For the past decade, Becca Bland, D.Litt Hons has researched and educated the public about family estrangement. She has worked to qualify the causes and the consequences for individuals, families and those who offer support to them.

I want to help you as a caring professional when you encounter people that need support with family estrangement.

What do I know about family estrangement?

You might know me as the founder of Stand Alone. My work founding the only non-for-profit supporting estranged adults has helped millions of people to feel less alone and more supported.

I’ve created important research projects on family estrangement, mostly with Cambridge University’s Centre for Family Research, and have written and published multiple papers and publications to qualify the experiences of people who become estranged from a family member. These projects have researched the experiences of what people want and need from support with family estrangement.

One of the most powerful aspects of my work is the nationwide network of online and in person support groups that I have grown. Over the last decade, these groups have supported thousands of people. There is a considerable power to feeling less alone with this issue and meeting others in a similar position.

I have recruited, trained and supported many therapists, counsellors, psychologists, coaches and clinical leads to hold space for people who wanted to share experiences of family estrangement.

Having worked in this space and with estranged adults for over a decade, I was inspired me to become a transformative coach. I now work in one-to-one practice online with a range of clients from many different estrangement backgrounds. I support them both with skills for working on the relationship, reconciliation and with moving on from family estrangement.

These research activities and support groups have led to fundamental changes, both for individuals, and in the policies that support estranged adults. This is particularly true for estranged young people who are now a priority group in government policy in the UK. I advise Scottish Government and sit in their RAG groups. I advise on how family estrangement impacts young people, particularly as they move into adult life alone.

Why work with me?

By producing simple, high quality online training (that you can access anytime) I’m giving helping professionals worldwide the tools you need to reduce the shame and stigma around family estrangement.

I want to influence practice for many more people worldwide and liberate my knowledge and expertise into a global initiative to create better and less judgemental support.

I want you to take my unique training and join my team so we can build a more supportive and understanding network of professionals for those experiencing estrangement. 

With Standing Together, I’m building a community of practitioners, who can put out there new and interesting perspectives on this issue and raise their profile. I want you to share your learning for us all to hear and consider. There just aren’t enough of us right now!

What are my qualifications?

I proudly received my honorary doctorate (DLitt) from The University of Brighton for the nationwide and worldwide change I’ve created for estranged adults. This is the equivalent to a traditional PhD, but is awarded to those who have contributed to knowledge through both research and transformational practice in the field rather than being based in a department.

You can watch my doctorate acceptance speech below. I use the title Dr. in the same way as many campaigners, researchers and change-makers do with honorary doctorates. For clarity, this doesn’t mean I am a Psychologist!

As well as being awarded my doctorate, I hold a Transformative Life Coaching Certificate from a school accredited by the ICF, Masters in Arts (MA) from City University, London, and a Bachelors in Arts BA (Hons) from Brighton University.