Parent Alienation
Program Structure & Goals
Purpose:
To assess alleged parental alienation objectively, support family reunification when appropriate, reduce harmful behaviors, and build healthier long-term parent-child relationships through therapeutic and psycho-legal interventions.
Key Principles (Evidence-informed)
- Comprehensive assessment before intervention to distinguish alienation from estrangement or justified rejection.
- Multimodal intervention combining individual, family, and parental therapy tailored to alienation severity.
- Collaborative legal-clinical approach where courts, lawyers, and clinicians communicate.
- Training for all professionals involved to reduce misdiagnosis and ineffective therapy.
Comprehensive Assessment Component
Initial assessment typically conducted by a trained clinician or evaluator with expertise in PA.
Assessment Tools & Methods
- Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) - quantifies child's perceptions and splitting patterns, effective in distinguishing alienation from estrangement.
- Structured Clinical Interviews with each family member
- Behavioral Observations of parent-child interaction (in clinic and natural settings)
- Document Review including custody history, communication logs, school reports, legal orders
- Collateral Interviews - teachers, therapists, guardians ad litem
Assessment Outcomes
- Diagnosis / level of alienation (mild-moderate-severe)
- Differential diagnosis: parental alienation vs. justified estrangement
- Recommendations (e.g., therapy, parental coaching, court interventions)
Typical Assessment Cost Range
- Standard assessment battery: $1,500- $5,000
Therapy & Reunification Interventions
Therapeutic interventions should be specific to PA and guided by severity.
A. Individual Parent Interventions
Goals
- Address alienating behaviors and beliefs
- Improve emotional regulation and co-parenting skills
Examples
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focused on reducing harmful behaviors
- Coaching with evidence-informed PA strategies
Duration & Cost
- Weekly individual sessions for 12-14 weeks
- $150 - $300 per session (varies by clinician)
B. Reunification Therapy
Goals
- Gradually rebuild communication and attachment in a clinically controlled setting
- Often conducted conjointly with separately working on alienating parent behavior
Process
- Neutral therapeutic environment initially with brief, structured parent-child interactions
- Progressively longer sessions as trust builds
- Parallel treatment for alienating parent to stop sabotage behaviors
Typical Duration & Cost
- 6-24 months depending on severity
- Weekly to biweekly sessions - $150-$300+ per hour
Considerations
- Nature of co-parenting/cooperation strongly influences outcome.
C. Family or Systemic Therapy
- Focused on communication patterns, boundaries, and co-parenting
- Often integrates attachment theory and development context
Duration & Cost
- Monthly to weekly sessions: $150-$300+ per session
D. Supplementary Interventions
- Parent education on communication & conflict resolution
- Child supportive therapy to address anxiety, divided loyalty, and trauma
- Supervised visitation when safety is a concern
Documentation & Reporting
High-quality documentation supports legal processes and treatment accountability:
Expected Documentation
- Clinical assessment report with PARQ and other measures
- Progress reports after every 6-12 weeks
- Parent and child participation logs
- Communication between interdisciplinary team (treating therapists, attorney, court professionals) - with consent
Use in Court Helps courts determine compliance with therapy goals and inform custody or visitation modifications.
To learn more about these services contact us at 970.316.5009
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