When your family shuts you out

Lonely and sad african american woman waiting for message at home. [Courtesy]

Few things in this life are as painful as feeling shunned or excluded by your own family. For many people, being left out of family events, conversations or decisions can feel like a betrayal.

Why this hurts more is because family is where we expect to find belonging. But when that bond is broken, the emotional fallout is usually profound.