How can you hold your judge or lawyer accountable for misconduct?

ON JANUARY 29, 2017 BY ADMINISTRATOR

A picture tells a thousand words in divorce and family court

By Dr. Leon Koziol

Parenting Rights Institute

Judicial misconduct is the most censored, least publicized and gravest aspect of our federal, state and local governments. You can simply ignore it and move to your next on-line entertainment, but chances are it will find you especially in our nation’s domestic relations courts. So read on and share this post. It may be the most important one you will read in a long time.

The judiciary is our least accountable branch of government. Anyone who dares to reform it can expect severe retributions with no recourse. Judges enjoy absolute immunity for their reckless and even malicious acts. Judicial conduct commissions from New York to California are window dressing entities influenced by politics, typically investigating less than 10% of complaints.

So what does that mean to you? How do you know if your case is not already fixed, rigged or bought-off? You’re spending thousands, even millions of dollars in lawyer fees while your judge has already decided against you due to a bribe or political influence. Are you shocked by that, naive about the people in robes? Well here at Leon Koziol.com and Parenting Rights Institute, we have generated shocking examples of judicial and lawyer misconduct from our work all across America.

Continue reading How can you hold your judge or lawyer accountable for misconduct? →

Continue reading 8 Things Your Child REALLY Thinks About Their Deadbeat Parent →

A child of divorced parents should not have to choose between them

Paul Yip and Melissa Chan say the ‘parental responsibility model’ that the Hong Kong government proposes should guide our custody laws would reduce stress on the affected children

The government recently launched a pubic consultation on how to amend our legislation on child custody and access, in response to the rising number of divorces in Hong Kong. Data shows that the total number of divorce decrees granted in 2013 (22,271 cases) was more than 10 times the number in 1981 (2,060 cases) in Hong Kong, and so more children are affected. The government should be commended for taking this step.

The custodial model, where the court grants one parent sole custody of the child, would be replaced by the “parental responsibility model” in use in England, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. Under this new model, it is proposed that the law would no longer grant one parent all the power in making major decisions for the child. Instead, both parents would continue to have responsibility. And the child could continue seeing both parents if it was in the child’s best interest.

In our recent study on divorces in Hong Kong, commissioned by the Central Policy Unit, child custody and access has been the top issue for the court, followed by maintenance. In the early 2000s, over half of screened cases required the court to deal with child custody issues. In the past five years, this figure has dropped to between 35 and 45 per cent, probably as a result of an increase in the number of childless couples filing for divorce. Nevertheless, it is estimated that the percentage of children affected by divorce in the population has risen from 4 per cent in 2001 to 7 per cent in 2011 – some 81,000 children in 2011, up from 57,000 in 2001.

Continue reading A child of divorced parents should not have to choose between them →

Update on Parent-Child-Alienation and the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)

In recent years psychiatrists and psychotherapists are confronted in their clinical work more and more often with severe psychiatric and psychosomatic consequences of the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in now adult “children of divorce” as well as in parents, who have been traumatized by alienation and rupture of contact with their children. In PAS we deal with a special subcategory of parent-child alienation mainly in separation/divorce conflicts in the sense of an induced disorder in the child, as a result of severe manipulative and aberrant parental behavior in which the child irrationally and without true reason radically refuses contact with a once loved, caring parent.

Research in recent times refers to the condition resulting from induced alienation between parent and child as “pathological alienation”, “parental alienation”, “parental alienation disorder”, “alienated child” or “parental alienation syndrome”. The term “parental alienation syndrome” was introduced in 1985 by the american child psychiatrist Richard A. Gardner, who died in 2003. Standard works on PAS include his book “The Parental Alienation Syndrome – a guide for mental health and legal professionals”, first edition published in 1992, second edition 1998, and Gardner/Sauber/Lorandos (eds., 2006) “The International Handbook of Parental Alienation Syndrome”.

Dr. Gardner, M. D. defined PAS as follows:
“The Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is a disorder that arises primarily in the context of child-custody disputes. Its primary manifestation is the child’s campaign of denigration against a parent, a campaign that has no justification. It results from the combination of a programming (brainwashing) parent’s indoctrina­tions and the child’s own contributions to the vilification of the target parent. When true parental abuse and/or neglect is present the child’s animosity may be justified, and so the parental alienation syndrome explanation for the child’s hostility is not applicable.”

The concept “Parental Alienation Syndrome” thus is characterized by three elements:

If any of these three elements is absent, the term PAS is not applicable.

Continue reading Update on Parent-Child-Alienation and the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) →

Parental Alienation Syndrome — The Parent/Child Disconnect
By Amy J. L. Baker, PhD
Social Work Today

Divorce and separation can breed bad blood between parents and children when one partner uses the children to target the other partner.

