Psychological Torture of Children by PAS Evaluators

Some of the following blog is excerpted from Criminal Rewards: The Impact of Parent Alienation Syndrome on Families By Andraé L. Brown, Lewis and Clark College

Since 1985, the claim of parent alienation syndrome (PAS) has represented the extreme collusion of male entitlement, the mental health profession, and family courts. PAS is a pseudo scientific theory used to prevent battered women from protecting their children from exposure to violent and abusive fathers. It asserts that children who resist parents’ visits are not legitimately seeking protection from their fathers but have been “alienated” from their fathers by their mothers. This article examines the impact of PAS on families, its admissibility in courts, and the role of social workers and other mental health practitioners in custody cases through the lens of a social worker, a social justice activist, and a mother who is involved in a PAS custody case.

Brown: How have you seen PAS have an impact on children?
Dressner: Many of the children I work with have seen several therapists and psychologists and have participated in multiple court-ordered evaluations. Initially, much of my work focuses on addressing and trying to undo some of the damage from their negative experiences with therapists and court systems. In family therapy, especially when dealing with a volatile divorce, you must assess for domestic violence. When people use PAS as the overarching framework, the domestic violence gets hidden beneath it. It then becomes difficult for children to understand their place and role in the context of what is happening around them. So, they [children] become defensive, angry, and standoffish because they feel pressure from the courts to rebuild the relationship with the person who has harmed them, without the acknowledgment that any wrongdoing has occurred. It leaves them thinking that there’s something wrong with them. The children feel helpless. PAS [accusations] definitely affects their ability to function in school, act age appropriately in relationships, and seek support. I think that most children do not feel that it’s something that they can explain easily to other people because their experience is different from children of “normal divorces.” They also feel guilty that they somehow caused the problems between their parents.
Brown: How have you seen therapeutic communities respond to PAS?
Meckeler: In my case, I filed a complaint with the board of psychological examiners, which found neither concern nor reason to put a psychologist on notice for using this unethical diagnosis.… Now, I sit on a state mental health board, and I can say that, in general, the profession is clueless about this damaging “diagnosis” and trend. Some find it valid just because they are poorly trained and easily jump on labeling families in crisis as just going through “nasty divorces.” Some critics still seem to believe that PAS could and does happen. That’s why I think Gardner didn’t need much credibility and valid research to gain popularity and cultivate this PAS culture. All state professional boards get regular updates on legislative measures in the pipeline. In the 2 years that I’ve been [on the board], I have yet to see a representative or state assembly member bring the PAS danger to light in terms of safety to consumers.…The therapeutic communities that I have seen handle PAS as a social justice issue have responded by empowering families and communities to recognize systemic oppression, mobilize, and demand reform. Thomas: It is powerful when therapists at least acknowledge that an abusive situation is occurring.… It is also extremely supportive when a therapist commits to providing ongoing support because anyone who fights for women and children in these cases gets attacked in some manner. The therapist may be threatened with lawsuits and get dragged into court. I know that’s hard for therapists to deal with, but that’s the type of support I have received from my therapeutic community. They (therapists) wrote letters to the court regarding the whole flawed PAS diagnosis and about my experiences throughout the whole process. It didn’t change the judge’s mind, but it was important to have on the record. It is really important psychologically, if you will, for me to keep doing what I need to do to get through this situation. That level of commitment has been important to my kids and me. Dressner: Many times, the PAS therapists (therapists who claim to specialize in diagnosing and treating women who suffer from PAS) provide testimony, evaluations, and recommendations that put the responsibility not on the offending parent but on the children. The children sometimes feel like they’re not being listened to and are misunderstood because they’ll provide information, and it may be interpreted differently by evaluators and judges. The responsibility is misplaced, and the children feel set up. So when I see families for therapy, I have to redefine the problem and validate their experiences in context. I focus on healing the past trauma and holding the parents accountable for negotiating or repairing the relationships. I always take the position of advocating for the well-being and safety of the children, even when there is great pressure to sacrifice them. Brown: How would you respond to the statement that PAS is not about custody and children—it is about destroying women?
