Allentown, PA— Parental Alienation is when one parent or family member deliberately destroys the relationship of the children to the other parent or family member who formerly had a close relationship to their kids. Alienators tell the children that the other parent doesn’t love them, that they are dangerous and crazy. The parent who gets alienated begins to see negative behaviors on visits, angry and out-of-control children; issues that never existed before. Eventually, children may refuse to see their parent, a choice supported by the alienator and may go years with minimal or no contact.

Alienated parents feel lost, desperate and hysterical; looking for someone to help or just believe them. They often turn to the court system, but Parental Alienation is usually too subtle for judges to pick up on or manage. Parents spend thousands of dollars, hoping for a court order to fix the problem, only to feel less heard, less believed.

Similarly, many mental health professionals misread the situation and believe the agenda that the alienating parents pushes. Or they try to stabilize the children, not understanding that one parent will use the therapy to their benefit, prepping the children for hours before each session, getting the children to report things. Parental Alienation is not a diagnosis in the Diagnostical and Statistical Manual and no clear treatment protocol has been presented. Alienated parents turn to psychotherapy for help but find just another dead end.

Anne Crothers, a psychotherapist at Healing Works in Allentown runs a monthly support group for alienated parents. She co-developed a protocol with one of her clients to reunite parents with their children. New group members are screened and taught the protocol, which has had successes. The group has operated for several years at Healing Works. Anne Crothers also trains other PA mental health professionals in the protocol and about the dynamics of Parental Alienation. She is currently working on a training for legal professionals.

For more information about Anne Crothers, Healing Works, or the group, please see her website: www.HealingWorksAllentown.com

Information provided to TVL by:
Anne K. Crothers, M.Ed.
Therapist/Owner
Healing Works
1644 W. Walnut St., rear
Allentown, PA 18102
HealingWorksAllentown.com
 

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