Among the many areas of concern for social workers working with divorced or separated couples with children are two related problems: parental alienation, or the efforts on the part of one parent to turn a child against the other parent, and parental alienation syndrome, or a child’s unwarranted rejection of one parent in response to the attitudes and actions of the other parent. Social workers may encounter these problems in a number of settings, such as family service agencies, schools, and family court, as well as in private practice working with high-conflict divorcing couples, parents who believe that the other parent has or will turn the children against them, alienated children refusing to see a parent, adults who are still alienated from a parent, or elders who have “lost” their children to parental alienation.

While some social workers may be unaware of the name for this particular phenomenon, they have probably dealt with it over the course of their careers. For example, clients may enter individual therapy presenting with anxiety, depression, or relationship problems and later reveal that they have been cut off from one parent by another parent. These clients may be unaware of the meaning of the lost relationship and may even minimize its effect on their growth, development, and current mental health concerns.

Children referred to a school social worker for acting out or experiencing academic problems may casually reveal that they have no contact with a “hated” parent. When questioned about the absent parent, these children may vehemently denounce the parent as “good riddance to bad rubbish.” The family of such a child may be maneuvering behind the scenes to exclude the other parent from the child’s school life by misrepresenting that parent’s intentions to school staff, withholding information from that parent to create the appearance of a lack of interest, and removing contact information from school records.

Continue reading Parental Alienation Syndrome — The Parent/Child Disconnect →

Family court: a liability to our children

Letters sent to Malaysiakini http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/91623

Family court: a liability to our children
Francis Yeoh | Oct 20, 08 3:34pm

In response to the various calls and comments recently, I can’t help but identify with the many fathers being denied access to their children today as well as the many members of the Association Against Parental Alienation (Pemalik).

Theirs are the plaintive cries of fathers who have been denied access to their children. Time after time, case after case, the result is so predictable – the pronouncement by the judge – “the children don’t like you and I cannot force them to see you” after the award of custody is made. Not only is one parent denied custody, they are also denied complete access to the children.

The family court for some reason, refuses to look beyond the fact that some of these children have been brainwashed or that parental alienation has been undertaken by the custodial parent so that the child prefers to have no contact whatsoever with the other parent for fear of offending the custodial parent.

The whole family court system from the marriage tribunal to our family court – various sections in the Law Reform Marriage & Divorce Act 1976 and Child Protection Act 2001 need amendments to conform with changes in today’s society.

With the increasing rates of divorce cases and with only one ‘family’ court to handle so many cases, can you imagine the trauma facing the children brought to court for a hearing at the behest of an affidavit?

To make matters worse, divorce and custody battles in court take years. With one presiding judge and numerous backlog of cases – do you think the judge will be able to ‘judge’ wisely, with no help from ‘experts’ on children?

Concerned groups should interview more embattled parents to gain an insight into their plight and to take a holistic view, including on the issue of joint responsibility.

Continue reading Family court: a liability to our children →

What is the custodial parent in a child custody case?

The term custodial parent is often misunderstood.  In a child custody case, the custodial parent is parent with sole custody, or if joint custody is awarded, the parent with the majority of the parenting time.  The term is sometimes misunderstood because courts might refer to one parent as the custodial parent in legal documents, even in joint custody arrangements with equal custody, but to truly be the custodial parent one would need to be awarded sole custody or if in a joint custody arrangement, be given significantly more parenting time than the other parent.

Is there always a custodial parent in child custody arrangement?

In 50/50 joint custody arrangements, where physical custody is split equally between both parents, neither parent is established as the primary custodial parent.  Both parents have an equal role as a custodial parent in true joint custody arrangement.  This means neither parent has more authority than the other, and no parent is called the primary custodial parent or the non-custodial parent.

Does the non-custodial parent have legal custody of the children?

Legal custody can, and is often split equally between both parents, even if one is the custodial parent.  Legal custody gives a parent the authority to make decisions about bigger, long-term issues like what religion to follow, what schools to attend, etc.  If the primary custodial parent and the non custodial parent both have shared legal custody, then they must communicate these matters to each other.  It is important to note that the term “custodial parent” only applies to physical custody.  Legal custody is a separate.

Continue reading Custodial Parent →

Collaborative Divorce

What is meant by a collaborative divorce?

Collaborative divorce is a way for divorcing couples to resolve disputes in a way that may reduce conflict during the divorce process.  While both parties must be represented by lawyers, in collaborative divorce, cooperative techniques are applied to help the affected parties resolve their conflicts.

