Complimentary Papers
Articles on Divorce, Parental Alienation, Child Custody, and advice for dealing with anxiety and trauma.
At a Glance
- Articles for parents and professionals with practical advice on managing children’s anxiety, trauma, relocation, and adjustment to divorce.
- Resources on parental alienation and repairing damaged parent–child relationships.
- Case examples and opinion pieces.
Dealing with Anxiety and Trauma
Articles that help parents, schools, and professionals support children through anxiety, war, terrorism, and traumatic events such as incidents at school.
Dealing with an Anxious Time
Navigator
Practical guidance for helping families manage anxiety during periods of
heightened stress and uncertainty.
Dealing with an Anxious Time
NuImage
A concise article offering strategies for responding to children’s fears
and worries in challenging times.
Helping Children with Anxiety Talk about War & Terrorism
Guidance for helping children process news of war, terrorism, and global
threats in a developmentally appropriate way.
Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events at School
Tips for supporting children after traumatic incidents at school,
including how to talk with them and monitor their reactions.
Coparenting, Relocation, & Summer Transitions
Advice on communicating with children about their other parent, an amicus brief on relocation, and tips about handling parenting time in the summer.
Take the Warshak Test Before Talking to Children About Your Ex
Self-reflection guide
A brief checklist to help parents examine their words, tone, and motives before speaking with children about an ex-partner or ongoing conflict.
Amicus Brief on Relocation
This brief, written by Dr. Warshak, was endorsed and signed by an additional 27 experts in the field of divorce and child custody. It influenced two landmark rulings emphasizing the complexity of relocation disputes.
Tips for Summer Transition
Summer parenting time
Practical suggestions for handling summer contact, transitions between homes, and helping children adjust when parents live apart.
Parenting Plans & Overnights
Resources on parenting plans for young children, including evidence on overnights and shared parenting arrangements.
Affirming the Consensus Report
In 2014, with the review and endorsement of 110 researchers and practitioners, Dr. Warshak analyzed more than four decades of research and issued a consensus report on parenting plans for young children. The report was intended to stem the tide of misinformation that had been driving custody decisions.
After Parents Divorce, Regular Overnight Stays With Dad Are Best For Most Young Children
110 mental health experts from 15 countries endorse report that recommends overnight care children from both parents after separation.
The Value Of Shared Parenting For Children Of All Ages
The evidence is overwhelming that shared parenting, in general, and for most children, is superior to sole physical custody arrangements after parents separate.
Can Single Dads Handle Night Shifts with Their Babies?
Shared parenting should be the norm for children of all ages whose parents live apart from each other.
Lifting Blanket Restrictions
Big changes are afoot Down Under. And these presage changes in the U.S. and Europe as well. For the past few years, a research report issued by the office of the Australian Attorney General, with statements of its lead author, has exerted a disproportionate impact on the lives of young children whose parents are separated.
Alienated Children and Parental Alienation
Case examples and reader Q&A illustrate how parental alienation unfolds and what can help repair damaged parent–child relationships.
Responding to a 15-Year-Old Girl’s Rejection of Her Father
Case vignette
A detailed response to a father whose teenage daughter suddenly refuses contact, illustrating common patterns in adolescent alienation and concrete steps that may help repair the relationship.
Three Children Reject Their Father and Stepmother
Case vignette
A complex case in which three siblings cut off contact with their father and terminally ill stepmother, highlighting the impact of loyalty conflicts and entrenched alienation on the entire family system.
Father Not Invited to Daughter’s 18th Birthday
Case vignette
A father describes being excluded from his daughter’s milestone birthday. Dr. Warshak explores the dynamics behind this level of rejection and discusses realistic options for maintaining hope and connection.
Strategies to Reunite with Adult Alienated Children
Q&A article
In this extended Q&A, Dr. Warshak answers readers’ questions about reconnecting with adult children who have been alienated, outlining both realistic expectations and practical steps parents can take.
New Research On The Science Of Parental Alienation
Institute for family studies
Parental alienation is real and supported by a legitimate and trustworthy foundation of scientific study. Advocates who claim otherwise are wrong and either through ignorance or design are ignoring scientific advances in the field and spreading misinformation.
Alienated Children and Parental Alienation
Case examples and reader Q&A illustrate how parental alienation unfolds and what can help repair damaged parent–child relationships.
Responding to a 15-Year-Old Girl’s Rejection of Her Father
Case vignette
A detailed response to a father whose teenage daughter suddenly refuses contact, illustrating common patterns in adolescent alienation and concrete steps that may help repair the relationship.
Three Children Reject Their Father and Stepmother
Case vignette
A complex case in which three siblings cut off contact with their father and terminally ill stepmother, highlighting the impact of loyalty conflicts and entrenched alienation on the entire family system.
