I thought I would address a question that is put to me on a fairly regular basis: which book should someone read if he or she were to select only one book from the list of books that I have written or co-written. So here is some information about each book along with some suggestions about which books would be most appropriate for which areas of interest.
Adult children of parental alienation syndrome: Breaking the ties that bind (WW Norton, 2007).
This book is for anyone who wants to know what it feels like to be an alienated child and wants to know what the catalysts are to reunification. This would be an excellent book for a targeted parent who is experiencing a lot of anger and resentment towards his or her alienated child(ren) and could benefit from a deeper understanding of the ways in which alienated children are victims masquerading as perpetrators. If a targeted parent is experiencing an empathy gap towards his or her alienated child, this book should re-awaken the awareness of all that alienated children give up in order to maintain a bond (albeit an unhealthy one) to the abusive alienating parent.
Working with alienated children and families: A clinical guidebook (Routledge, 2012).
This book is primarily for clinicians but could also be useful for targeted parents to deepen their understanding of clinical issues (diagnosis, prevention, intervention, treatment) related to alienation.
Co-parenting with a toxic ex: What to do when your ex spouse tries to turn the kids against you (New Harbinger Publications, 2014).
This book is for targeted parents who have children under the age of 18 with whom they have some contact. The book describes five primary types of alienation situations and provides detailed examples of how to respond in a way that is most likely to strengthen rather than compromise the parent-child relationship.
Surviving parental alienation: A journey of hope and healing (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014).
This book describes stories of alienation in three sets: the early years of the relationship with the alienator, the unfolding alienation drama with the child, and reunification with the alienated child. For each set, four stories are presented and then analyzed to provide the reader with an inside perspective of the life of a targeted parent. The book provides insight into the alienation experience and can be helpful to currently targeted parents, their friends and family, as well as mental health professionals who want to understand their targeted parent clients.
The high conflict custody battle: Protect yourself and your kids from a toxic divorce, false accusations, and parental alienation (New Harbinger Publications, 2014)
This book was written for targeted parents who currently (or plan in the future) to be involved in a legal dispute regarding custody, access, or visitation. The book explains in detail how to find the right attorney, how to select an expert witness, how to prepare for a custody evaluation, and other practical issues that targeted parents deal with when going to court.
Getting through my parents’ divorce: A workbook for children coping with divorce, parental alienation, and loyalty conflicts (New Harbinger Publications, 2015)
This hands-on workbook for middle school children (roughly 9-14 years of age) to help them process their feelings related to their parents’ divorce and teach them how to avoid choosing one parent over the other.