In a collaborative divorce, no court proceedings can take place until negotiations between the divorcing parties have been completed.  The following bullets illustrate key concepts that exist in a collaborative divorce:

• The lawyers representing the parties have a duty to help the parties reach an agreement.
• There will be fair and effective communication as the process continues. Neither of the parties involved are supposed to take advantage errors made by another party.
• If the divorcing couple has children, the spouses must consider what is in their children’s best interest.   This is aimed at promoting a good environment for the children and their parents, which will minimize the chances of the children experiencing emotional instability.
• There is an option of obtaining neutral experts.
• There should be no changes made to the insurance, assets, or any other sensitive matters.  Moreover, there should be a status quo especially if the divorce involves parents who had children.
• Issues that have not been agreed upon will be settled by further negotiations by the parties involved.

Continue reading Collaborative Divorce →

Parental Alienation Syndrome By Michael Wayland

I want to talk to you about Parental Alienation Syndrome. It sounds like a fancy diagnosis but it is a simple to understand phenomenon. It varies from mild to severe. You may have experienced it if you have been through a divorce.

Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is when one parent attempts to sway the child into favoring the initiating parent and despising the target parent. Usually this occurs when one parent has custody and the other (target) parent has less time with the child. It can be purposeful or it can be subconscious.

It is usually only seen in custody situations. In most instances the mother is the instigating parent and the father is the target or victim, although certainly not always. Mainly the extent to which a child is consciously or unconsciously being programmed by the alienating parent to reject the targeted parent determines the presence of PAS. It is found more frequently in cases where a parenting schedule is forced on the parties by a judge than when the parties engage in a mediated divorce where a mediation session leads to a custody arrangement that satisfies both parents. A decision imposed by a judge through a trial process leaves the parties out of control and feeling as if the outcome was forced on them.

Continue reading Parental Alienation Syndrome By Michael Wayland →

Amanda W. Figland concentrates practices in family law, where she handles divorce, dissolution of civil unions, partition, and child support and custody issues. She works out of Obermayer’s Cherry Hill, NJ office and can be reached at 856-795-3300 or at Amanda.Figland@obermayer.com.

Sometimes in custody disputes, one parent attempts to get a leg up in the custody case by bad-mouthing the other parent to the children. Additionally, in more extreme cases, a parent in a litigation may even try to persuade a child to make false claims of abuse or neglect against the other parent.  Courts take these matters very seriously and this type of behavior is strictly prohibited.  In New Jersey, judges will often include a “Childrens’ Bill of Rights” directly into court orders to prohibit parents from discussing any litigation or drawing their children into disputes with the other parent.  Unfortunately, because these activities occur behind the scenes, it can be difficult to prove that these events are actually occurring.

A parent faced with this problem can bring a custody or divorce action or he or she can file a post-judgment motion to preclude this conduct or to modify an existing order. A family court judge in New Jersey has the authority to order compensatory, make-up parenting time.  A family court judge also has the authority to reduce or limit the custodial rights and parenting time of the offending parent if it can be proven that the alienating behavior is causing harm to the children.

Most of the time, if a parent raises these types of claims against another parent, these claims may only be litigated in the family part.  This means that other than possible awards of counsel fees, or court sanctions there would be no substantial money damages awarded against the offending parent for this type of conduct.

A New Jersey appellate court in Segal v. Lynch, 413 N.J. Super. 171 (App. Div. 2010), addressed whether or not a parent could seek civil redress against the other parent for emotional damages relating to custody and parenting time cases.  In Segal, a mother had had made frequent numerous alienating statements to the parties’ children, which resulted in the loss of the relationship between the father and his two children.  The father brought a civil tort suit against the mother, alleging that the mother committed intentional infliction of emotional distress.  The lower court dismissed the action.  A New Jersey appellate court reviewed the decision of the lower court. The appellate court held that parents should not be permitted to routinely bring civil suits against each other for alienation of the affections of their children.  The Court stated that routine claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of one parent’s alienation of the affections of the children were against public policy.  The Court explained that these claims would almost always require the children to act as witnesses against one or both of their parents and it would not be in the best interests of the children for these cases to proceed.

Continue reading Can I Sue My Former Spouse For Destroying My Relationship With My Children? →

Parental Alienation is a Stalker. Learn How to Gain Awareness and Stop the Abuse

Parents who have become victims of parental alienation often don’t see it coming.  Parental alienation, unlike other forms of abuse, isn’t always clear. You don’t pick up your child and see a parental alienation scar or bruise.

Your child rarely outwardly tells you what the other parent has said or done. Even more mature children, including teenagers, are hit hard by alienation without understanding what the other parent is doing. This sometimes affects a child’s custody preference and is used in Court. That is what awareness of parental alienation so difficult.

Parental alienation is a stalker.

