Long-Lasting Effects of Parental Estrangement

When he was eight years old his father, Allen, disappeared. Allen left behind more than his children; he left a legacy of loss and family secrets. He was soon replaced by another man, one with his own four children, whose strict rules and explosive temper made home a place of fear rather than refuge.Though working just miles away as a veterinarian, Allen never saw Steven or his siblings until a grisly car accident a decade later forced a reunion of sorts. Would a relationship be possible? Was one even desired—by either party?Two men had claimed to be Steven's father but neither proved to be a dad. He would spend years wrestling with the wounds of abandonment and abuse, burying his pain so deep it became “the feeling of no feeling.” His search for acceptance, belonging, and purpose would lead him from Florida to Israel to law school to a fulfilling career helping and protecting others, but the rejection he felt in his childhood would also play a role in the failure of his first two marriages. Determined not to repeat the past, Steven sought therapy and became an unwavering presence in the lives of his five children.He is a graduate of Florida State University and the University of Florida College of Law. A practicing attorney and father of five, he has spent over thirty years advocating for children as a pro bono guardian ad litem and representing families of first responders killed on 9/11. As a founding partner of Page & Eichenblatt, he has received multiple awards for legal excellence and community work supporting children.He is the author of "Pretend They Are Dead: A Father’s Search for the Truth.A memoir of resilience, Pretend They Are Dead reminds us of the pivotal role fathers play in the emotional well-being of their children and the ways in which childhood trauma can be overcome. https://www.amazon.com/Pretend-They-Are-Dead-Fathers-ebook/dp/B0F6VX4Z7W http://www.yourlotandparcel.orgSupport the show