The Genesis of Parental Alienation click here to register.
Dr. Sol Goldstein, psychoanalyst and pediatric psychiatrist is a long
time clinician for alienated children. He has been at the heart of many
early and important family law cases that recognized and dealt harshly
with alienating parents.
We are very fortunate to have Dr. Goldstein for the October webinar.
To register for a $10 fee, and receive the webinar login instructions on the day of the webinar, click here
Dr. Bernet will be our introductory webinar guest for this years series of webinars. Dr. Bernet is the lead psychiatrist of the Parental Alienation Study Group ,PASG, the group who was influential in having PA behaviours considered and eventually placed into the DSM 5.
Here is the current photo collage of various sites and participants in Parental Alienation Awareness Day 2013 activities around the world. I counted 25 countries including some new ones in Tunisia and Portugal.
Recently on FaceBook, a teenager - Heather - told her story about how her parents divorce caused her alot of distress. At first she went back and forth between them - but at one point the court gave Dad primary custody and so her time with Mom was reduced. Eventually Dad started to create problems that reduced her contact with her Mom even more.
This had a negative effect on Heather - she withdrew from activities she used to enjoy and in her unhappiness she felt more socially vulnerable when at school, which just seemed to make people pick on her more. It became more of an escape to spend time with her dog and riding her horse. But she soon began to realized her Dad was creating alot of the tension between her and her Mom. It got worse and Heather tried to avoid events where they were both present. Her Dad stood over her when she was on the phone to her Mom and then accused her of lying to him if she didn't tell him what he wanted to hear after returning from visits with her Mom.
Then Heather started at new High School and made some great friends. She met a boy but her Dad made that relationship very difficult - plus if she confided anything to her step-mom, she just told her Dad anyways. On the other end her one night a week with her Mom was not stressful. They went to the mall and just chatted. She could forget the unreal accusations from her Dad and gradually Heather got over her reluctance to share things with her Mom. This didn't help with Dad and her grades suffered. Dad was mad at that too - and even told her the Court would blame him for her lower marks. She tried to make things work but she felt her Dad was more and more upset with her and then he ranted at her late til late into the night.
Then her Dad said she had to tell her Mom she "didn't want to see her again EVER". Heather did what she was told but her Dad didn't prepare her what to say when her Mom started to cry and ask "Why". Heather realized that was not what she wanted but that her Dad was just using her to hurt her Mom. The next Court date the judge stopped her Thursday visits with Mom. She called her Mom from school to arrange a lunch meeting and her Mom said if Heather really did not want to see her - she would leave her alone because she didn't want to fight just to make it worse for Heather. Then Heather began to worry she would lose her Mom!
Heather felt like she was suffocating at her Dad's place. On her 16th birthday and with her friends help she moved out. A drama unfolded.
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Heather got her Mom back. She is happy and she is living her life. Her relationship with her dad is broken - but it is on her terms. She says she still loves him but that he was aways focused on being angry and fighting with people - someone, anyone - even his own daughter. She is getting her relationships with that side gradually repaired too. And she has her Mom and a new extended family. She is happy.
I would especially like to thank Kerry for being such an ardent supporter of PA Awareness since elected in 2009 (and will need our support if seeking re-election in Oct 2013 Municipal Elections!)
* (TOP L=>R: Mayor Stephen Mandel, Renata Ostertag, Chris Jones (hidden), Councilor Kerry Diotte, Barry H., Nick R., Jason Morphy, Greg Jensen, Kelly Graham, Pat MacDonald: Lower L=>R: Gloria Seamans, Cathy Benincasa, Margaret Saunter, Rena Schoepp, Victor Cherniak)
Thanks to Cory, Larry, Chris, Terry, Gloria, Victor, Kelly, Penny, Anton, Mark and others who came to give a hand at the Farmers Market on Saturday April 20. It was worthwhile.
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On Sat April 20 from 10am -2pm - join us down at the Old Strathcona Farmers Market 10310-83 Ave.
We will have a table to display educational information about Parental Alienation.
We could always use some help to answer questions and hand out the PAAO pamphlets.
On the actual Parental Alienation Awareness Day - Thursday April 25@Noon - Penny Stout was hoping to have some help for SOME KIND OF BRIEF EVENT marking the day (and hopefully a Proclamation from the City of Edmonton). Please email (stoutp3[at]gmail.com) if you want to lend a hand.
Parental Alienation Awareness Day - Sat April 20, 10am - 2pm
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