Speakers

Alan D. Blotcky, PhD, is a clinical and forensic psychologist in private practice in Birmingham, Alabama. He is also Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Blotcky is co-editor of Parental Alienation International, on the board of directors of the Parental Alienation Study Group, and author of nearly 30 publications on parental alienation and false allegations of abuse. Dr. Blotcky has testified in 55 cases in 16 states in the past four years.

Alyson Jones, MA, RCC, ACS, is the Clinical Director of Alyson Jones & Associates, where she leads a team specializing in separation and divorce. With over 30 years of experience, she is a Family Therapist, Parent Coordinator, Mediator, Collaborative Divorce Coach, and Child Specialist. A former Adjunct Faculty Member at Adler University, Alyson is active in professional education for counsellors and lawyers and has presented at numerous conferences. Her work integrates parent education, developmental psychology, and family systems to help families reduce conflict and prioritize children’s well-being during separation and divorce.

Amanda Sharples is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the University of Toronto. Her research has focused on conflict at various levels including intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intergroup.

Amylie Paquin-Boudreau received her PhD in psychology from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada). Her thesis focused on the perceptions and practices of legal and psychosocial professionals working with high-conflict families. She did a postdoctoral fellowship at the Université de Genève (Switzerland) on the experience of mothers and fathers going through a conflictual coparenting relationship after separation. She is currently an assistant professor at the Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), where she teaches family psychology and ethics. Dr Paquin-Boudreau is also a clinical psychotherapist, conducting parenting plan evaluations and giving workshops on conflict and violence surrounding parental separation.

Jennifer J. Harman, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Colorado State University who has been studying parental alienation as a form of family violence for over a decade. She has published over a dozen peer-reviewed research studies on parental alienation in some of the top scientific journals in the field of psychology (e.g., Psychological Bulletin).

Bio of Brian Ludmer coming soon.

As Occupational Health and Safety Director of Trendsafety Malta, Anthony Bezzina has been very active in the area of occupational health and safety for the last 20 years. He is a leading safety professional in Malta and is one of the co-founders of Happy Parenting - Malta.

Anthony Cauchi is the Founder and Public Relations Officer of Happy Parenting - Malta (For Happier Children) and a prominent media voice on family wellbeing. He collaborates with many local and international organizations, including the International Council for Shared Parenting and the Parental Alienation Study Group. Anthony was trained in Parental Alienation by Judge (ret.) Philip Marcus and Professor Edward Kruk, and he holds a degree in Safeguarding Children and Young People from the University of Malta. He coordinates Happy Parenting’s annual international seminar on family wellbeing and has spoken at major conferences, including the 2023 ICSP in Athens, PASG in Oslo, and judicial training for 65 judges in Bucharest.

Ashish Joshi is a nationally and internationally practicing attorney specializing in family violence cases. Admitted to the bars od New York, Michigan, D.C., and the U.S. Supreme Court, he is widely published and the author of Litigating Parental Alienation (ABA, 2021).

Judge Jon Van Allsburg is Chief Judge of Michigan’s 20th Circuit Court, serving in the Family Division and Business Court. A former president of the Michigan Judges Association, he has received the Marilyn J. Kelly Award for Outstanding Judicial Service in Family Law and has taught law at Grand Valley State University and Hope College.

Ben Hine is Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of West London, specialising in abusive behaviour and family breakdown, including alienating behaviours.

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Courtney Dowdall is a Métis doctoral researcher at Simon Fraser University specializing in family violence, with a particular focus on the escalation of intimate partner abuse to homicide. Her research examines how abuse dynamics evolve over time, using both non-cooperative game theory and ecological systems perspectives to understand strategic interactions and relational complexity. She is committed to advancing models that recognize a plurality of perspectives and experiences, particularly in high-conflict family contexts. Courtney has worked with law enforcement and violence prevention agencies across the globe and is the founder of #iSurvived, an advocacy initiative focused on technology-facilitated abuse.

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Dana Laquidara is a formerly alienated child and author of You-Know-Who: An Alienated Daughter’s Memoir (2023). She has spoken at international events, including the International Conference of Shared Parenting in Athens and the Parental Alienation Consortium in Connecticut.

