Parental Alienation: A Child-Psychology Approach: It Is a Denial-of-Attachment

by Gary J. Kneier

For 5 decades now Dr. Kneier has been in the trenches trying to help children and parents in divorcing families. His psychodynamic approach to all human problems has led to insights about “parental alienation” that point to more constructive approaches for treatment, and a shifted approach by the courts. Dr. Kneier’s focus is on the child—on what happens inside the adolescent child’s mind and heart when confronted with intense conflict between divorcing parents. This book shows that, for the majority of cases, the denial-of-attachment to one parent is not principally caused by deliberate alienating influences by the favored parent. Rather, the “alienation” is a serious denial-based psychological symptom occasioned by the stress of parental conflict. It is a “denial-of-attachment” to one parent that arises as a solution, albeit a pathological one, to the impossibility of maintaining loyalty to two warring parents. As such, it is a serious psychological disturbance that no amount of blaming or argument can remedy. Dr. Kneier’s insights into the nature and causes of this reaction lead to constructive treatment approaches, and to better ways for the courts to address this serious childhood disturbance.

The book also contains important insights about children’s reactions to conflicted divorce, about a psychodynamic approach to problem behaviors, about the nature of family attachments, and about children’s psychological development. The book is intended to be helpful for anyone interested in helping children with divorce--parents, therapists, mediators, lawyers, and judges.

160 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2021