Understanding Parental Alienation in Therapeutic Practice

Parental alienation is one of the most complex and emotionally challenging dynamics that can arise within separated families. For therapists, supporting parents and children caught in these situations requires sensitivity, neutrality, and a deep understanding of the relational and psychological processes involved. This short course offers a thoughtful and practical exploration of parental alienation from a therapeutic perspective. Drawing on attachment theory, systemic family therapy, trauma-informed practice, and polyvagal awareness, the training provides clinicians with the start of a framework to understand how alienation develops and how it presents within the counselling room. You will learn how to recognise the emotional and behavioural patterns associated with alienation, understand the attachment dilemmas faced by children, and support parents who are navigating the painful loss of connection with their child. The course starts to explore practical therapeutic interventions, including emotional regulation strategies, systemic mapping, narrative reframing, and emotionally focused approaches that help stabilise family dynamics and create conditions for reconnection. Rather than focusing on blame or legal outcomes, this training emphasises ethical, neutral, and child-focused therapeutic practice. It will support practitioners in maintaining emotional steadiness while working with families experiencing high levels of distress and conflict. By the end of the course, participants will have a clearer understanding of parental alienation and feel more confident supporting clients through this complex and sensitive area of work.
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Who This Course Is For

Counsellors, Relationship therapists, psychotherapists and Family therapists. It also supports Mental health practitioners working with separated families and any other professionals supporting parents experiencing family breakdowns.

What You Will Learn

What parental alienation is and how it develops. How alienation presents in therapy sessions. The attachment and emotional experiences of children in alienated families. How systemic patterns maintain alienation dynamics. Therapeutic strategies that support regulation, stability, and reconnection. How therapists can maintain neutrality and ethical practice in complex cases.

Course Tutor

Shirley Marais

Seasoned CPCAB Tutor

Shirley Marais is a seasoned relationship counsellor and dedicated educator who brings a wealth of professional experience and relational insight to her role as course tutor. A Registered Member of both the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS), Shirley has built a successful private practice working with individuals and couples in the Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire region and online for many years. Shirley’s therapeutic style is rooted in the Person‑Centred approach, providing clients a safe, compassionate environment in which they are fully seen, heard and valued. Over time she has integrated a rich repertoire of modalities including Psychodynamic, Transactional Analysis (TA), Solution‑Focused and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to meet the complex needs of couples and individuals alike. In her role as tutor and supervisor she supports aspiring counsellors on accredited courses (Levels 2, 3 and 4) as well as offering CPD in relational work. Her teaching is characterised by clarity, practicality and relational depth she draws directly from her practice to help delegates develop both therapeutic confidence and relational competence.