William J. McGee is a novelist, essayist, and investigative journalist known for his work in aviation and consumer advocacy. After publishing his novel Half the Child, he became a vocal advocate for families affected by parental alienation. He was a keynote speaker and Media Committee member at PASG’s 2019 conference in Philadelphia.

Denise McCartan is an HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist in the UK, Associate Fellow of BPS, Chartered Psychologist and Chartered scientist. She holds a PhD in Medicine and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with postdoctoral research experience at King’s College London. Since 2008, she has run an independent practice producing expert reports for courts across the UK and internationally. She has guest lectured at universities and the NI Law Society, appeared on BBC media, and serves as a mental health charity trustee and science council assessor. Author of Parental Alienation: An Evidence-Based Approach, she advocates for children’s safe access to both parents.

Eveline van Dorp, an expert in Education and Child Studies, has worked for nearly 20 years as a behavioural scientist advising professionals on severe parenting challenges. Her work centers on resilience-based, face-saving strategies to help children re-establish relationships with rejected parents after divorce, drawing on attachment and trauma theory. Together with Dr. Wessel Brouwer, she co-created the Family Ties® model, a visual tool that illustrates attachment dynamics and offers practical solutions for change.

Ilacqua was born in Modena, Italy and became a Canadian by choice when he turned 25. Since 1992, he has been a psychologist in Ontario, Canada and been working with individuals in trouble with the law, with substance use problems, with major psychiatric diagnoses, and with those who have experienced debilitating accidents resulting in physical and psychological injuries. Currently, his private practice specializes in diagnostic
evaluations.

Heleen Koppejan MSc.is a psychologist who has graduated cum-laude on research on Parental Alienation. She had her own practice in which she helps parents and their children in complex divorces. She is often assigned by court, either as guardian civil or as an expert, to research the dynamics underlying contact stops between a child and a parent after divorce. She shares her knowledge on complex divorces with professionals in all disciplines working with complex divorces in her training-institute and has been assigned by the government to join formal platforms researching solutions for complex divorces and PA.

Heleen Koppejan MSc. is a psychologist who has graduated cum-laude on research on Parental Alienation. She had her own practice in which she helps parents and their children in complex divorces. She is often assigned by court, either as guardian civil or as an expert, to research the dynamics underlying contact stops between a child and a parent after divorce. She shares her knowledge on complex divorces with professionals in all disciplines working with complex divorces in her training-institute and has been assigned by the government to join formal platforms researching solutions for complex divorces and PA.

Heleen Koppejan MSc.is a psychologist who has graduated cum-laude on research on Parental Alienation. She had her own practice in which she helps parents and their children in complex divorces. She is often assigned by court, either as guardian civil or as an expert, to research the dynamics underlying contact stops between a child and a parent after divorce. She shares her knowledge on complex divorces with professionals in all disciplines working with complex divorces in her training-institute and has been assigned by the government to join formal platforms researching solutions for complex divorces and PA.

Mishu is now 25 years of age, and works for the government. Jenna is now 23 years of age and is a student. Jasmine is now 15 years of age and is a student in the US.

Ian has worked in family law since 2008, qualifying as a solicitor in 2010 and later transferring to the Bar of England and Wales in 2019. He developed a specialization in parental alienation after representing numerous affected parents, which led him to pursue a Professional Doctorate in Legal Practice focused on how the Family Justice identifies and manages such cases. Now nearing completion of his doctorate, Ian regularly represents parents involved in parental alienation disputes. He is also a co-author of the forthcoming Domestic Abuse in the Family Court and a contributing editor to LexisNexis’ Butterworths Family Law Service on issues of domestic abuse and parental alienation.

Dr. Inbal Bar-On, Ph.D. is a faculty member at the Human & Counselling Development at University of Haifa. Her fields of research relate to child psychological abuse and neglect, domestic violence and psychological control in child-parent relationships. She is a supervisor and professional adviser to the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, and an officer of the court in high conflict divorce and reunification interventions.

