The Rejected Parent: Rebuild Your Relationship with Your Child During and After a Divorce or Custody Dispute

Reconnect and rebuild your relationship with your child after a divorce or separation. 

If you’ve gone through a divorce or separation and it has negatively affected your relationship with your child, you should know that you are not alone. When families split into two households, it’s very common for children to “take sides” with one parent. You may feel rejected, desperate, and lost—and in a state of reactivity, you may even push your child further away. So, how can you reduce parental rejection and secure a healthier and more positive connection with your child?

Written by a family therapist and expert in high-conflict divorce, The Rejected Parent provides skills adapted from attachment theory and Emotion-Focused Family Therapy to help you understand and attune to your child’s needs, be an active and empathetic listener, and rebuild your relationship. You’ll also find co-regulation skills to help you and your child manage intense emotions, as well as techniques to help you meet your child where they are developmentally, psychologically, and emotionally.

If you think you are experiencing parental alienation, you are likely hurting and will do anything to re-establish a connection with your child. With this step-by-step guide, you’ll find real, actionable tools to help you move past parental rejection and build a healthy and lasting relationship.