Category Archives: understanding parental alienation

She Said . . . What?! —Common Sense When Kids Talk to Judges

He said/she said. We hear this phrase a lot in child custody cases. It captures the idea that disputing former partners give conflicting accounts of reality. (For same-sex couples: he said/he said, or she said/she said.) Those charged with finding … Continue reading

Posted in child custody litigation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, Uncategorized, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on She Said . . . What?! —Common Sense When Kids Talk to Judges

Tips For Children Who Are Alienated or At Risk For Alienation

Children who feel pressured by a parent to disrespect and reject their other parent risk losing a healthy connection to both their parents. This is true whether the pressure is subtle or obvious, inadvertent or intentional. “Welcome Back, Pluto: Understanding, … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child trauma, Overcoming parental alienation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tips For Children Who Are Alienated or At Risk For Alienation

Why Children Take Sides Against a Parent 

  At times parents find it difficult to show patience with irrationally alienated children who act disrespectfully. To respond sensitively, parents and professionals need to understand why alienated children act as they do. Also, when alienated children themselves better understand their … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child trauma, Overcoming parental alienation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Why Children Take Sides Against a Parent 

Think an alienated child is well-adjusted? Dig deeper.

“Otherwise well adjusted.” That’s how some professionals rationalize doing nothing to help severely alienated children who reject a relationship with a good parent. If a child does well in school, enjoys extracurricular activities, and behaves well in one parent’s home, … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child custody litigation, child trauma, Overcoming parental alienation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Think an alienated child is well-adjusted? Dig deeper.

Parental Alienation’s Tragic Legacy of Shame, Guilt, & Remorse

A woman lamented to advice columnist extraordinaire, Carolyn Hax: “I’m so ashamed. I don’t even know how to make it up to my mom, who through all of this always told me she still loved me, even with all the … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child abuse, child trauma, cultural references to parental alienation, Overcoming parental alienation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Parental Alienation’s Tragic Legacy of Shame, Guilt, & Remorse

Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me

            What should you do if your child rejects you?             Ask a therapist this question before 2002 and the answer was probably, “Be patient. Your child will reach out within a couple of years.”             After my first book on parental alienation … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child custody litigation, Overcoming parental alienation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, Uncategorized, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me

Backlash Against Parental Alienation: Denial and Skepticism About Psychological Abuse

A boy wrote a letter to his mother telling her that she belonged in a mental institution, that she was nothing to him, that she was nothing but a screw-up, that she was sick, selfish, that he wanted to have … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child abuse, child custody litigation, child trauma, coparenting, Overcoming parental alienation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, PAX-Parental Alienation Exchange, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Backlash Against Parental Alienation: Denial and Skepticism About Psychological Abuse

“It really seems pretty obvious.” – BBC radio presenter on parental alienation as child abuse

BBC’s award-winning radio commentator, Jane Garvey, talked to Sarah Parsons, Principal Social Worker at Cafcass, and to Joanna Abrahams, a solicitor who specializes in cases of parental alienation. Regarding the recent Cafcass statement that parental alienation is child abuse, Garvey … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child abuse, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “It really seems pretty obvious.” – BBC radio presenter on parental alienation as child abuse

UK Agency Denounces Parental Alienation As Child Abuse

Behavior by one divorced parent that attempts to undermine a child’s relationship with the other parent—what I call “divorce poison”—has been denounced as child abuse by the chief executive of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child abuse, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on UK Agency Denounces Parental Alienation As Child Abuse

Mistakes Alienated Parents Make: 2. Counter-rejection

In the early stages of alienation some rejected parents counter-reject their children. They rebuke the children for their negative attitudes, and tell them, in effect, “Shape up or ship out.” They expect, of course, the children to shape up. This … Continue reading

Posted in alienated parents/rejected parents, child custody litigation, Overcoming parental alienation, parental alienation/parental alienation syndrome, understanding parental alienation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mistakes Alienated Parents Make: 2. Counter-rejection