Author: Anna Grandusky, MS, LPC-Associate
with Clinical Supervision by Chris Wilder, PhD, LPC-S
- The Unseen Battle: How Narcissistic and Borderline Personality Disorders Fuel Parental Alienation
Parental alienation—a term that sends shivers down the spine of any co-parent navigating the treacherous waters of shared custody. It’s when one parent, intentionally or not, turns their child against the other, fracturing a once-healthy bond. But what’s driving this? Often, the underlying force is a personality disorder, particularly Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) or Borderline - Stress Responses vs. Personality Traits: What’s Really Going On?
When you think about your personality, what comes to mind? Are you the life of the party, the quiet observer, or maybe the perfectionist who needs everything to be just right? Now, imagine that some of these traits weren’t just part of who you are, but responses you developed to cope with past pain—pain that - Parental Alienation Hits Home: A Therapist’s Perspective
As a therapist, I talk a lot about parental alienation (PA) and its impact on families. But today, I’m sharing something more personal—my own experience with PA. This isn’t just a clinical concept to me. It’s something I’ve lived through, and it’s part of the reason I’m so passionate about advocating for kids’ rights to - Breaking Generational Cycles: Healing from Your Own Childhood to Parent Differently
Breaking free from generational cycles isn’t easy. When you grew up with emotional neglect, perfectionism, authoritarian parenting, or a complete lack of boundaries, it takes real effort to recognize those patterns—let alone stop them in their tracks. But here’s the truth: just because you were raised a certain way doesn’t mean you have to parent - Emotional Regulation for Parents: How Your Own Reactions Shape Your Child’s Behavior
When parents bring their child to therapy, they often say things like, “I just don’t know how to get them to calm down,” or “Nothing I do seems to work.” What they don’t always realize is that their child is watching them for cues on how to regulate emotions. The truth is, emotional regulation in - The Lifelong Impact of Parental Alienation: How Childhood Trauma Echoes into Adulthood
Parental alienation isn’t just a childhood ordeal—it’s a lasting wound that can shape a person’s emotional and psychological well-being for a lifetime. While many recognize the immediate distress it causes for children, fewer understand the deep and enduring effects it has on their adult lives. From struggles with mental health to difficulties in forming relationships, - The Invisible Battle: How Parental Alienation Drives Fathers to Despair
Parental Alienation (PA) is a devastating, often misunderstood phenomenon that affects both mothers and fathers, though the impact on fathers, in particular, tends to be disproportionate (Morewitz & Goldstein, 2014). It’s not about picking on mothers—PA is something that can affect any parent who becomes a target of manipulation by an alienating partner. However, it’s - High-Conflict Co-Parenting: When One Parent Won’t Play Fair (And What You Can Actually Do About It)
Co-parenting is hard enough when both parents are reasonable, communicative, and committed to keeping things peaceful for their kids. But when one parent refuses to play fair? When they twist the truth, ignore court orders, or treat co-parenting like a game where the goal is to ‘win’ at all costs? That’s a whole different ballgame. - Why Your Therapist Can’t Be Your Custody Evaluator
When it comes to high-stakes custody cases, emotions are running wild, and everyone’s scrambling to make sure the best interests of the child are front and center. But here’s the thing that might surprise you—your therapist can’t just waltz in and play the role of a custody evaluator. Nope. This isn’t just some rule, it’s - Understanding Parental Alienation: The Five-Factor Model and Healing Approaches
Parental alienation (PA) is a painful and often misunderstood experience where a child unjustly rejects one parent, not because of abuse or neglect, but due to the influence—sometimes intentional, sometimes not—of the other parent. This breakdown in the parent-child bond can be heartbreaking, leaving the rejected parent confused, isolated, and struggling to reconnect. Understanding the
Wanna read more? Check out the archives below.
Counseling Services for Texas Residents
Parental Wounds | Parenting Struggles | Breaking Generational Cycles | Anxiety | Anger | Depression | Relationship Challenges
All images used in this blog were thoughtfully selected from Pexels.com, a fantastic resource for high-quality and inspiring photography that perfectly complements the themes of our content.
© Bluebonnet Affiliated Counseling Services, PLLC 2025. All rights reserved.
The content on this blog is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy. For immediate assistance, please contact emergency services at 988 or 911.