Part I: Building a Wall (What to Avoid) -- Alienation: What it is -- High-Conflict Divorce -- Child Alienation -- 1000 Little Bricks -- Emotions are Contagious -- All-or-Nothing Thinking -- Mirroring Bad Behavior -- Part II: Building a Foundation (What to Do) -- Teaching Resilience -- The Four Big Skills -- Reasonable Parent's Dilemma -- How Family and Friends Can Help -- How Lawyers Can Help -- How Counselors Can Help -- New ways for Families -- The Future of Family Courts -- Conclusion: Skills not Blame

In this tenth anniversary edition of Don't Alienate the Kids! attorney, mediator, and therapist Bill Eddy shows readers how to protect children from the harm of alienation and high-conflict divorce, boosting their resilience by teaching them to think flexibly, manage their emotions, and moderate their behaviors. We all know breakups can get ugly. But sometimes they can get downright vicious, with badmouthing, brainwashing, and allegations of alienation, child abuse and domestic violence, all leading to nasty custody battles. And when they do, it's the children who suffer most. During a high-conflict divorce or separation, kids can develop lifelong habits of all-or-nothing thinking, unregulated emotions, and extreme behaviors. But there's hope! Readers can help kids learn flexible thinking, emotion regulation, effective behaviors, and healthy relationships. Everyone involved must work together. This book shows how parents, family members, friends, counselors, lawyers, parenting coordinators, divorce coaches, and family court judges can become part of the solution, giving children a foundation of resilience that will last a lifetime