Parental alienation is a form of child abuse and family violence. Parental alienation will often appear when a child expresses reluctance or refusal to have any type of relationship with one of his or her parents based on exaggerated or untrue reasons. Often these reasons have no basis in logic or fact for the child to refuse to have a relationship with one of his or her parents. The parent who is the target of the parental alienation activities by the other parent is often demonized. He or she is undermined and presented to the child as not being worthy of the child’s love or attention.
Parental Alienation and Custody
There are various type of behavior that are meant as parental alienation. There are subtle forms of bad mouthing of one parent. The parental alienation can be a series of events or it can be related to an ongoing pattern of behavior of one parent towards the other parent. The person usually engaging in the parental alienation of the child is the individual who seeks to have custody of the child or already has custody of the child.
Reversal of Parental Alienation
In situations where there has been extensive parental alienation it is usually necessary to hire mental health professionals to address the misunderstandings and problems the alienating parent has created for the other parent. Stopping parental alienation by one parent of the other is always in the best interest of the children and their mental health.
Parental alienation is much more widespread phenomena than most people are aware of. Today both the psychological community and the legal community are aware of this issue. Corrective action to stop of this type of improper behavior should be taken immediately upon ascertaining that parental alienation is taking place.
Elliot S. Schlissel, Esq. is a divorce lawyer representing men and women throughout the Metropolitan New York area. He can be reached at Elliot@sdnylaw.com or 800-344-6431.
