FAMILY REFLECTIONS REUNIFICATION PROGRAM
For Severely Alienated Minor Children and Their Families
Welcome!
Primary Objectives of Our Program
The primary objective of the FRRP is to reconcile children between 7 and 18 years of age with their rejected normative parent to foster a healthy relationship between the child and his or her rejected parent. This highly-specialized psycho-educational program facilitates a swift, emotionally safe reunification between children/youths and rejected parents, offers favored parents with necessary emotional support, assistance and appropriate therapy from an approved trained therapist of their choice, and provides other necessary intervention strategies for maintaining a successful reunification. This intervention model has worked very well with high-conflict families that exhibit extremely rigid organizational patterns. Trends suggest that the most effective treatment response for these cases is a family-systems approach involving children, fathers, mothers, step-parents, step-siblings, and other extended family members.
Eight Primary Goals of the Program
1. Promote healthy child adjustment;
2. Improve the child's critical thinking skills;
3. Collaborate with the child and the rejected parent to establish suitable roles, responsibilities, and boundaries within their relationship. This is particularly crucial because the child has likely been influenced by the favored parent to make detrimental decisions concerning their interaction with the rejected parent;
4. Strengthen the rejected parent and child’s ability to communicate with each other and resolve relevant parent-child conflicts. To facilitate corrective experiences, the rejected parent and child delve into various family history mementos. By revisiting these cherished memories, the child begins to lift their repressed affectionate feelings and intrinsic need for the rejected parent. This process encourages the resurfacing of sincere positive emotions towards the rejected parent.
5. Empower the rejected parent with effective strategies for addressing and rectifying any distorted perceptions or revisionist histories that the child may have developed concerning them or past family events. This is genuinely accomplished without disparaging or pathologizing the favored parent or any co-alienators.
6. Acknowledging that no parent is without flaw, another goal is to sincerely address any legitimate grievances the child may have against the rejected parent. Special consideration is given to the child's chronological age and developmental stage, recognizing that extended periods of alienation likely have significantly influenced their needs and identity from what was previously familiar to the rejected parent.
7. Specific attention is also given to aiding the child in overcoming feelings of guilt and shame associated with having mistreated or rejected a parent.
8. Maintain the reunification process.
Program suitability
This program is suitable for all children between 7 and 18 years of age who resist or refuse contact with a normative parent. To date, the majority of children who have attended our program range in age from 14-18. The FRRP is often utilized in circumstances in which traditional therapy has not proven successful in fostering a healthy relationship between children and the rejected normative parent. The FRRP is suitable for moderate to severely alienated children and youths who have phobic reactions and refuse contact with the rejected parent. This program is also suitable for alienated children and youths who threaten risk of flight, risk of harm to self, or risk of harm to the rejected parent or others. Please note: The FRRP is not suitable for children who are realistically estranged from a parent because of (a) clinically significant parental abuse or neglect, (b) parental history of unreasonably inept or harsh discipline, (c) parental history of incarceration, (d) harm from parental substance abuse or dependency, and (e) major untreated parental mental illness or medical illness. Please check out our customizable voluntary family reconciliation retreats offered for those types of situations.
Admission Requirements
Our reunification program is based on the Court's findings from testimony and evidence regarding family dynamics. We generally accept one of the following methods:
Method #1: The Court has concluded that the child is safe in the care of the rejected parent, who is granted temporary sole custody, guardianship, and/or decision-making authority. A minimum 90-day protective order is required (see below for more info). The rejected parent then sets up an intake session with our Clinical Director for enrollment suitability.
Method #2: The Court has determined that the child is safe with the rejected parent and that the favored parent has interfered with or failed to support the relationship between the child and the other parent. A minimum 90-day protective order is required (see below for more info), and a court order with specific terms is necessary for program admission.
We accept Court Orders from Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and other countries. Our team is willing to travel to other places to do the reunification program. Whether on the Vancouver Island or somewhere else, the FRRP requires specific terms and conditions set forth in a court order. For more information, please set up an appointment with Dr. Reay @ https://familyreflectionsprogram.com/schedule-an-appointment
Why is a minimum 90-day no contact stipulation required
in the court order?
The Family Reflections Reunification Program (FRRP) is committed to implementing best practices in cases involving moderate to severe parental alienation. This form of coercive control and child abuse destroys families, and we believe that healing is essential to restore healthy relationships. As part of our program, we require a protective separation period that involves no direct or indirect contact between the child and the favored parent and any co-alienators for at least 90 days. During this period, the rejected parent is given temporary sole legal and physical custody and guardianship. This approach has been proven to be highly effective in reversing the adverse effects of parental alienation and protecting children’s overall wellbeing. It is imperative to proceed with the sequestration measures beyond the 4-day intensive reunification retreat to avoid potential regression and relapse in the child. If there is even minimal contact with an unreformed alienating parent who persists in alienating behaviors and fails to demonstrate readiness, willingness, and ability to facilitate the relationship between the alienated parent and their children, these negative outcomes become virtually certain. As such, it is necessary to take all appropriate measures to protect the child’s well-being and prevent any further harm from occurring. While we strive to keep this period as brief as possible, it is vital to maintain it for as long as necessary to prevent regression and relapse. The sequestration period serves to relieve the child(ren) of the loyalty conflict that has been imposed by the favored parent in order for the child to freely embrace and invest in the rejected parent without feeling disloyal to the favored parent. The favored parent is expected to take full responsibility for lifting the sequestration period by demonstrating their readiness, willingness and ability to support the relationship between the alienated parent and their child(ren) unequivocally. If the alienating parent has not made sufficient progress at the end of 90 days, any extension of the no-contact period falls under the Court’s jurisdiction. Our Clinical Director will provide a report and/or testimony to the Court, based on all current family members’ treatment outcomes, to decide in the best interest of the child(ren).
Get Excited to REUNIFY WITH YOUR CHILD(REN)
We Will Help You Make The process easy From Our End
1
Tell us exactly what you need
Congratulations on taking the first step towards potentially reuniting with your child(ren). We are excited to engage in an initial minimum 1-hour consult where we will dive deep into your family situation. This consult will also give us the opportunity to determine if our reunification program is suitable for your family’s needs. We encourage you to come prepared with any questions you may have. Your lawyer/attorney is welcome to join in on the call. This is an exciting time for you, and we are honored to be a part of this initial stepping stone towards helping you move in the right direction.
2
We've Got This!
We have extensive “hands-on” experience in knowing what to do and when to do it. Our team is well-versed in submitting required forms to lawyers/attorneys and ensuring they have the necessary documentation such as affidavits or Amicus Briefs . We can provide general expert witness testimony and/or educate the Court about our highly-specialized reunification program, if needed. Our team is familiar with the legal language required for our specific terms and conditions for written Court orders. Scheduling our 4-day reunification program is no problem for us. There’s no need to worry abut anything on our end. We’ve got this!
3
Enjoy Your Reunification
As you embark on this journey to reconnect with your alienated child(ren), know that you are taking an incredible step towards healing and growth. We understand how difficult and strenuous this process can be, which is why we are here to support and guide you every step of the way. Our team has the utmost confidence in our abilities to make this a successful retreat for you and your child(ren). With us by your side, you can finally focus on enjoying the incredible experience of reestablishing your bond with your loved one(s) – a beautiful, healing experience that we hope will inspire and encourage you to keep moving forward. Trust that we will take care of all the details and aftercare plans, so you can focus on what truly matters: rebuilding your relationship. You are not alone, and we are here to help you make this journey an inspiring and unforgettable one.