Divorce Advice for Men | Fathers Rights Divorce | Child Custody

By Robert Ferrer

Archivist and Principle Researcher, University of Illinois

April is Parental Alienation Awareness Month, a great reminder to all of us about the dangers of this form of abuse.

Parental alienation is an act by a parent that tries to denigrate and destroy the relationship between a child and the other targeted parent. (Read my related column "10 Facts About Parental Alienation.")

Parental Alienation Syndrome is commonly referred to as the effect of parental alienation.

A conference I attended last year, the Canadian Symposium for Parental Alienation Syndrome, focused on the state of research, intervention, and the status of Parental Alienation Syndrome for inclusion in the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). 

By Pamela Richardson

Excerpted with permission from A Kidnapped Mind. Read the Q&A with the author about her experience with parental alienation.

Sometimes Dash was whisked off for hamburgers just as I was due to arrive.

Other times he waited eagerly for me at his door and sprang out and hugged me excitedly, leaping into my car and holding my hand tight the whole drive back to our house. 

By Matt Allen

Editor, DadsDivorce.com

Pamela Richardson spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and 12 years in court witnessing first-hand the dangerous effects of parental alienation.

Her story of the "struggle, the hope, the missteps and all the agonizing drama along the way" formed her book, A Kidnapped Mind.

Richardson and her husband separated when their son Dash was 4 ½ years old. What followed was an all-too-familiar nightmare with one parent – in this case, the father – systematically eliminating the other parent from their child’s life through parental alienation.

The book is a reminder of so many of the stories we hear about on a continuing basis from divorced fathers because whether it’s the mom or the dad acting as the alienator, a common theme is apparent in all of them: parental alienation is a form of child abuse and it must be stopped.

Richardson answered some questions about her experience with parental alienation. She also provided to DadsDivorce.com an excerpt from the book.

DadsDivorce.com editor Matt Allen interviews Dr. William Bernet about the parental alienation proposal that he and a large committee of mental health and legal professionals have submitted to the American Psychiatric Association

Bernet, who is the keynote speaker at the Canadian Symposium for Parental Alienation Syndrome, has proposed that parental alienation be included as either a "mental disorder" or a "relational problem” in the next edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, also known as DSM-5. The inclusion would go a long way toward creating awareness and helping children and families affected by this disorder.

The conference, titled "Parental Alienation Syndrome: Past Present and Future," is taking place in New York City on Oct. 2 and 3 and is open to the general public.

Visit the CSPAS website for more information on the parental alienation conference. Listen to the podcast for the full parental alienation interview.

DadsDivorce.com editor Matt Allen interviews Dr. Richard Sauber about why forensic evaluations are preferred to traditional psychotherapy in helping alienated children.

Sauber, who is one of the featured speakers at the upcoming Canadian Symposium for Parental Alienation Syndrome, addresses the national shortage of qualified, trained PAS therapists and gives advice for the targeted parents on how to deal with alienated children.

The conference, titled "Parental Alienation Syndrome: Past Present and Future," is taking place in New York City on Oct. 2 and 3 and is open to the general public.

As a bonus to DadsDivorce.com readers, the conference is offering a buy one, get one free ticket promotion. Just e-mail info@dadsdivorce.com with your contact information and you will receive two tickets to the conference for the price of one.

Visit the CSPAS website for more information on the parental alienation conference. Listen to the podcast for the full parental alienation interview.