Exploring Parental Alienation Through the Eyes of Fathers
Understanding reunification therapy
If you are suffering from parental alienation, there may be legal action that you may be able to take, depending on your state. This can result in court-ordered reintegration therapy, or reunification therapy, in order to restore the relationship between the targeted parent and the alienated child.
Reintegration therapy requires the assistance of a mental health professional who builds trust with the child and acts in their best interests. They are to erode the negative image of the targeted parent by providing incongruent information, refrain from actions that put the child in the middle of the conflict, consider ways to pacify the hurt and anguish of the alienating parent, look for ways to dismantle the coalition, convert enemies to allies, and never give up contact, according to Elizabeth M. Ellis, of The American Journal of Family Therapy.