Prof. Ivan Sammut is an Associate Professor and Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law at the University of Malta, where he has taught since 2005. A practicing lawyer and former European Commission employee, he specializes in EU law and legal translation, and has authored several European Commission reports. Prof. Sammut holds degrees from the University of Malta, the College of Europe, and the University of London, where he earned his PhD in European private law. His research focuses on EU internal market law, competition, and private international law. He is Head of the Department of European & Comparative Law, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Laws, and has authored or edited several academic books.

Jasmine Nanako, a 15-year-old ninth grader at Stanford Online High School, was born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and Bangladeshi-American father. In early 2021, she and her sister were abducted from Japan to Bangladesh by their father, who also severely alienated them from their mother. Despite a Tokyo Family Court order granting their mother sole custody, she was unable to leave Bangladesh for over three years after entering the country to recover her daughters. Amid ongoing legal battles, the Bangladeshi courts initially ignored the Japanese order, granting custody to the father. Jasmine’s mother fought the decision, even after losing her job, and was ultimately awarded full custody in January 2023. Jasmine, now free from alienation, managed to leave Bangladesh in April 2024 with the help of the Japanese Embassy. Her sister remains missing, and their mother continues to fight for her return.

Jennifer J. Harman, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Colorado State University who has been studying parental alienation as a form of family violence for over a decade. She has published over a dozen peer-reviewed research studies on parental alienation in some of the top scientific journals in the field of psychology (e.g., Psychological Bulletin). The work she will be presenting is a collaborative project with Dr. Richard Warshak, Dr. Amanda Sharples, and Joshua Marsden, M.S.

Jesper Lohse (MBA) is strategic advisor for international organizations and chairman of the Danish Father Association and coordinating chairman of Nordic Fathers. He is a member of the advisory board for Family Court Houses and the Council for Human Rights in Denmark.

Joan Kloth-Zanard, MFT (Magna Cum Laude), is an expert in psychological abuse, parental alienation, custodial interference, and trauma recovery. With over 35 years of experience - 25 of them focused on parental alienation - she founded the nonprofit PAS Intervention after experiencing it firsthand. Joan leads two 501c3 nonprofits, provides 24/7 global support to victims, and is the author of “Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss the Signs?” and a contributing editor of Broken Family Bonds. She also consults on American Disability Act issues and domestic violence, offering strategies for rebuilding a life after a traumatic event.

Robert Garza is a national advocate for co-parenting and family court reform, driven by his 15-year custody battle involving over 43 false CPS allegations. He played a key role in drafting Texas’ SB-718, the “Time Taken Time Back” bill, and the “3 Strike Law” for custody interference. Robert has lobbied in over 40 states, spoken at events like Capitol Hill and CPAC, and raises awareness on fatherlessness, parental alienation, and false allegations. He is a co-executive producer of I Stand with John, featured in the We the Parents documentary, and is active in organizations including NPO, the John Mast Foundation, and Americans for Judicial Accountability.

Joshua Marsden is a doctoral candidate in the Applied Social and Health Psychology program at Colorado State University. His research focuses on family relationships, family violence, and parental alienation, with particular emphasis on evaluating research methodology quality and its applications in legal settings and legislation. He has contributed to and coordinated grant-funded projects, published peer-reviewed research on parental alienation, and served on multiple diversity committees. Committed to bridging the gap between research and practice, Joshua aims to translate scientific findings into solutions within the family therapy community, and for policy and legal frameworks addressing family violence.

Joshua Marsden is a doctoral candidate in the Applied Social and Health Psychology program at Colorado State University. His research focuses on family relationships, family violence, and parental alienation, with particular emphasis on evaluating research methodology quality and its applications in legal settings and legislation. He has contributed to and coordinated grant-funded projects, published peer-reviewed research on parental alienation, and served on multiple diversity committees. Committed to bridging the gap between research and practice, Joshua aims to translate scientific findings into solutions within the family therapy community, and for policy and legal frameworks addressing family violence.

