It's never too late to be a great parent.
Catherine Taylor Hickem is a psychotherapist of 40 years. She helps mothers and fathers whose grown children have pulled away or gone silent.
- Psychotherapist for 40 years
- Family & executive coach for 20+ years
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Author of the P.A.R.E.N.T. Method
She has sat with families for forty years. She also lived it.
Catherine Taylor Hickem is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has spent over forty years as a psychotherapist and more than twenty as a family and executive coach, sitting with families in their hardest moments.
She also knows this from the inside. Twenty years of distance with her own father ended in reconciliation. That is why her P.A.R.E.N.T. Method starts where it does: not with what your adult child needs to change, but with what's inside your control.
Her work is practical and psychology-based. Nothing in it asks you to hold any particular faith, though many parents of faith are part of this community.
"It could change the way your adult child speaks to you."
Watch Catherine walk through what has to shift before your adult child feels safe to come back.
Does this sound like you?
- You haven't heard your adult child's voice in months, or years.
- Your letters and texts go unanswered.
- You gave them space, and the silence only got harder.
- You're afraid of saying the wrong thing.
- You tried therapy, and it didn't bring them back.
- Your grandchildren are growing up without you.
Your child isn't staying away because they need more time. They're staying away because nothing has changed that makes contact feel safe. That can change, and it starts with you.
Watch the free classThe P.A.R.E.N.T. Method
Six steps. They start with you, not your child, so you can begin today, even in total silence.
PPauseRegulate before you relate.
Before any message goes out, you steady yourself. A short daily practice, a map of what sets you off, and one safe person to talk to.
AAcceptanceThe child you have.
You see your adult child as they are today, not as you pictured them. Acceptance is not approval. It is telling yourself the truth in one plain sentence.
RReleaseLaying it down.
You set down the ledger of who did what, the need to be right, and the blame you carry for yourself. Being reconciled matters more than winning the case.
EEngageThe way back in.
You reach out only when it is safe and well-timed. The first message is short, asks for nothing, and honors any boundary your child has stated.
NNurtureSmall deposits.
You move at the pace of the slower person. Small, steady contact, matched to theirs, with quick repair when you slip.
TTrustTaking your hands off the bridge.
You stop keeping score and stop steering. You keep your own dignity and build a whole life that isn't leaning on the reconciliation.
The team
Catherine and the coaches who work alongside her.
Parents, in their own words
Unscripted. Recorded and written by members of the program.
"I sent my adult child a text… and she responded: 'I appreciate your honesty and your apology. I'll give you the space you asked for — I'm open to talking when you're ready.' These are major steps forward."
Tricia, PACT member"It was so empowering and encouraging… It's giving me courage to get ready to have a conversation with my daughter."
Linda, PACT member"My biggest win has been becoming much more aware of my own thoughts, reactions, and the role I play in my relationships. I'm learning to pause before I respond."
Diana, PACT memberResults vary. More stories
How parents usually come in
Three doors. Most people start at the first one.
The free class
About 90 minutes with Catherine on the six patterns that keep parents stuck, and the one that's usually doing the most damage. No cost.
Watch the free classThe books
Welcome Home is the P.A.R.E.N.T. Method in writing, for parents who'd rather read it than watch it.
See the booksThe program
Private, guided work with Catherine's team. By application only. A Clarity Call comes first so both sides can tell whether it fits.
About the programIn plain words: this is coaching and education. It is not therapy.
Coming up
The Never Too Late Summit
October 17–18 · Live on Zoom
A 2-day live online event for parents of adult children. Catherine's new book is included.
Connect, Grow & Thrive Live
February 27–28, 2027 · Boca Raton
Two days in person with Catherine, Bill and Tracey Robison, and a room full of parents who understand.
Hear Catherine in conversation
Podcast interviews. Each one opens on YouTube.
Families of CharacterBreaking the Cycle of Parent–Child Estrangement
Love, Happiness, and Success with Dr. LisaHow to Parent Adult Children Who Pull Away
Where Parents TalkHealing Estrangement: Reconnecting with Your Adult Child
Parenting Teenagers UntangledParenting lessons from adult kids who go no contact
Follow Catherine
Questions parents ask
Where should I start?
Most parents start with the free class. If you'd rather read, start with the book. If you're ready to talk, book a Clarity Call.
Is this therapy?
No. PACT provides educational content. It is not therapy or a substitute for licensed mental-health care.
Do I need to hold a particular faith?
No. The method is practical and psychology-based. Nothing in it asks you to hold any particular faith, though many parents of faith are part of this community.
My child has been gone more than a year. Is it too late?
Length of silence changes the pacing, not the method. Catherine's own story is proof that even decades can turn.
What if my child won't talk to me at all?
The method starts with you, not them. That means you can begin today, even in total silence.
Start with the free class.
About 90 minutes with Catherine on the six patterns that keep parents stuck. No cost. Not ready? Take the free quiz first.