22 Comments
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Linda Kaizen's avatar

Thank you so much for these articles! Do you have tips on what to do/say when the child doesn't even want to talk at all?

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Thank you Linda!

I have a few article drafts that I am working on and a guiding to texting, especially when the child is avoidant is on my list - just gathering research and strategies before publishing.

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Amanda Ansel's avatar

Yes, thank you for all these wonderful, carefully researched articles. I have the same question.

Also, concerning this quote from your article. “Alienated children cannot reunite when they are trapped in the jaws of the abusive parent. They have to wait for when it is safe.” What are your thoughts on reunification therapy with a 16 year old son who doesn’t want to see me due to false beliefs he has of me? I’m preparing documentation for contempt of our order and will be requesting coparenting therapy but not sure about requesting reunification - if it would be helpful right now or not. Do you have any personal insights on that?

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Hey Amanda - great question. Personally I have never done reunification therapy so I don’t have any experience there. That said I know people who have so I would need to conduct some interviews first to draft an article on it. Will add it to my list!

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Amanda Ansel's avatar

Thank you!

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Beverly's avatar

Thank you for the great article! I heard it on The Anti Alienation Project and I am an alienated grandmother. I want to be ready in case my son's daughter comes back...which there seems to be a slim glimmer of hope that it might happen this summer. This is excellent! Would it be alright if I print it out?

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Thank you Beverly! Feel free to print it out and share it with your immediate community. The same applies to all the articles I write. You can read the other articles at redthread.andrewfolkler.com.

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Shannon Fort's avatar

This is helpful, thanks!

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Thank you Shannon! Feel free to share any questions or topics you would like covered in the future.

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Judith Sabah's avatar

Thank you!!! Very helpful!

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Thank you for subscribing! And happy to help. :)

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Sammie's avatar

Great article! I've read his book in the past and an very familiar. I used it to negotiate with a sociopath. It was helpful to read how it relates to alienation. 'll start using this immediately.

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Thank you! Happy to hear this was helpful!

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Sammie's avatar

Very helpful! If you can continue to post about what to say/write/text to an alienated child (no physical contact), that would be great.

Perhaps also the feelings certain phrases like "I miss you" envoke in them or how it's more emotional than about facts. ❤️

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

I will make a note of it and draft an article about it over the summer. :)

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Erik Kuykendall's avatar

I heard about your work on from Madison on the Anti Alienation project and thank you for your efforts and the insights you provide, I started following you on SubStack today.

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Thanks for subscribing Erik! Feel free to check out my other articles and ask any questions as I might turn them into a future article!

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Shalini's avatar

Thank you for sharing this. I’ve learned something today due to this

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Thank you Shalini! Feel free to ask any questions and I might incorporate them into future articles :)

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Shalini's avatar

Noted. Thank you Andrew. I will read and watch this again and remember you when such questions arise!

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Miss's avatar

Do you have ideas of what to write to an alienated (no contact) teen girl who to a certain degree sees the toxic behavior from the alienation, she misses the parent, she asks the alienation if she can see the parent, but the alienator talks her out of it. What to text or do?

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Andrew Folkler's avatar

Great question! So, for starters, alienators create an environment where you have to behave a specific way, otherwise you get punished. So the challenge your child is having is that they lack the legal autonomy to make decisions for themselves and their ability to survive is heavily dependant on the alienator.

This means your child is in a state of survival mode where she has to cut contact as a means of protecting herself. This is a flight response. So the only thing you can really communicate (which is going to be unlikely to gain a response) is that you are always going to love them and that you understand why they are doing what they are doing.

If you have not read it already - check out my article Seeing through the Eyes of the Alienated Child - where I go into the inner thoughts of alienated children. It will help you construct your messages to your child.

https://shorteningtheredthread.substack.com/p/seeing-through-the-eyes-of-the-alienated

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