Joshua Marsden is a doctoral candidate in the Applied Social and Health Psychology program at Colorado State University. His research focuses on family relationships, family violence, and parental alienation, with particular emphasis on evaluating research methodology quality and its applications in legal settings and legislation. He has contributed to and coordinated grant-funded projects, published peer-reviewed research on parental alienation, and served on multiple diversity committees. Committed to bridging the gap between research and practice, Joshua aims to translate scientific findings into solutions within the family therapy community, and for policy and legal frameworks addressing family violence.

Dr. Kathleen Reay is a recognized expert in high-conflict divorce, parental alienation, parent-child estrangement, and child psychological abuse and trauma. With a Ph.D in psychology and post-doctoral credentials as a Diplomate and Fellow of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, she has specialized in parental alienation for 47 years. Dr. Reay has worked with over 5,000 alienated children and families as a clinician, evaluator, expert witness, and as Founder and Clinical Director of the Family Reflections Reunification Program for Severely Alienated Children and Their Families, in Vancouver, Canada. Her work focuses on helping families heal from the effects of alienation and psychological abuse.

Ken was a professor, but is now the Director of Child Custody Services doing custody evaluations full-time. He’s been appointed in 26 States, Canada, Greece and Belize; and is a member of both the national and international family judges associations, with publications in both journals. He specializes in high conflict cases, including parental alienation and relocation.

Merle has over 20 years of experience advocating for children as a visitation supervisor and custody evaluator in the U.S. and Canada. She has critiqued evaluation reports and participated in conferences worldwide, contributing to three United Nations resolutions focused on protecting children globally.

Larry DeMarco, LLM serves as Executive Manager of the International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB), a nonprofit raising awareness of 12 areas of male disadvantage. He also is the Founder of The Law Center and was a legal practitioner for 33 years in the Philadelphia region, Larry also has served as a Judge Pro-Tem, a board member for the Justinian Law Society, and a custody mediator.

PhD and licensed psychologist Lena Hellblom Sjögren has practised as an investigative psychologist and researcher the last three decades, focused on disturbed relations child - parents in complicated custody disputes.

Lilly J. Landikusic, LMFT, is the founder of Empowerment Counseling Services, which has served over 350 high-risk children and families weekly in the Salt Lake City area for more than 30 years. She pioneered Utah’s first private, intensive in-home counseling model, now adopted across much of the U.S. After enduring a severe case of parental alienation herself, she has spent the past six years developing solution-focused, preventive models and has worked with over 60 severe cases. Lilly is creating an accessible, customizable online intervention model and filming a documentary with her nonprofit to share successful outcomes from their pilot program. A passionate advocate for early screening, trauma-informed care, and systemic reform, she believes parental alienation abuse can and should be identified early, treated and ultimately prevented. She is also completing a book and training resources focused on root causes of PA and solutions.

Linda Gottlieb, LMFT, LCSW-R, is an internationally recognized expert on parental alienation, trained by renowned psychiatrist Salvador Minuchin. She served on his faculty, training professionals across mental health, foster care, and drug treatment fields. Qualified as an expert witness in over a thousand U.S. and Canadian court cases, Linda has testified on topics including family therapy, child abuse, and forensic evaluations. She developed the Turning Points for Families (TPFF) intervention, which a 2021 peer-reviewed study found to be 96.4% effective. Linda also provides trauma-informed therapy and continuing education programs for legal, psychiatric, and mental health professionals.

Loretta Maase is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Austin, Texas, specializing in parent-child relationship issues, family dysfunction, and psychological maltreatment of children. She provides consultations and expert forensic file reviews for courts across multiple states, offering insight into high-conflict custody and complex family dynamics. Ms. Maase has particular expertise in assessing and treating parent-child contact problems and families affected by parental alienation, using evidence-based strategies to support reunification and repair. She trained under Dr. Steven Miller, expert in clinical reasoning, and Linda Gottlieb, LMFT, a protégé of Dr. Salvador Minuchin, strengthening her skills in forensic analysis and structural family therapy. Her background includes directing the Parenting Center of Albuquerque, overseeing foster care programs in California and Texas, and publishing Families in Recovery magazine. She maintains a private practice supporting families in crisis. Ms. Maase is the author of Parenting the Alienated Child: Reconnecting Lost Hearts (September 2025).

