no contact

No contact is the decision to completely stop communicating with a harmful family member, former partner, or other unsafe person in one's life. This means no calls, texts, emails, social media interactions, or in-person meetings—and often, blocking their access to you and the people who might relay information.

No contact is usually a last resort, chosen after other strategies (low contact, boundaries, limited engagement) have failed or proven too costly. It is not punishment; it is protection. Going no contact can bring enormous relief and also powerful grief—grief for the relationship that could not be, for the family you did not get, and for the hope you had to put down. Trauma-informed support helps survivors navigate both the practical and emotional waves of this choice.