Parental Alienation

Parental Alienation Workshop

Note that this workshop is not currently being offered either in person or online, but please check back. We expect to have an on demand webinar available soon.  You can also find additional resources and information at this page of our site: https://www.lifepathscounseling.com/parental-alienation-help/.

This workshop is designed for parents who have been “targeted” or “rejected” by their children, as a result of the other parent convincing the children there is a reason to do so. The phrase “parental alienation” is commonly used to describe this destructive situation.   If you are a targeted parent, you already know how painful it can be, and you know it is harmful to your children. In this workshop, the most important things you will gain will be strategies to cope, ways that you can help your children without bad-mouthing the other parent, and support from others in the same situation.

One of the most difficult things to cope with in parental alienation is not just the loss of closeness with your children, but the distress of watching them suffer as well. Some experts on parental alienation say that the best way to help children in this situation is to completely remove them from the parent who is negatively influencing them. But as you probably already know, it is extremely difficult to do this.

Our courts are not equipped in these type of cases to protect children and sometimes getting involved with the courts ends up creating a situation worse for your kids. It seems like it is completely out of your control. But there are things you can control and that is a big part of what you will learn to navigate in attending this one hour workshop.

The Director of LifePaths, Cathy Wilson, is the facilitator of this workshop.  Read on if you are interested in understanding more about Cathy’s approach and philosophy regarding parental alienation and what the workshop will cover.

The dynamics of parental alienation can be very complicated. The other parent you are dealing with might be narcissistic to some degree, is misguided, or doesn’t operate with the same rules that most parents in divorce are. The parenting classes you have to attend have little to no effect on their behavior. At the same time, you see that your children are confused, distressed, and suffering. Often you, as the targeted parent, feel that there is nothing you can do. But there is hope and there are things you can do to help the situation.

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Our workshop will cover the following:

• an understanding of parental alienation
• what you can control and what you can’t (you can’t control what the targeting parent does, how your children react, or what the courts decide; you have complete control over your behavior and reactions with your kids and the influence YOU can have with them)
• giving your children tools to stand up for themselves (this includes teaching your kids critical thinking skills, and supporting them even when they act hurtful towards you)
• resources related to the latest information available in the mental health field

You will also gain a support system with other parents dealing with the same issues.

Although it may often be best for the courts to reduce the targeting parents time with the children so his/her influence is minimized, in many situations this isn’t done. Targeted parents can feel very powerless in this situation, and it is our hope that this workshop can give you tools, support, and resources to maximize the influence you have in an extremely difficult situation.