Dr. Linda Gunsberg is a clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City, working with children, adults, and families. From 1997-2020, she chaired and created the Family Law and Forensics Training Program at Washington Square Institute to train professionals across law and mental health disciplines. She serves as a forensic expert in cases involving divorce and custody, parental alienation, parenting plans, child abuse, abduction, relocation, domestic violence, Hague Convention matters and more, working both nationally and internationally. She is a former director at Take Root, the only organization in the United States for adults who were parentally abducted as children, and has published and lectured widely on child custody, alienation, and family law.

Dr. Linda Gunsberg is a clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City, working with children, adults, and families. From 1997-2020, she chaired and created the Family Law and Forensics Training Program at Washington Square Institute to train professionals across law and mental health disciplines. She serves as a forensic expert in cases involving divorce and custody, parental alienation, parenting plans, child abuse, abduction, relocation, domestic violence, Hague Convention matters and more, working both nationally and internationally. She is a former director at Take Root, the only organization in the United States for adults who were parentally abducted as children, and has published and lectured widely on child custody, alienation, and family law.

Jordan E. Trager, Esq. has over 30 years of litigation experience handling matrimonial and family law matters, and is an experienced divorce and family law mediator. He has tried numerous complex divorce and Family Court cases on a wide range of issues, including custody and parenting time and parental alienation. He was the leader of the local Parental Alienation Awareness Organization, a not-for-profit organization educating the public on parental alienation, and conducted and supervised monthly group meetings as an affiliate of the organization. Mr. Trager has published several articles in the New York Law Journal, and contributed to articles in the Long Island Business News as well as other publications. Mr. Trager conducts frequent workshops and webinars on divorce, parental alienation and family mediation. Mr. Trager is a member of the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation. He was designated a “Top Family Law Practitioner” by New York Magazine.

Lisa Rothfus, LCSW, has over 38 years of experience working with families and children in private practice. Trained at Simmons School of Social Work and Cambridge Family Institute, she specializes in high-conflict family situations and all stages of divorce. Court-appointed across Texas as a Reunification therapist, she provides tailored treatment plans for families dealing with alienation, offering therapy ranging from mild to severe cases, she also shares her expertise through YouTube videos on reunification and parental alienation.

Jayna Haney, a licensed therapist since 2015, began her journey after navigating single parenthood and stepfamily life. With an MS in Counseling and postgraduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy, she co-founded the Bridge Across to support single parents and stepfamilies. She provides therapy, court-ordered counseling, and works with Children 4 Tomorrow’s Complex Family Program in Houston, Texas, where she lives with her husband Mike and their blended family of four grown children.

Dr. Lynn Steinberg, a family therapist with over 50 years of experience, has spent the past 15 years specializing in parental alienation reunifications. After opposing Kayden’s Law in California, passed in 2023, she faced criticism from those who label reunification therapy as “experimental.” This presentation will address these misconceptions by outlining the historical foundations and theoretical basis of reunification therapy, sharing effective strategies, and presenting evidence-based outcomes to support its legitimacy and success in healing alienated families.

Dr. Lynn Steinberg, a family therapist with over 50 years of experience, has spent the past 15 years specializing in parental alienation reunifications. After opposing Kayden’s Law in California, passed in 2023, she faced criticism from those who label reunification therapy as “experimental.” This presentation will address these misconceptions by outlining the historical foundations and theoretical basis of reunification therapy, sharing effective strategies, and presenting evidence-based outcomes to support its legitimacy and success in healing alienated families.

