Parental alienation is common in child custody cases, but only in recent years has it become something that courts see and acknowledge a lot more.
What is it?
Parental alienation is a form of child abuse where one parent tries to alienate their child from the other parent, often successfully, using strategies like speaking poorly of the other parent.
Sometimes, the alienating parent will say that the other parent does not care about the child and make other statements that are both negative about the alienated parent and harmful to the child.
Many times, a parent will do this to seek revenge against the other parent for the divorce or for something else. It is not a normal situation, and it is psychologically damaging.
Growing numbers
The numbers are staggering. Close to four million children in the United States experience alienation from at least one parent.
If you are a parent who went through this or is going through this, there is hope. Some steps you can take to heal and act in ways that may reverse the effect of parental alienation include:
- Stay positive and keep an uplifting tone with your child.
- Stay in communication with your child, allow them to speak and listen to them when they speak with you.
- Seek support from a professional, such as a psychologist, who may give you additional insight into this form of child abuse.
- Speak with an attorney. If your child or children are minors and under the jurisdiction of a court, there may be things you can do through the court system.
Parental alienation is painful, and it can feel like the pain and suffering will never end. However, there is hope that you will reestablish a relationship with your child. It takes time, patience, communication, and rebuilding trust.
Make sure you have the support you need to stay sane during this process. Having someone to talk to about this is important for your own mental health and healing.