Meckeler: I don’t think it’s about destroying women. It is certainly about misogyny and subordinating women and putting them at a disadvantage. I think it’s about destroying any hope for violence prevention and accountability on the individual and institutional levels and derailing any movement toward awareness and accountability about White male privilege. Thomas: I absolutely agree with that. I think that if my ex-husband really wanted custody and a relationship with the kids, he would acknowledge that he has abused them, try to take some responsibility, and work on healing their relationship. I don’t see that at all. He never has.…Second, if you want custody of your children, then you take advantage of the time you have. He shows up late for visits. There’s been a couple times he hasn’t shown up at all. He never asks them what is going on in their lives.…I was suspicious that he was looking through school records to see if he could get confidential information about me. It became obvious when he tried to use it for his advantage in court.…My lawyer, trying to keep a sense of humor in the midst of all the stress, calls it “courting.” You know, my ex-husband is court-dating me because he keeps this thing going, and that’s how he’s able to see and interact with me despite the restraining order. He’s actually able to speak, harass, question, and name-call me in court. He would not be allowed to do so in the community, but it is allowed in the courts.
Brown: What has been the economic effect on the families?
Meckeler: The cost is exponential. Forensic psychologists and other professionals who use PAS have seriously cashed in on all of us to the tune of at least $7,000 per family. And because of the psychological damage to the family, it keeps these and other members in the pipeline for future psychological and legal services. There is so much verbiage, writing, and opinion about the effect of divorce, family “discord,” and domestic violence. What’s never talked about are all the professionals for whom keeping the status quo has been extremely profitable. Now we can add unethical parent coordinators with complete discretion to the mix. I don’t think we can easure the cost of this unnatural disaster.
Thomas: I told the judge in my divorce case, “I might lose my job; I can’t just be here day after day.” He said “Well, lots of people lose their jobs when they get divorced.”…Money that may otherwise go for child support by either parent is taken up by legal fees, traveling to court, paying for attorneys, and paying for filings and expert witnesses—not to mention the therapy that I am mandated to pay for. For example, I have been ordered into reunification therapy. I was mandated to use a psychologist who wants a $2,500 retainer and $12,000 from each of us for a year. And that’s just to have a session probably once a week to “reunify” my daughter with her dad, not realizing that the reason that they don’t have a good relationship is a function largely of what he does and doesn’t do and what he did. I have over $100,000 in legal bills right now that I have not paid. I have a gracious attorney who continues to represent me even though I can’t pay. I’ve probably paid out to the attorney in excess of about $6,000.…And I’ve got about a $30,000 judgment against me, which, of course, affects my credit and ability to buy. Let’s say that at some point I was able to buy a house instead of rent, which, of course, would be more stable.…I can’t do that because he could put a lien on the house and take it away or make me lose money if I were ever to sell it.

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Children are forced under duress to see these monsters [PAS evaluators] whose sole purpose is to speak with them and discredit the children. It is a sick setup to force any child to have to go to a PAS evaluator. They can pour their heart out over painful memories thinking that the person is there to help them, only to be forced to spend more time, or have custody changed to the person who abused them. After the child goes to one of these evaluations with a therapist, or an interview with a GAL, etc. who discusses the family situation with them, and then the result is forced reunification with abuser, these children certainly don't EVER want to see that evaluator, therapist, GAL ever again.

Anyone reading this whose child is being subjected to this torture by a mental health professional, DO NOT HESITATE to report that person for ethical violations. Most of these people will fail to follow the ethics codes, billing regulations, disclosure requirements, confidentiality clauses, requirements to corroborate information, discussion with treating therapists and doctors, etc. One very prominent PAS accusing Doctor who has written large amounts of literature on the subject, has lost their license, but continues to advertise PAS services. J. Michael Bone appears to have voluntarily relinquished his license after multiple complaints. Click here to view: disciplinary proceedings and relinquishment documents Contact your state licensing board to report these unethical professionals. Even if they are not disciplined in your case, it is important to document the complaint. There seems to be some of these people who are not getting disciplined, so it is important to just keep piling on the complaints!