Family Bridges: A Workshop for Troubled and Alienated Parent-Child Relationships eases the transition when irrationally alienated children, teens, and young adults reunite with rejected parents. (The workshop is not for children who have good reasons to avoid a parent.) For the families we work with, we find it helpful to the family to declare a moratorium on discussing the past. There are many reasons for this that I present in my peer-reviewed, professional journal article that describes the program and its outcome in detail. A note from a formerly alienated mother confirms the value of a mutual moratorium on discussing the past, however frustrating and counter-intuitive this may seem.
Alienated parents who are fortunate enough to be spending part of the Thanksgiving holiday with their children should keep in mind the value of a moratorium on discussing conflictual issues. Healing can be promoted merely by being in the same room and sharing a family experience. More >