Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Effective therapeutic support for children facing parental separation or trauma should take a family systems approach, recognising that each family member’s behaviours and emotions impact the entire unit. Family systems therapy addresses dysfunctional dynamics such as triangulation, enmeshment, and unhealthy alliances by seeking to restore healthy boundaries, roles, and communication. This approach can involve individual and joint work with the child, the alienating parent, and the targeted parent, with the goal of breaking patterns of manipulation and control, promoting positive memories and secure attachments, and fostering healthy, balanced relationships.
In this context, encouraging critical thinking and supporting children to establish healthy boundaries are essential for their emotional safety. Therapy should help children distinguish between healthy and unhealthy parent-child relationships, equipping them to recognise supportive interactions and identify harmful dynamics. Importantly, all interventions should be delivered by trained, trauma-informed professionals to ensure that any expressive or therapeutic activities prioritise the child’s genuine wellbeing and are never used to reinforce negative or alienating narratives.
Using a family systems lens strengthens resilience, nurtures emotional growth, and supports the restoration of healthier family connections, which are critical for positive long-term developmental outcomes.
Attachment-focused therapeutic interventions play a pivotal role in supporting the development and restoration of secure attachment patterns between the child and caregivers. Prioritising the establishment of trust and relational safety within these attachments facilitates effective trauma resolution and emotional regulation. Attachment-based approaches contribute significantly to the reparation of disrupted bonds and the facilitation of adaptive relational functioning, which are essential for enhanced psychological outcomes and resilience.
Behaviours: The child maintains contact with the rejected parent but is closely aligned with the preferred parent, who may be visibly distressed over the family separation. The preferred parent may engage in behaviours that subtly undermine the child's perception of the rejected parent, leading the child to exhibit:
Behaviours: The child experiences significant distress during transitions between the preferred and rejected parent, struggling to adjust even after the transition. This may manifest as:
Behaviours: The preferred parent engages in deliberate actions to sever the child's relationship with the rejected parent, leading the child to completely reject and refuse contact with the rejected parent. The child may display:
The dynamics of parent-child relationships can change rapidly, and there is no "one size fits all" approach when addressing situations involving alienation and child trauma. Each case requires a thorough investigation by practitioners who are highly trained in the specific areas highlighted on our website. It is essential for individuals to seek professional legal and mental health advice tailored to their unique circumstances. The information provided here is intended as a general guide and should not replace the expertise of qualified professionals.
Set of Four Articles on Family Bridges: A Workshop for Troubled and Alienated Parent-Child Relationships (Various Dates) Dr Richard Warshak
Post Graduate Certificate in Parental Alienation Studies
Parental Alienation Europe
Institute of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice
Other Helpful links
Free Courses for practitioners and families
Families Divided
The Late, Dr Steven Miller
Parental Alienating Behaviours
are Child Abuse & Family Violence.
This serious form of abuse and family violence can no longer be ignored. Parental alienating behaviours must be acknowledged in Australia as it is in other parts of the world. We need legislation that not only acknowledges its existence but firmly and clearly legislates against it.