How to Cope With Parental Alienation

Parental alienation is a conscious form of emotional child abuse commonly seen in divorced couples during custody battles. Usually, the parent who has more access to the youngster tends to downgrade the other parent’s character, destroying the bond between the alienated parent and the child.

  1. Stay Positive

    • Avoiding negative communication with the antagonistic parent, also known as the alienating parent, will lessen the chance to create conflict, says Reena Sommer, a Houston-based psychologist and author who deals with divorce and custody issues. In that way, the targeted parent can continue to parent the children without the effect of detrimental clashes.

    Damage Control

    • More often than not, during divorce the antagonizing parties express their feelings out loud with complete disregard of who is in front of them. The late Dr. Richard A. Gardner, creator of the parental alienation syndrome theory, advised the targeted parent to not speak badly about the aggressor in the presence of the kids. In doing so, the alienated parent can shield children from the effects of bad-mouthing and prevent losing respect, affection or contact with them.

    Stay Connected

    • Michael Jeffries, author of "A Family&'s Heartbreak: A Parent&'s Introduction to Parental Alienation," suggests that persistence is a good way to cope with parental alienation. Stay connected with your children by bringing back happy memories. Be available for community and social events where you can establish new ties with your kids, breaking away from the ill-imposed role of alienated parent.

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