It does not immediately physically strike you. It does not scream, “Help! I am being alienated.” It is a penetrating form of psychological abuse that permeates through a child’s heart and mind. And that is where you must pick up the subtle clues the alienating parent and the children leave for you. That is where your vigilance and diligence becomes essential.

Recognizing the alienation before it takes complete control may be the single most important factor in stopping it. It stops alienation from becoming a “syndrome.” All of the court orders in the world may not save your child if your child has been completely alienated from you and wants nothing to do with you. The amount of therapy involved as well as time and effort that you must undertake in the most extreme cases can be too much to bear for some parents.

We’ve had those extreme cases. We’ve had success. But we write this article because we want you to know what to look for so you do not have to be one of those cases. We want you to take action early and often to combat the parental alienation. Let’s look at this topic closer.

If you have any questions, contact our experienced Orange County child custody attorneys. We offer an affordable strategy session.

You want to neutralize parental alienation? Spend quality time with your children.

Continue reading Parental Alienation is a Stalker. Learn How to Gain Awareness and Stop the Abuse →

A Word to Mothers: You can lose your children to parental alienation

As mother’s day approaches I want to take a moment to unequivocally state that yes mothers even good mothers can lose their children to parental alienation. One common myth that seems to be “out there” in the world is that parental alienation is something that only happens to fathers and that mothers, because they tend to have residential custody and because (the theory goes) the courts are biased against fathers, rarely lose their kids this way. While no one has data about the exact gender break down, I can say that without a doubt some mothers do and have been victimized in this way. I believe that part of why this is not talked about as much as fathers’ experiences of parental alienation is that mothers who do lose their kids this way are overcome with shame and humiliationand tend to not want to go public with their story. In my conversations with targeted mothers a common theme is that they perceive other people as thinking that they must have done something wrong for their child to reject them. Many stay silent for this reason, to avoid being blamed and shamed.

Continue reading A Word to Mothers: You can lose your children to parental alienation →

Recommendations for Dealing with Parents Who Induce a Parental Alienation Syndrome in Their Children

by RICHARD A. GARDNER

ABSTRACT: The parental alienation syndrome is commonly seen in highly contested child-custody disputes. The author has described three types: mild, moderate, and severe$each of which requires special approaches by both legal and mental health professionals. The purpose of this article is to correct some misinterpretations of the author’s recommendations as well as to add some recently developed refinements. Particular focus is given to the transitional-site program that can be extremely useful for dealing with the severe type of parental alienation syndrome. Dealing properly with parental-alienation-syndrome families requires close cooperation between legal and mental health professionals. Without such cooperation therapeutic approaches are not likely to succeed. With such cooperation the treatment, in many cases, is likely to be highly effective.

THE PARENTAL ALIENATION SYNDROME

The parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is a disorder that arises almost exclusively in the context of child-custody disputes. It is a disorder in which children, programmed by the allegedly “loved” parent, embark upon a campaign of denigration of the allegedly “hated” parent. The children exhibit little if any ambivalence over their hatred, which often spreads to the extended family of the allegedly despised parent. Most often mothers are the initiators of such programming, and fathers are the victims of the campaigns of deprecation. However, in a small percentage of cases it is the father who is the primary programmer and the mother who comes to be viewed as the “hated” parent. Furthermore, we are not dealing here with simple “brainwashing” by one parent against the other. The children’s own scenarios of denigration often contribute and complement those promulgated by the programming parent. Accordingly, I introduced the term parental alienation syndrome (PAS) to refer to both of these contributions to the disorder. Because of the children’s cognitive immaturity their scenarios may often appear preposterous to adults. Of course, if the hated parent has genuinely been abusive, then the children’s alienation is warranted and the PAS concept is not applicable.

There are three type of parental alienation syndrome: mild, moderate, and severe. It goes beyond the purposes of this report to describe in full detail the differences between these three types. At this point only a brief summary, however, is important here. In the mild type, the alienation is relatively superficial and the children basically cooperate with visitation, but are intermittently critical and disgruntled. In the moderate type, the alienation is more formidable, the children are more disruptive and disrespectful, and the campaign of denigration may be almost continual. In the severe type, visitation may be impossible, so hostile are the children, hostile even to the point of being physically violent toward the allegedly hated parent. Other forms of acting out may be present, acting out that is designed to cause formidable grief to the parent who is being visited. In many cases the children’s hostility has reached paranoid levels, that is, delusions of persecution and/or fears that they will be murdered in situations where there is absolutely no evidence that such will be the case.

