The attachment-related family pathology traditionally called “parental alienation” in the popular culture represents a family systems pathology amply described by preeminent figures in professional psychology and is a recognized form of family systems pathology involving the child’s triangulation into the spousal conflict through the formation of a cross-generational coalition with one parent against the other parent (Haley, Minuchin) that results in an emotional cutoff in the child’s relationship with the targeted parent (Bowen). This presentation will describe the symptom features of the pathology from within standard and established constructs and principles of professional psychology, along with the assessment, diagnosis, and resolution through the family courts for the attachment-related family pathology of parental alienation, based on the established work of John Bowlby, Salvador Minuchin, Jay Haley, Aaron Beck, Theodore Millon, and Bessel van der Kolk.

This presentation will present a diagnostic reformulation of the pathology traditionally called “parental alienation” in the popular culture as the trans-generational transmission of attachment trauma from the childhood of an allied narcissistic/(borderline) personality parent to the current family relationships through the formation of a cross-generational coalition of the child with the allied narcissistic/(borderline) parent against the targeted parent (Haley; Minuchin).  The attachment pathology of pathological mourning (Bowlby) is mediated by the personality disorder pathology of the narcissistic/(borderline) parent (Kernberg; Millon) that is itself a product of this parent’s childhood attachment trauma (Beck; van der Kolk)

In addition to the diagnostic framework, a structured and standardized assessment protocol will be described along with a Strategic family systems intervention involving a Contingent Visitation Schedule designed as a treatment-related remedy available to the family courts.  The presentation will conclude with a description of a pilot program for the family courts for addressing and resolving the attachment-related pathology of “parental alienation” surrounding divorce.

CA License #: PSY 18857

Education:

Pepperdine University; 11/00

Psy.D. degree in Clinical Psychology, APA accredited

California State University, Northridge; 6/85

M.A. degree in Clinical/Community Psychology.

University of California, Los Angeles; 3/78

B.A. in Psychology, cum laude

Recent Presentations:

Certification in Attachment-Based Parental Alienation (AB-PA). Provided Basic and Advanced Certification Seminars in AB-PA.  November 18-20.  Westin Hotel Pasadena, CA.

Legislature Briefing.  Pennsylvania State Legislature; House Children and Youth Committee. Solutions to High-Conflict Divorce in the Family Court. November 15, 2017; Harrisburg, PA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIa1KbfsWIM)

Keynote Speaker. Symposium: The Key Solution to High Conflict Families. Hosted by Children4Tomorrow.  October 20, 2017. Houston, TX.

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Annual Convention.  An Attachment-Based Model of Parental Alienation: Diagnosis and Treatment.  June 1, 2017; Boston, MA.

Legislature Briefing.  Massachusetts State Legislature.  Grandparent and Family Alienation; Hosted by Representative Walsh.  May 31, 2017; Boston MA.

Keynote Address. Parental Alienation Symposium 2017: Solutions for Professionals and Families.  4/29/17; Dallas, Texas.

Employment History:

6/08-current       Private Practice

219 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Ste. 201

Claremont, CA 91711

Psychotherapy with adults, couples, children, and families.  Specializing in ADHD, anger and impulse control problems in childhood, family psychotherapy, marital therapy, and parent-child conflict.

1/12–current      Faculty

University of Phoenix

Courses taught: Child Development; Assessment and Treatment Planning; Advanced Diagnosis; Models of Psychotherapy; Counseling Psychometrics; Research Methods

1/09 –9/10          Faculty

Doctoral Psychology Program

Argosy University

Courses taught: Diagnosis and Psychopathology; Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy; Child Development

10/06 – 6/08       Clinical Director

START Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Treatment Center

California State University, San Bernardino

Institute of Child Development and Family Relations

Clinical Director of an early childhood assessment and treatment center providing comprehensive developmental assessment and psychotherapy services to children ages 0-5 years old.  Directed the clinical operations, clinical staff, and the provision of comprehensive psychological assessment and treatment services across clinic-based, home-based, and school-based services.

5/03 – 10/06      Clinical Director

Fineman Consulting Group

Fire F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Juvenile Firesetting Intervention Program

Executive Director: Kenneth Fineman, Ph.D.

Through grants from FEMA and the Department of Justice to the Orange County Fire Authority, organized and directed the development of a national model for the mental health evaluation of juvenile firesetting behavior (www.firefirends.org).

