Monthly Archives: February 2021

What do we mean by alienation? Much discussion about alienationof children in divorce and separation, is around what one parent is doing to the other. Alienation means many things, we consider that it means that a child’s right to an unfolding sense of self which is sovereign and unique to them, has been colonised byContinue reading “What do we mean by alienation of children in divorce and separation?”

Therapeutic Parenting for Alienated Children – What it is, why it matters, how it helps – 24th March 2021 What is Therapeutic Parenting? Therapeutic parenting is a high nurture, attuned style of parenting which assists children who have suffered early developmental trauma, to build healthy attachments. Why does it matter for alienated children? Alienated childrenContinue reading “Therapeutic Parenting for alienated children: A Zoom seminar with karen woodall”

Working with other clinicians allows me to formulate new way of educating others about how to approach cases of a child being induced to use psychological splitting in divorce and separation. Lately we have been discussing how to help social workers, people we often work with in teams, to understand the concept of alienation usingContinue reading “Constrain, protect and then treat: Child protection in intervention with alienated children and families”

The asymmetry of power over the child, in families where children reject a parent outright, is one of the dynamics we pay close attention to in assessment, differentiation and treatment. Asymmetrical power dynamics exist, where one person holds power over another and the subordinate person cannot have access to balancing power. In separating families, powerContinue reading “the asymmetrical power balance in families where children reject a parent”

The work being done in families affected by alienation of children is best described as ‘containing the uncontainable.’ When families separate, most struggle in the first few months but find a way to make the crossing safely. Those who do not are those families where other difficulties, hidden until the family breakdown occurred, come sharplyContinue reading “Containing the uncontainable”