A HORRIBLE THING THAT THEY'VE DONE OR A HORRIBLE THING THAT'S HAPPENED TO THEM AND YOU WANT TO REMOVE THAT SENSE?

WHITNEY: YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ANY TIME A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP FALLS APART, IT'S VERY SAD AND IT'S NOT THE IDEAL OUTCOME.

BUT WE DO ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT ARE HURTFUL AND EVEN DANGEROUS OR ABUSIVE CAN ALSO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS.

AND SOMETIMES THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE THE ONES BEING HURT BY THEM.

AND SO I THINK WHEN WE SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS, WHETHER THAT'S WITH A PARTNER OR A FRIEND, WE ALSO HAVE TO EXTEND THAT TO FAMILY AND TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE AND RESPECTED WITHIN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL.

JOHN: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO FEELS THE NEED TO STEP AWAY OR TO BREAK TIES WITH THEIR FAMILY?

WHITNEY: I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN AS A VERY BIG DECISION, AND I FIND THAT MOST PEOPLE SPEND YEARS, IF NOT DECADES, MAKING THAT DECISION.

I WOULD WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE AND RESPECTED AND LOVED IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT SOMETIMES OUR FAMILIES CAN BE A SOURCE OF GREAT PAIN AND HOLD US BACK FROM REALLY BEING ABLE TO BE THE BEST VERSIONS OF OURSELVES.

AND SO IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE YOU'VE TRIED EVERYTHING TO MAKE THIS WORK AND YOU JUST KEEP HITTING A WALL, IT MIGHT BE TIME TO WALK AWAY.

JOHN: WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE IN TOUCH WITH EACH SIDE TRYING TO BRIDGE THE GAP, AS IT WERE?

WHAT'S ADVICE FOR THEM?

WHITNEY: YEAH, I WORK WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT VERY IMPOSSIBLE AND DIFFICULT SITUATION.

AND I THINK FOR THOSE PEOPLE, IT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT TO GET OUT OF THE MIDDLE AND TO ENCOURAGE THOSE PEOPLE TO WORK ON THIS THEMSELVES AND TO COME BACK TOGETHER WHEN THEY'RE READY, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT PERSON IN THE MIDDLE CAN ACTUALLY DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD BY PLAYING TELEPHONE AND TRYING TO BE A MEDIATOR WHEN THEY MAY NOT ACTUALLY HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION OR THEY'RE TRYING TO PLAY BOTH SIDES AND THEN THEY INTENSIFY THE RIFT.

JOHN: SO THEY SHOULDN'T TRY TO PLAY PEACEMAKER AND TRY TO BRING THEM TOGETHER.

WHITNEY: I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT REALLY WORK SUCCESSFULLY EXCEPT IN A CASE WHERE THEY SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S TRY TO GET THE TWO OF YOU INTO THERAPY TOGETHER OR MAYBE SET UP A TIME FOR THE TWO OF THEM TO SPEAK.

BUT WHEN INFORMATION STARTS PASSING THROUGH A THIRD PARTY AND THEY'RE INSERTING THEIR OPINION, I FIND THAT IT TENDS TO JUST GET EVEN CRAZIER.

JOHN: WE CITED THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY IN THE INTRODUCTION, BUT FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, FROM YOUR PRACTICE, HOW COMMON IS THIS?

WHITNEY: I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN HAPPENING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

WE'RE JUST HEARING A LOT MORE ABOUT IT, AND I DON'T HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON WHAT IS THE ACTUAL PERCENTAGE HERE, BECAUSE AS YOU'VE SAID, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF DIFFERENT STATS THROWN OUT THERE, BUT I SEE A STRANGE - - ESTRANGEMENT FOLLOWING A SIMILAR PATTERN TO DIVORCE WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT A LOT MORE.

THEY'RE SEEING IT AS AN OPTION.

AND SO IT APPEARS TO BE RISING WHEN I THINK IT JUST MIGHT BE THAT THE DISCOURSE ABOUT IT IS INCREASING.

JOHN: FAMILY THERAPIST WHITNEY GOODMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHITNEY: THANK YOU.