1/05 – 10/06 Clinical Consultant in Early Childhood Assessment/Treatment

California State University, San Bernardino

Institute of Child Development and Family Relations

CUIDAR-San Bernardino

Executive Director: Kimberley Lakes, Ph.D.

Provided professional consultation on early childhood psychotherapy for CSUSB Institute of Child Development and Family Relations to support their development of a community-based assessment and treatment clinic for young children and their families.  Provided consultation to CSUSB in their development of a parenting curriculum for parent education groups and developed a teacher training program for preschool teachers.

4/02 – 10/06      Pediatric Psychologist

Children’s Hospital Orange County – UCI Child Development Center

CUIDAR- Orange County

Early Identification and Treatment of ADHD in Preschoolers

Director: James Swanson, Ph.D.

Served as the primary clinical psychologist on a joint CHOC-UCI project for early identification of ADHD in preschool-age children.

4/02-9/02            Research Associate

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Principle Investigator: Ernest Katz, Ph.D.

9/00 – 4/02        Postdoctoral Fellow

Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Specialty focus: ADHD; Spina bifida

9/99 – 9/00         Predoctoral Psychology Intern – APA Accredited

Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

9/98 – 9/99         Research Associate

UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute

Principle Investigator: Elisabeth Dykens, Ph.D.

Area: Cognitive functioning in Williams Syndrome

9/85 – 9/98         Research Associate

UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute

Principle Investigator: Keith Nuechterlein, Ph.D.

Area: Longitudinal study of initial-onset schizophrenia

Divorce Mediation Training:

Certificate Programs

Certification in Divorce Mediation: Conflict Resolution Training, Inc. 2/24/16 – 2/27/16. Susan Deveney, Instructor

Early Childhood Training:

Certificate Programs

Parent-Infant Mental Health: Fielding Graduate University, 1/14/08; 1/15/08.

Early Childhood Diagnostic Systems:

DC: 0-3R Diagnostic Criteria: Orange County Early Childhood Mental Health Collaborative.

Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders Diagnostic Manual for Infancy and Early Childhood (ICDL-DMIC): The Infancy and Early Childhood Training Course: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Intervention for Developmental and Emotional Disorders, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Multisystem Developmental Disorders, Regulatory Disorders Involving Attention, Learning and Behavioral Problems, Cognitive, Language, Motor, and Sensory Disturbances.

Early Childhood Treatment Interventions

Watch, Wait, and Wonder: Nancy Cohen, Ph.D. Hincks-Dellcrest Centre & the University of Toronto.

Circle of Security: Glen Cooper, MFT, Center for Clinical Intervention, Marycliff Institute, Spokane, Washington.

Publications:

Childress, C.A. (2017). Assessment of Attachment-Related Pathology Surrounding Divorce. Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress, C.A. (2017).  Strategic Family Systems Intervention for AB-PA: Contingent Visitation Schedule. Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress, C.A. (2017).  The Key to Solving High-Conflict Divorce in the Family Courts: Proposal for a Pilot Program in the Family Law Courts. Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress, C.A. (2016).  The Narcissistic Parent: A Guidebook for Legal Professionals Working with Families in High-Conflict Divorce. Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress, C.A. (2015).  An Attachment-Based Model of Parental Alienation: Foundations.  Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress, C.A. (2015).  An Attachment-Based Model of Parental Alienation: Single Case ABAB Assessment and Remedy.  Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress, C.A. (2015).  An Attachment-Based Model of Parental Alienation: Professional Consultation. Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress, C.A. (2015). Essays in Attachment-Based Parental Alienation: The Internet Writings of Dr. Childress. Claremont, CA: Oaksong Press.

Childress C.A. (2000) Ethical issues in providing online psychotherapeutic interventions. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2(1):e5.

Childress, C.A. (1999). Interactive e-mail journals: A model for providing psychotherapeutic interventions using the Internet, Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 2(3), 213-221

Childress, C.A., & Asamen, J.K. (1998). The emerging relationship of psychology and the Internet: Proposed guidelines for conducting Internet intervention research. Ethics and Behavior, 8, 19-35.

