How to Treat Parental Alienation

Some parents believe they are protecting children through parental alienation.

Parental alienation is a syndrome caused by one parent attempting to ignore, or keep children from, the other parent. The alienation extends to family members and friends of the opposite parent. This type of alienation often occurs during custody battles and is committed by those hoping to gain primary residence or full custody over the children. Some reasons for alienation include domestic abuse and mental illness; however, the reasons do not pardon the need for treating the syndrome.

Instructions

1. Prevent the situation. The first step to treating a situation is to attempt to prevent the situation. Divorced or separated couples who are aware of parental alienation syndrome should attempt to avoid committing the acts which cause the syndrome.

2. Educate all involved. If it is too late for prevention, begin to fix the situation through education. The other parent involved in the alienation situation may not be able to be convinced to take this step, but the effort to eradicate the syndrome with education should be attempted. Find resources discussing the topic and discover possible causes behind the syndrome.

3. Seek a therapist. Attempt to discover ways to work past the alienation. Whether victim or instigator, every person involved in a case of parental alienation needs to discover methods to eradicate the situation.

4. Contact a lawyer after or simultaneous to seeking therapy. Make sure the current laws are understood, and do not let visitation rights become flexible or ignored. Adhere strictly to the rules of the divorce or separation agreement to support a possible parental alienation court case. If one parent is trying to alienate the other, the victim needs to keep a structured diary and review divorce laws to make sure she is doing nothing wrong. These actions make the victimized parent appear to be attempting to follow the rules in the face of being victimized.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to watch the children and seek counseling for them during this time. Children suffer silently, and it is up to the parents to protect the mental health of all family members during instances of parental alienation.

References

• Women Against Domestic Violence: Parental Alienation Syndrome