Linda Ellinor arrived in California to discover her brother's family had ostracised one of their own: Ann was no longer welcome at Thanksgiving. Rather than accept this fracture, Ellinor proposed facilitating a family dialogue. The paper documents what happened when professional dialogue skills met deeply personal family pain. Ellinor conducted private conversations with each family member, building willingness to participate. She designed listening exercises to shift defensive patterns, then facilitated a two-hour session where siblings could hear each other differently. The breakthrough came when Ann, who had been scapegoated, began hearing her family's pain rather than defending herself. The paper offers practical guidance for facilitating dialogue within one's own family system, including how to manage dual roles as family member and facilitator. Ellinor reflects honestly on what worked, what surprised her, and the ongoing nature of family healing.