KIRK MAKIN
From Monday's Globe and Mail Published on Monday, Feb. 08, 2010 12:00AM EST Last updated on Monday, Feb. 08, 2010 3:30AM EST
As a pioneer of a controversial method of rewiring children whose emotions have been inflamed by an alienating parent, Richard Warshak grew used to being disparaged as a flakey deprogrammer.
He was nonetheless stung last year when there was widespread dismay in the wake of several Canadian judges ordering that alienated children - whose emotions toward one parent have been poisoned by the other - be forcibly taken to the United States to be treated by him.
However, the Texas psychologist now believes that much of the concern has melted away, giving him impetus to bring his Family Bridges therapy to Canada.
Last week, Dr. Warshak helped train three Ontario psychologists in his techniques and held a closed-door educational session in Toronto with 130 judges who preside over family-law cases.
Both developments signal an end to the bad rap he has taken, said Dr. Warshak, author of a book on parental alienation - Divorce Poison.
"I think there is demand," he said. "I sure get a lot of e-mails from parents in Canada asking about whether they can get their children into the program. I also get a lot of inquiries from psychologists asking to be trained in the techniques.
Dr. Warshak said that his talk to judges was warmly received. "I'm pleased that the judges are taking the time to learn about this," he said. "It was clear that these judges have seen these cases. Nearly every family court judge says they believe it is a real phenomenon."
The four-day sessions - which cost from $8,000 to $22,000 - involve videotaped presentations of family situations, discussions about alienation techniques parents use, and lots of down time to enable children to reacquaint themselves with an estranged parent.
Dr. Warshak said that what critics fail to see is that dramatic action is often essential to prevent an alienating parent from winning the exclusive affection of a child.
"The children we deal with are ones who have felt tremendous pressure to feel certain things, to see the world in a certain way," he said. "What we do is help them liberate themselves from that."
Dr. Warshak conceded that many children resist coming to his sessions, and have to be transported by police or private security officers.
"But once the child gets to us, they have a choice whether to stay or not," he said. "What they find is that it is an enjoyable experience. They feel tremendously relieved that they have now been able to get out of this box they are in."
He said that only one child refused to participate in the 23 sessions he has personally helped conduct. Eighteen children made tangible progress, Dr. Warshak said, while the remaining four "relapsed" after later coming under the influence of the alienating parent.
However, concern about the therapy has not gone away, said Peter Jaffe, a professor at University of Western Ontario who specializes in child offenders and family violence.
"It is a hot debate in the field - and that is not changing," he said. "I think there is a concern about this doing more harm than good."
Dr. Jaffe acknowledged a recent journal article in which Dr. Warshak chronicled the positive results he has achieved, but said it was flawed.
"The problem is, there is no comparison group," Dr. Jaffe said. "He is doing research on cases he has assessed himself. I think there is a major conflict of interest. It's a step in the right direction, but I don't think anyone in their right mind would send a child to treatment based on that article."
Despite the latest buzz words from supposed "experts" nothing can undo the
damage of an underbelly of the Judiciary engaging in "the process of
justification" which is what this "closed door educational seminar for judges"
will show another "how to" give custody to mothers.
What we will see, is a plethora of allegations of "alienation" by a parent who
has actually alienated the child from her/him self.
Women outnumber men 10:1 for serious mental health problems, a seriously
mentally ill woman will have alienated the child/ren against her and now, Dr.
Warshak can be her saving grace, just have the kids taken away from a loving
devoted father, the only parent they have known and FORCE them to go to a "brain
washing session" by "Dr. WARSHAK".
Dr. Warshak promises to provide yet another excuse for the underbelly of the
Ontario Family Court Judiciary to ignore the evidence and make a "politically
correct" decision.
Now, thanks to Dr. Warshak,
Ontario Family Court Judges are about to experience, an unbelievable number of
claims of "parental alienation" where the solution proposed will be to send the
child/ren, Dr. Warshak, at an incredible cost, AND, to END the child/ren's
relationship with "a father" who is alleged to be the alienating parent.
Mind you, any allegation that a mother, a woman has been the alienating parent
will continue to be treated as political heresy deserving "the striking of
pleadings" "vexatious litigant orders" "restraining orders" or, " an order for
costs, $$$$, and any combination and or variation of the above to ensure that
yet another mentally ill violent mother gets custody without the father ever
getting a hearing.
Such is the corrupt state of Ontario Family Law.
www.OttawaMensCentre.com
..
Dr. Warshak's "closed door educational seminar" for judges is yet another
alarm bell of how the judiciary receive their own brain washing, that is, to be
given more ideas to use to ensure that mothers continue to get custody
regardless.
Dr. Warshak will be just another expensive "option" available to Family Court,
that is, if the parties fall into that very small category of parties who have
sufficient money in assets to be spent on 'expenses" including litigation.
What the citizens of Ontario need to know is that Ontario Family Court Judges
are the virtual paymasters , the pay check writers for dam near every family law
firm in Ontario.
It means, judges decide which lawyer earns money and which ones dont, that
means, in many cases the issue is decided on a "who you know basis", many law
firms have judges who used to be their senior partner, many blatantly do not
even bother to have their name removed from the shingle.
Ontario citizens need to know that many judges are are corrupt in the sense that
they make decisions for their friends and AGAINST those who they hold old,
sometimes decades old grudges.
At the end of the day, its women get everything and its men who pay for it. That
means, law firms are reluctant to take on male clients and, clients are
reluctant to have even male lawyers to ensure that they too receive a judge's
preference to "pay" a female lawyer.
The judiciary need to be reminded that amongst them, their feminist underbelly
is an extremely vile corrupt bunch of man hating professional child abusers.
www.OttawaMensCentre.com
ATTENTION FAMILY COURT JUDGES
One of the reasons suicides are not published to avoid copy cat actions.
Very obviously, Ontario Family Court will now experience a rush, of a very large
number of applications and motions all claiming alienation by an alienating
parent.
If you a supervisory judge, make sure you don't give those cases to the well
known feminist judges who are virtually guaranteed of removing the kids from the
father and giving them to the mother for forced brain washing by Dr. Warshak
while in fact, actually alienating the child/ren from the father.
These mother's will suggest a cure that is very obvious child abuse.
www.OttawaMensCentre.com
The reason we have "high conflict cases" is because Ontario fails to have a
legal presumption of equal parenting.
Ontario, by it's Male Sharia Law, by its corrupt judiciary, ensures that
litigation is "high conflict" and that's to ensure the maximum amount of costs,
the highest paycheck for their friends.
Its a Criminal Cartel, a monopoly, just imagine if you had to have all your
investments controlled by the Hells Angels?
Ontario has by legislation, given a river of cash to the judiciary to hand out
to their friends and each time they change the rules, its to give even large
amounts to their friends and to JAIL those who cant or don't pay up.
That's tantamount to kidnapping and extortion, two of the most dispicable
offences against humanity and the culprits are none other than those entrusted
to serve and protect, the Judiciary of Ontario..
Its enough to make you want to puke.
www.OttawaMensCentre.com
Dr. Jaffe reminds of Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Hyde.
www.OttawaMensCentre.com