Marcus and Esme dive into one of the most misunderstood—and emotionally loaded—topics in mental health: going no contact. What is it? Why do people do it? And why is everyone from Oprah to your uncle suddenly talking about it like it’s a generational crisis?

Esme opens up about her own experiences, while she and Marcus break down the difference between self‑isolation and no contact, explore the many forms it can take (from low contact to gray rocking), and unpack the cultural baggage that makes this boundary-setting choice so controversial.

Sources for this episode include:

• Guy-Evans, Olivia. “Going No Contact With Parents: What It Means, Why People Do It, and How to Cope.” Simply Psychology, updated 28 July 2025, https://www.simplypsychology.org/going-no-contact-with-parents.html.
• Childs, Chivonna. “What It Means to Go No‑Contact With a Parent.” Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials, Cleveland Clinic, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/going-no-contact-with-parents.
• DoctorRamani. What to Expect When You Go No Contact with Your Narcissistic Parent. YouTube, uploaded by DoctorRamani, 8 months ago, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBHxgx-f2A0.
• No Two Children Have the Same Parents. YouTube, uploaded by Now Owned and Operated by Child Health BC (Formerly KidCareCanada), 12 years ago, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbXqSEkwOPo.

Resources referenced in this episode:

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline
  • Online: https://www.thehotline.org/
  • Call: 1.800.799.SAFE(7233)
  • Text: Text “Start” to 88788.

Our theme music

• Midnight—Declan DP [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch: • Midnight — Declan DP | Free Backgroun... Free Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/midnight-declan-dp