Continue reading Recommendations for Dealing with Parents Who Induce a Parental Alienation Syndrome in Their Children →

The Impact of Parental Alienation on Children

What children of divorce most want and need is to maintain healthy and strong relationships with both of their parents, and to be shielded from their parents’ conflicts. Some parents, however, in an effort to bolster their parental identity, create an expectation that children choose sides. In more extreme situations, they foster the child’s rejection of the other parent. In the most extreme case, children are manipulated by one parent to hate the other, despite children’s innate desire to love and be loved by both their parents.

What is parental alienation ?

Parental alienation involves the “programming” of a child by one parent to denigrate the other “targeted” parent, in an effort to undermine and interfere with the child’s relationship with that parent, and is often a sign of a parent’s inability to separate from the couple conflict and focus on the needs of the child. Such denigration results in the child’s emotional rejection of the targeted parent, and the loss of a capable and loving parent from the life of the child. Psychiatrist Richard Gardner developed the concept of “parental alienation syndrome” 20 years ago, defining it as, “a disorder that arises primarily in the context of child custody disputes. Its primary manifestation is the child’s campaign of denigration against a parent, a campaign that has no justification. It results from the combination of a programming (brainwashing) parent’s indoctrinations and the child’s own contributions to the vilification of the target parent.” Children’s views of the targeted parent are almost exclusively negative, to the point that the parent is demonized and seen as evil.

As Baker writes, parental alienation involves a set of strategies, including bad-mouthing the other parent, limiting contact with that parent, erasing the other parent from the life and mind of the child, forcing the child to reject the other parent.

The Impact of Parental Alienation on Children

Devastated Fathers Speak Out About Parental Alienation

Continue reading Devastated Fathers Speak Out About Parental Alienation →

What Can Yet be Done With Older Children Who Have Been Long Term Victims of Parental Alienation?

Ludwig.F. Lowenstein Ph.D

Southern England Psychological Services

2012

Abstract & Summary

One of the most difficult tasks facing expert witnesses (psychologists/psychiatrists) is seeking to reverse parental alienation of long standing when the child has reached adolescence or become an adult. Despite the difficulty the author describes a strategy which is sometimes effective to make a victim aware of the constancy of the alienated parent.s love, and to provide a rational explanation, via a letter, for the now adult explaining the process of parental alienation.

What Can Yet be Done With Older Children Who Have Been Long Term Victims of Parental Alienation?

Introduction

I begin with the two recent letters received which follow and show the concerns of two long term alienated parents who have not had contact with their older children (16+) for many years. The parents who were so alienated have in many cases been virtually obliterated in the minds of these now older children, adolescents and adults. The children.s names in these scenarios have been changed to avoid identification since they are based on real cases. We will consider first the causes and long term effects of the alienation of children followed by some possible strategies for dealing with the long term effects of parental alienation in the older child, adolescent, and even adult.

Causes and long term effects of alienation of children

The causes of long term alienation is most often the unceasing, implacable hostility of the custodial parent against the now long term alienated parent. It may be noted, in at least one of the letters, that the process of turning a child against a parent starts early and is ongoing and relentless. The innocent parent often is not permitted to have any contact with the child and the child eventually adopts the view of the alienator and rejects what is so often a good parent. The alienated parent is not allowed to play any part in bringing up the child and of guiding that child. Such animosity of the hostile parent.s action is eventually difficult to reverse. The child, and later adolescent, increasingly believes he/she has indeed only one good parent and the other is a bad parent. The latter is the vilified, rejected father/mother.

The alienated parent suffers tremendously from the unjust rejection he/she has to endure. Some parents such as those so unjustly treated eventually follow the advice of an expert psychologist understanding family problems and start another family. At the same time they should .keep the door open. for the child who has been alienated to make contact. This unfortunately seldom happens, especially with the passage of time. Judges frequently predict wrongly, that the child when an adult will untimately make contact with the rejected parent of their own volition. Here unfortunately is where we have the situation where the absence does not make .the heart grow fonder.. It is just the reverse: absence leads to the forgetting or total rejection of the absent parent.In the back of their minds, however, such children have a memory of eventually understanding how they have been unjustly and cruelly turned against the alienated parent. Sometimes this does not occur and they should be made aware of this by the psychologist seeking to remedy the situation.Frequently, I have told such parents that they should have counteracted such alienation earlier, and if necessary, to have sought a change of residence for such emotionally abused children. There response is a combination of regret, anger and a feeling of betrayal as well as helplessness now that they are seeking help so belatedly.

Continue reading What Can Yet be Done With Older Children Who Have Been Long Term Victims of Parental Alienation? →

Parental alienation: the impact on men’s mental health.

Abstract

Parent Alienation & It’s Devastating Effects

Parent alienation syndrome was first identified and documented by psychiatrist, Richard Gardner, in the 1980’s.

