Dynamics, Not Diagnoses: Assessing and Responding to the Best Interests of the Polarized Child

We’ve come a long way from incendiary, all-or-nothing disputes about alienation, but we’re still yet to understand the full range of dynamics that leave some children polarized within their highly conflicted family systems, aligned with Parent A and rejecting Parent B.

This presentation summarizes Dr. Garber’s FCR 2020 “Sherlock Holmes” paper and anticipates his forthcoming book, “Mending Fences: A collaborative, cognitive-behavioral ‘reunification’ protocol serving the best interests of the post-divorce, polarized child” (UnhookedMedia, 2020) describing an ecological model of high conflict family systems. Relevant literature is reviewed, yielding thirteen mutually compatible variables, all of which must be evaluated so as to more fully and accurately understand why any particular child has become polarized and how to best meet that child’s needs. A collaborative, cognitive-behavioral “reunification” protocol is described.

Learning Objectives:

This workshop is designed to help participants:

1. Participants will become better able to identify and describe the dynamics of conflicted family systems
2. Participants will become better able to evaluate resist/refuse behaviors
3. Within the context of an ecological model of family system dynamics, participants will be better prepared to educate the family law community about the variety of dynamics that can cause a child to become polarized within the conflicted family system.

The Presenter:
Dr. Ben Garber is a New Hampshire licensed psychologist, parenting coordinator, expert consultant to family law matters across North America, speaker, and author. Dr. Garber is a former Guardian ad litem. Dr. Garber has advanced degrees in psycholinguistics, developmental and clinical child psychology from the University of Michigan and The Pennsylvania State University. He completed an internship in clinical child and family psychology at the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut. He is co-founder of the Parenting Coordination Association of New Hampshire, winner of the March of Dimes "Distinction in Media Excellence" award, and an acclaimed educator and author in numerous areas of child and family development and family law.

In order to receive CEs for this homestudy, the entire video must be viewed. There will be a quiz and an evaluation. Once those are completed a certificate will be distributed.
The VPA Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The VPA Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.