Father Not Invited to Daughter’s 18th Birthday
Case vignette
A father describes being excluded from his daughter’s milestone birthday. Dr. Warshak explores the dynamics behind this level of rejection and discusses realistic options for maintaining hope and connection.
Strategies to Reunite with Adult Alienated Children
Q&A article
In this extended Q&A, Dr. Warshak answers readers’ questions about reconnecting with adult children who have been alienated, outlining both realistic expectations and practical steps parents can take.
Fractured Parent–Child Relationships
This article provides a brief, clear, and scientifically based overview of parental alienation: what it is, and how to identify, prevent, and overcome the problem.
Parental Alienation: The Psychology of Fractured Parent–Child Relationships
Child and Family Blog in March 2022
The article responds to a need for objective information presented in an easily accessible format to which parents and professionals can refer people who need this information. I hear from many parents who feel embarrassed at their lack of contact with their children. This article can help relatives and friends better understand that children can reject good parents. I hope this will remove or lessen unwarranted stigma suffered by parents.
Alienación Parental: La Psicología de las Relaciones Fracturadas entre Padres e Hijos
Blog de Niños y Familia en Marzo de 2022
El artículo responde a la necesidad de información objetiva presentada en un formato de fácil acceso al que padres y profesionales puedan referir a personas que necesiten esta información. Escucho de muchos padres que se sienten avergonzados por su falta de contacto con sus hijos. Este artículo puede ayudar a familiares y amigos a comprender mejor que los niños pueden rechazar a buenos padres. Espero que esto elimine o disminuya el estigma injustificado que sufren los padres.
The article appears on this site by Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public Licence. © 2022 Child and Family Blog.
Fractured Parent–Child Relationships
This article provides a brief, clear, and scientifically based overview of parental alienation: what it is, and how to identify, prevent, and overcome the problem.
Parental Alienation: The Psychology of Fractured Parent–Child Relationships
Child and Family Blog in March 2022
The article responds to a need for objective information presented in an easily accessible format to which parents and professionals can refer people who need this information. I hear from many parents who feel embarrassed at their lack of contact with their children. This article can help relatives and friends better understand that children can reject good parents. I hope this will remove or lessen unwarranted stigma suffered by parents.
Alienación Parental: La Psicología de las Relaciones Fracturadas entre Padres e Hijos
Blog de Niños y Familia en Marzo de 2022
El artículo responde a la necesidad de información objetiva presentada en un formato de fácil acceso al que padres y profesionales puedan referir a personas que necesiten esta información. Escucho de muchos padres que se sienten avergonzados por su falta de contacto con sus hijos. Este artículo puede ayudar a familiares y amigos a comprender mejor que los niños pueden rechazar a buenos padres. Espero que esto elimine o disminuya el estigma injustificado que sufren los padres.
The article appears on this site by Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public Licence. © 2022 Child and Family Blog.
Op-Ed Articles and Interview on Divorce, Custody, and Parental Alienation
Selected op-eds and a feature interview in a leading Canadian magazine offering commentary on shared parenting, custody disputes, parental alienation, and the impact of divorce on children.
After Divorce, Shared Parenting Is Best for Children
StatNews / Business Insider · 2017
An accessible overview of research showing why, in most families, children benefit when they spend substantial time with each parent after divorce.
Making Kids Choose Not Wise in Custody Battles
san diego union tribune · 2016
Children in custody battles pay a price for the privilege of speaking to the judge. It positions them to be lobbied, intimidated, programmed, and…
Workshop Has Scientific Support
Law Times (Canada) · 2010
A Canadian legal commentary discussing the scientific foundation for Family Bridges and similar interventions for severely alienated children.
“Scripted Lines” in Goldman Case Instructive
Asbury Park Press · 2010
An op-ed examining the high-profile Goldman custody case, focusing on how children’s “scripted” statements can reveal pressure and coaching in contested disputes.
Maclean’s Interview About Family Bridges
Maclean’s · 2008
A feature interview exploring the goals, structure, and outcomes of the Family Bridges workshop for severely alienated children and their parents.
Divorce Doesn’t Have to Devastate the Children
The Dallas Morning News · 2002
An op-ed outlining practical principles for shielding children from the worst emotional fallout of divorce and preserving healthy relationships with both parents.
Children Often Manipulated in Custody Fights
The Dallas Morning News · 2000
An early op-ed describing how children can be used as weapons in custody litigation, and why courts must be alert to signs of pressure and manipulation.
Child Custody: Flawed System Needs Repair
The Dallas Morning News · 1992
One of Dr. Warshak’s early op-eds, critiquing prevailing custody practices and arguing for reforms that later became widely adopted.
Additional media coverage of Dr. Warshak’s work.
Access an archive of selected coverage of Dr. Warshak’s work in newspapers and magazines.