While there continues to be controversy and debate over whether this diagnostic label should or should not be used when working with a family system where these behaviors and dynamics exist, the fact is that parent alienation does occur. The higher the conflict between separating or divorcing parents, the higher the likelihood that behaviors and attitudes associated with parental alienation will occur.

Every day, the family court system is inundated with cases where a 730 custody evaluation has been ordered to determine what is in the “best interest of the child” based on who is the most “fit” parent. I have found that when a 730 child custody evaluation is ordered by a family court, often parental alienation is occurring and court intervention is necessary to prevent it from continuing.

In my work with adult daughters, raised by very difficult or personality disordered mothers, many times what surfaces in our work together is a childhood history wrought with confusion, trauma, loss, psychological torture, double-binds, loyalty conflicts, and both, direct and indirect alienating behaviors on the part of their mothers, their mother’s families, and sometimes the father’s families who have inappropriately aligned themselves against the father and with the alienating mother. Often when the father’s family members align with the alienating mother, it is due to their fear that they will not be allowed to see the children, so they sacrifice their relationship and loyalty to their own family member who is the father of the children, in service to their need to continue to be allowed access to the children by the alienating mother.

Continue reading Parent Alienation & It’s Devastating Effects →

Coping with the Parental Alienation Syndrome

Overview

Ten years ago, the term ‘Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)’ was virtually unknown outside of the USA. Today it is one of the key factors in changing the laws of custody.

Paradoxically, at the time of writing it is not recognised by any government authority in the UK. Nor do the Family-courts, Family-lawyers, Child-welfare organisations or child psychiatrists generally accept it, yet they will admit that the problem of hostile separations, and the alienating of children against the non-resident parent is common, and well known by all who deal with these matters.

Understanding why those in the worlds of Family-law and Family-business do not accept PAS is the key to understanding why one father in three in the UK will not see his children grow up.
What is the Parental Alienation Syndrome?

The full description of PAS can be found in the works of Dr Richard Gardner MD, and on his website at www.rgardner.com and at also www.parentalalienation.com , but briefly:

It is the systematic denigration of the non-resident parent by the resident parent with the intent of alienating children against the non-resident parent. The pattern of PAS behaviour is common to some degree or other in all custody disputes.

Children who have been alienated will claim that it is their own decision to reject the non-resident parent. Once this happens, it could be several years before the non-resident parent will see their children again.

It is the child’s claim that they are not influenced in their decision by the resident parent, which makes it difficult to deal with, as the child’s ‘evidence’ is regarded as crucial to the courts decision.

Continue reading Coping with the Parental Alienation Syndrome →

8 Ways To Help You And Your Child Combat Parental Alienation

Continue reading 8 Ways To Help You And Your Child Combat Parental Alienation →

MOTHER SHAMING: THE DYNAMICS OF THE ALIENATING FATHER

Originally posted on Karen Woodall

Disclaimer:
As PMA International has posted before, we prefer the term DV by Proxy to explain the manipulations an abuser parent uses to teach the child to reject the protective parent. We prefer this term because;

1. It more accurately depicts the actions taken by the abuser parent towards the child
2. There has been a lot of misinformation about parental alienation circulating the internet and beyond.
3. The term parental alienation and /or parental alienation syndrome has been use as a legal defense for abusive dads in family court. Most often this term has been used by the attorneys of dads who sexual abuse their children. This defense is used – most often- by attorneys in family court for the purpose of deflecting blame from the criminal actions of their client onto the protective mother.
4 The result of the above has frequently been, abusers winning custody due to this misuse of the term.
Because the term is so emotionally charge for protective mothers, and for all the reasons above, we feel DV by Proxy is a better choice. Please keep in mind others still use the term Parental Alienation. Since PMA International did not author this piece, the term parental alienation or alienation may be used.

The truth is that much of the alienated mother shaming that I see happening is perpetuated by those feminist trained professionals who profess to care so much for women. Which is another reason why this group of alienated parents is invisible and unable to share their experience widely. Karen Woodall

It is often said that parental alienation is not a gender issue, by this people mean that the issue can affect either mothers or fathers. At first glance however, it would appear that alienated mothers are in the minority, but in reality they are not so small a group. What faces alienated mothers however is something so deeply unpleasant and so deeply shaming, that it is small wonder that so many women in these circumstances do not reveal to the outside world what has happened to them. Not only do alienated mothers face the loss of their children and all of the grief and suffering that goes with that, they face the hostile and deeply suspicious attitudes of society at large, where the belief that if a mother has lost her children, she must have done something dreadful to deserve it, is an obstinate and poisonous mindset.