Parental Alienation Seminars and Presentations Given:

Certification in Attachment-Based Parental Alienation (AB-PA). Provided Basic and Advanced Certification Seminars in AB-PA.  November 18-20.  Westin Hotel Pasadena, CA.

Legislature Briefing.  Pennsylvania State Legislature; House Children and Youth Committee. Solutions to High-Conflict Divorce in the Family Court. November 15, 2017; Harrisburg, PA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIa1KbfsWIM)

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Annual Convention.  An Attachment-Based Model of Parental Alienation: Diagnosis and Treatment.  June 1, 2017. Boston, MA.

Legislature Briefing.  Massachusetts State Legislature.  Grandparent and Family Alienation. Hosted by Representative Walsh.  May 31, 2017.  Boston MA.

Keynote Address. Parental Alienation Symposium 2017: Solutions for Professionals and Families.  4/29/17; Dallas, Texas.

Master Lecture Series; California Southern University. An Attachment-Based Model of “Parental Alienation”: Diagnosis and Treatment.  November 21, 2014; Irvine, CA. (available online at
https://vimeo.com/calsouthern/review/113572265/8d0b48de77)

Family Law Reform Conference. Invited Panelist: Parental Alienation and Domestic Violence. Hosted by DivorceCorp.  November 15-16, 2014; Alexandria, VA.

Master Lecture Series; California Southern University. Theoretical Foundations of Attachment-Based Model of “Parental Alienation.”  July 18, 2014; Irvine, CA. (available online at http://www.calsouthern.edu/content/events/parental-alienation-an-attachment-based-

Early Childhood Mental Health Seminars and Trainings Given:

Early Childhood Intervention with “Behavior Problems” in the Preschool Classroom.  San Bernardino Head Start Preschool Teacher Training Series (10/27/06; 11/3/06; 11/17/06).

Early Childhood Intervention with “Behavior Problems” in the Preschool Classroom.  San Bernardino West End SELPA Preschool Teacher Training Series (10/17/06; 11/7/06; 12/5/06).

Early Childhood Intervention with “Behavior Problems” in the Preschool Classroom.  San Bernardino West End SELPA Preschool Teacher Training Series (10/31/06; 11/14/06; 12/12/06).

Early Childhood Intervention with “Behavior Problems” in the Preschool Classroom. (5/12/06). Apple Valley Head Start, Apple Valley, CA

Early Childhood Intervention with “Behavior Problems” in the Preschool Classroom (5/5/06).  Victorville Head Start. Victorville, CA

Early Childhood Intervention with “Behavior Problems” in the Preschool Classroom. (11/12/04).  National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference, Anaheim, CA

Functional Behavioral Analysis and Positive Child Guidance with Preschoolers.  (5/1/04).  Westminster School District. Westminster, CA.

Functional Behavioral Analysis with Preschool-Age Children – Seminar Series. (3/5/04; 4/2/04).  Placentia Yorba Linda School District; School Readiness Coordinators. Yorba Linda, CA

Functional Behavioral Analysis with Preschool-Age Children – Seminar Series. (2/6/04; 2/13/04; 2/20/04).  Irvine Unified School District. Irvine, CA.

Functional Behavioral Analysis and Positive Behavior Management with Children.  (12/3/03).  Orangewood Preschool, Irvine, CA

Early Childhood Working with “Problem Behavior” in the Preschool Classroom (10/31/03).  Orange County Head Start; Teachers & Teacher Aides.  Bren Events Center, University of California; Irvine, CA.

Functional Behavioral Analysis and Positive Child Guidance with Preschool-Age Children.  (10/17/03).  Irvine Unified School District. Irvine, CA.

Functional Behavioral Analysis with Preschool-Age Children – Seminar Series. (9/26/03; 10/17/03).  Orange County Head Start Center Directors and Multi-disciplinary Teams.  Orange, CA.

Internet Psychology Seminars and Presentations Given

World Health Organization, 2nd International Symposium on Psychiatry and Internet: Information – Support – Therapy.  Invited presentation on Ethical Issues in Online Psychotherapeutic Interventions.  April, 2002, Munich, Germany.

American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Office of Protection from Research Risks, Conference on the Ethical and Legal Aspects of Human Subjects Research in Cyberspace. Invited paper presentation on Privacy and Confidentiality Issues in Internet Research. Paper presented at the sponsored by the (1999, June). Washington, D.C.