A/Prof Phil Watts Adjunct Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology University of Canberra Private practice Perth

Time - line

1970’s • Unholy Alliance 1980’s • Parental Alienation Syndrome 1990’s • Backlash on Syndrome 2000’s • Tippy toes

Complex and complicated

 Lawyers want to make alienation simple and blame it on a parent.

 Excuse for abuse – When genuine abuse exists then it is not alienation  Lack of attachment – a child who did not have a relationship in the past may not want to see a parent  Justified reactions of children

Survival of children in conflict

Kids in conflict

Duck beneath conflict Tell it how it is Tell them what they want to hear Tell them nothing Stand ground Take sides Alignment

Types of Post-separation Relationships

• AFFINITY: Preference for one • parent, but no rejection of other Age or gender-related reasons • ALIGNED: Divorce-specific reasons e.g. genuine anger of how separation occurred (affair) result in loyalty conflict but not total rejection. FP supports relations with other parent

JUSTIFIED REJECTION

due to spousal violence, emotional or other abuse, inept parenting

Justified Alienation - rejection Rejection disproportionate to child’s actual experience

Alienation in Perspective, Bala, Perth 2012 ALIENATION: Previously had good relationship with RP previously • Without alienating behaviours of AP, the child would not have rejected other parent 5

Some Outcomes for Children

Adults with a history of alienation from one parent report    Feelings of remorse Regret for lost opportunities since died particularly when rejected parent has Suffer rates of depression, anger, anxiety, relationships difficulties, substance abuse    Report that they wish someone had intervened and NOT listened to them as children Can be alienated from own children Have adult conflict with preferred parent Baker, A. (2007). The Ties that Bind. New York: Norton.

Cases we are interested in today

 When the evidence says the pre-existing relationships were good  When there is no evidence of actual abuse (although allegations are not uncommon)  The children’s views are extreme and lack substance  Evidence shows that the parent is displaying behaviours which feeds the alignment  Hybrid types of cases

Richard Warshak



If there is rejection, I look for various possible contributing factors, including the rejected parents' behaviour, and the child’s own contributions. Most importantly, I try to determine whether the child would be better off remaining alienated from the parent, or whether the children really would better off if the relationship was repaired.

Solutions – Some things I have been involved in (and failed!):-

 Supervised visits  Period contact  Therapy for the parent  Changed residence  Family Therapy

 Justice Margaret Cleary  Jennifer Neoh  Fiona Darroch  Vincent Papaleo

A view from the bench Justice Margaret Cleary

Case Study Pinda Family Dr Jennifer Neoh

Clinical Psychologist 66 Mount St Heidelberg VIC 3084 03 94581733 [email protected]

The first six months

Orders to see their mother 6 hours on an unsupervised basis each week Mandy and David  Refused to speak to their mother  Whispered between themselves  Would not use a toilet  Would not eat  Sat facing a wall for six hours

The first six months

 Mandy and David   Spoke

for

each other Could not describe sensory experiences from their own point of view  Each discussion of the allegations exposed the irrational nature of it for them  Mandy able to see the illogicality her allegations  David confused when his sister softened towards their mother  Mandy extremely controlling David's behaviour  Various incidents of conflict- initiated by children

Children's presentation in their father's care  Repetition of their father's phrases  The use of plural pronouns e.g

. ‘She tried to kill us ’  Difficulty describing their own perspective  Intense, angry and belligerent  Closed in  Mandy -Physically stunted and underweight

Children's presentation in their Mother’s Care         Immediate physical growth Direct eye contact Normal sibling rivalry/ conflict Capacity to make choices for

themselves Most evident in David

Indulging in normal behaviour Decreased emphasis on evidence for their father's case-

e.g. photographs

Resumed relationships with maternal family members Resumed relationship with mother

Points from this case

    A severe case Children’s outcomes vastly improved with a change of residence They had therapy to support them C ourt that was prepared to change it’s decisions on residence with new information

-

So the importance of reportable therapy  The children now exude a sense of freedom and liberty

Case Study Peter’s family Ms Fiona Darroch

Child Dispute Services Family Court of Australia GPO Box 991 Newcastle 2300 [email protected]

When things go wrong and Everything Else Mr Vincent Papaleo

81 Denmark St Kew 3101 03 9853 9022