Continue reading MOTHER SHAMING: THE DYNAMICS OF THE ALIENATING FATHER →

Learning To Deserve Love As A Child Of Divorce

Continue reading Learning To Deserve Love As A Child Of Divorce →

Parental Alienation: It’s About More Than “A Uterus, Divorce Papers and Bruises”

By Cathy Meyer.

Certified Marriage Educator and Divorce Coach

Continue reading Parental Alienation: It’s About More Than “A Uterus, Divorce Papers and Bruises” →

Parental Alienation Syndrome within Parental Abduction cases…….

Continue reading Parental Alienation Syndrome within Parental Abduction cases……. →

Don’t Be An Alienating Parent

Are you allowing your unresolved divorce issues to turn you into an alienating parent? While you wouldn’t do anything to directly harm your children, your behavior regarding the other parent can be detrimental to your children. The following article sheds some light on the subtle ways in which one parent can undermine the other parent’s position after a divorce.

Are You An Alienating Parent?

Written by: Jeff Opperman
for WomansDivorce.com

What do you think would happen if comedian Jeff Foxworthy stopped telling redneck jokes and started talking about Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)?

For example, instead of, “If you’ve ever cut your grass and found a car, you might be a redneck,” we’d hear,

“If you’ve ever disconnected the phone so you child’s other parent couldn’t get through, you might be an alienating parent.”

And in place of, “If someone asks to see your ID and you show them your belt buckle, you might be a redneck,” he’d tell us,

“If you’ve ever intercepted the other parent’s birthday present to the child and told the child ‘your mother/father didn’t send a gift,’ you might be an alienating parent.”

If Foxworthy goes from “you might be a redneck” to “you might be an alienating parent,” he might not be a comedian much longer. There is nothing funny about Parental Alienation Syndrome.

The late Dr. Richard A. Gardner, a New York psychiatrist and author of “The Parental Alienation Syndrome: A Guide of Legal and Mental Health Professionals,” coined the term parental alienation approximately 20 years ago to characterize the breakdown of previously normal, healthy parent/child relationships during divorce and child custody cases.

What Is Parental Alienation Syndrome?

In PAS, one parent deliberately damages, and in some cases destroys, the normal, loving relationship between his or her child and the child’s other parent. In severe PAS cases, the alienating parent and child work together to successfully eliminate the previously loved Mom or Dad from the child’s life.

An alienating parent’s behavior stems from the parent’s unresolved emotional issues. The parent uses the child to fill his or her unhealthy emotional needs at the expense of the other parent.

PAS experts have identified three levels of alienating behavior – mild, moderate and severe. In reality, these levels are nothing more than points along a continuum of behavior. The alienating parent may bounce between levels depending on his or her emotional state. And the parent’s emotions are based on a variety of factors – including how well the parent is dealing with those unresolved issues; and how well the child is meeting his or her new responsibilities to the parent.

Are you an alienating parent?

We won’t repeat our variation on Foxworthy’s familiar “… you might be a redneck” refrain after each of the following examples, but we will say it once. You might be an alienating parent if you:

• Allow the child to talk negatively or disrespectfully about the other parent.
• Set up tempting alternatives that would interfere with the other parent’s time with the child.
• Give the child decision-making power about spending time with the other parent when no choice exists.
• Act hurt and betrayed if the child shows any positive feelings towards the other parent…

Continue reading Don’t Be An Alienating Parent →

Mediation Malaysia

STOP THE EPIDEMIC OF PARENTAL ALIENATION SYNDROME NOW..

We, the undersigned, are requesting The President of the United States, U.S. Congresspersons, Senators, and other Government employees and appointees to address the issue to Stop Parental Alienation and Make it a Crime Punishable by Law. As citizens of the U.S., we expect our government officials to represent us, address our valid concerns, having a severe impact, both short and long term, violence on our children’s population.

We call upon our representatives to take measures to preserve family Integrity and abolish state sponsored Parental Alienation and Child Protective Service child-taking – too. We propose that child custody should no longer be decided by one Judge but by a panel of 6 to 12 Jurors. The aim of the petition is to make the general public, judges, police officers, mental health care workers, child protection agencies, lawyers, as well as friends and family of the targeted children or their parents become aware of this growing problem. We need your help to protect the innocent children. We need your help to educate and make aware to the public the effects of Parental Alienation and Hostile Aggressive Parenting.

This petition is for all children world wide who are suffering as a result of the selfish affairs between two parents. When a child is alienated from a parent, it is not just a mere separation between two people, it is the creation of a life-long hiatus affecting the child for the rest of his/her life.

The emotional hole left in the child from the loss of a parent is generally filled with a great deal of negativity including, but not limited to: eating disorders, cutting themselves, criminal activities, antisocial and acting out behaviors, defiance, disrespect for all authority, cognitive distortion, depression, anxiety and suicide.

Parental Alienation is child abuse by one parent who ?programs? the child or children of the marriage to denigrate or ?target? the other parent in an effort to undermine and interfere with the child?s relationship with that parent. This syndrome is often a sign of the offending parent?s inability to separate from the couple?s conflict and focus on the child?s needs. Rather, the offending parent uses the children in his or her war against the other parent.

Parental Alienation deprives children of their right to be loved and to show love to both of their parents. The alienating parent (and often other family members) mentally manipulate or bully children into believing a loving parent is the cause of all of the their or the family?s problems; therefore the other parent must be the enemy, be feared, hated, disrespected and avoided. Hatred is not a normal emotion for children, rather it must be taught.

Signs of Parental Alienation include:

1.Bad -mouthing
2.Limiting Contact
3.Withdrawing love/getting angry
4.Telling child target parent doesn?t love him or her
5.Forcing child to choose/express loyalty
6.Bad-mouthing to create impression targeted parent is dangerous
7.Confiding in child about adult relationship
8.Limiting contact with extended family
9.Belittling target parent in front of child
10.Creating conflict between child and target parent

Continue reading Parental Alienation Child Abuse NO MORE. Automatic (50/50) shared joint custody by default in court.. →

False Protection Orders To Enable Parental Alienation is Child Abuse

Lurleen Hilliard – Tarantino Productions LLC

Business Manager & Publicist Tony Tarantino & Tarantino Productions LLC Hollywood & Founder & CEO at Nolonger Victims

This issue is one that has been brought to my attention on many occasions and it is something that not only infuriates me, due to the forced abuse on the child or children involved, but the fact that some Family Courts are enabling this abuse and any child abuse is illegal under all Laws in every state and yet some courts and judges are actually encouraging it and ignoring the devastation that it causes on the innocent victim the child or children who irrespective of how much their parents may hate each other, they still love them unconditionally as mom & dad, and should be allowed to have both in their lives.

A Protective Order is issued or should be issued solely to protect one person from another and possibly a child if there has been proven abuse on this child and on the person filing for the order. However far too many women in particular are Abusing the courts and these orders so that they can keep the child away from their father. This is not out of fear NO this is out of them manipulating the system and playing victim when in many cases, they are the abuser and they are who the child needs protecting from and not the loving dad. A proportion of attorneys are as guilty as these women are as they know full well that there is no need for a order of protection but the $$$$ is more important to them, rather than the welfare of a child which should be paramount in any court.

Far too many women are now abusing these orders so that they can ensure their ex and the father of their child can’t see, speak or have visitation with their child. As to do so would be to breach the order of protection that the mom filed and sadly many file it out of malice and not out of any fear at all. He is in a catch 22 situation. Either he risks contacting her so as to organize to spend time with his child or children and she files a breach of the order, OR he has to follow the order and then his rights under any Custody Order are been breached as he can’t get to spend the time with his child or children. This is called Parental Alienation and under the US Senate it is considered a form of Child Abuse. So why are so many Judges and Attorney’s getting away with Enabling the Abuse of an innocent child without them having a basis to do so.

Continue reading False Protection Orders To Enable Parental Alienation is Child Abuse →

Getting Along for the Kids

Woman Magazine, February 2005

Did you happen to catch the television show, The 101 Most Amazing, Memorable, Incredibly Exciting, Talked About Forever, Hollywood Moments of 2004? I’m a little fuzzy on the show’s exact title.

Sandwiched between Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction and Ashlee Simpson’s lip -synching malfunction was a segment featuring actress Demi Moore, ex-husband Bruce Willis, their children, and Demi’s boyfriend Ashton Kutcher. This moment made the list, as far as I can tell, because two divorced parents arrived together at a movie premier with their children – and the divorced Mom’s new love interest.

What is it about these divorced parents – parents who have obviously moved past the disappointment and bitterness of divorce for the sake of their children – that make their public appearance with their children so memorable? Okay, so I’m ignoring our celebrity-obsessed culture. But becoming good co-parents after divorce should be the number one priority for celebrity and non-celebrity parents. And the first step to healthy co-parenting is shedding any leftover divorce anger. People can’t be good co-parents if they are still angry with the child’s other parent.

At its worst, unresolved anger directed at the other parent after a divorce is a symptom of parental alienation, a highly destructive family dynamic. In parental alienation, one parent deliberately damages, and in some cases destroys, the previously healthy, loving relationship between his or her child and the child’s other parent. In severe parental alienation the alienating parent and child work together to successfully eliminate the previously loved Mom or Dad from the child’s life.

Continue reading Getting Along for the Kids →