Joan Kloth-Zanard has a Masters in Marriage and Family therapy Magna Cum Laude. She is an expert and consultant in the fields of American Disability Act, Custodial Interference, Parental Alienation, psychological abuse, as well as interventions, techniques and strategies for moving forward and rebuilding a life after a traumatic event, or series of traumatic events. She has been working with families and Domestic Violence issues for over 35 years with 25 specializing in the psychological abuse and trauma caused by custodial interference and parental alienation. She founded her nonprofit, PAS Intervention, after her own family became victims of the psychological abuse from the criminal act of custodial interference. She presently runs two 501c3 nonprofits related to her work with psychological abuse. She is the author of two books, “Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss The Signs? Dealing with Hostile Aggressive Parenting and Parental Alienation,” a contributing author and editor in “Broken Family Bonds: Poems and Stories by Victims of Parental Alienation,” and continues to provide free, one-on-one, 24/7 support to victims.

Charity Schneider is a certified Parental Alienation Coach and host of The Fractured Families Podcast, where she hosts alienated parents, family members, and leading professionals in the field. Currently completing her master’s degree focused on parental alienation at The Institute of Family Therapy Malta , Charity brings academic insight and personal experience to her advocacy. She was a stepparent to an alienated child and stood beside her fiancé through his battle as a targeted parent. Through her powerful social media platform, ParentalAlienationIsReal, she educates thousands on the psychological, emotional, and legal impacts of parental alienation, giving voice to fractured families and empowering those affected to heal and fight back.

Justice Marie-France Vincent has over 20 years of experience in family law and was appointed to the Quebec Superior Court in 2017. She leads the court’s Family Division in Quebec and coordinates the innovative PCR-2 psychojudicial pilot project. She is active in many legal committees and her main motivation is the advancement of family law and the improvement of access to justice for families.

Francine Cyr is an Honorary Professor of Psychology at Université de Montréal with 45 years of clinical experience. She led and co-authored numerous research projects on parental conflict, voice of the child, judicial interviews, parental alienation, litigants’ justice system pathways, and the impact of ADR on children and parents. Her clinical work spans psychology, mediation, and high-conflict divorce case management.

Dr. Amylie Paquin-Boudreau, PhD, is an assistant professor at Université de Sherbrooke and a clinical psychotherapist. Her postdoctoral work focused on high-conflict co parenting. She conducts parenting plan evaluations and offers workshops on conflict and violence in family separation.

Mme. Justice Marie-France Vincent, juge responsable de la chambre familiale, district de Québec, Cour supérieure du Québec, will facilitate a conversation between target parents including Joshua Homme (two-time GRAMMY winner and lead vocalist of the 9-time GRAMMY nominated rock band Queens of the Stone Age) of Dalle-Homme v Homme Los Angeles, and Mr. X of the X v Y and Ms. G of the F v G Canadian cases.

The cases involved allegations of domestic violence and parental alienation. They were resolved with the help of Court orders that included reversals in decision-making authority, a minimum 90-day no contact period, and attendance at the Family Bridges workshop & aftercare.

Dr. Barbara Jo Fidler (psychologist) and Mr. Brian Hall (lawyer) will offer additional comments from a clinical and legal perspective.

Dr. Mark Roseman is an author, international speaker, and child custody expert specializing in high-conflict personality and parental alienation. He is the Founder and CEO of the Toby Center for Family Transitions, a leading child visitation and reunification agency in Florida, and Publisher of Contemporary Family Magazine. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Mark offers national coaching, publishes the Q&A column Ask Dr. Mark, and serves on the editorial board of the American Journal of Family Therapy. His book Preserving Family Ties highlights his long-standing research on child outcomes after separation. His career began with the Children’s Rights Council in Washington, DC, and through his consulting firm, he continues to support families nationwide with practical, effective solutions - often mitigating many contentious custody disputes driven by fear-based resistance to shared parenting.

Dr. Mary Alvarez, a licensed psychologist in Texas for over 25 years, specializes in high-conflict families and parental alienation. She works primarily with parents in high conflict family law disputes, conducts research, and co-authored a 2025 book chapter on the spectrum of parental denigration to alienation. She frequently presents to legal and mental health professionals.

Dr. Kelley Baker is a licensed clinician providing services to families in divorce for over 25 years. Dr. Baker’s work has included providing therapeutic services, conducting child custody evaluations, serving as a guardian ad litem, conducting parental alienation assessments, teaching and training mental health and legal professionals, and expert consulting. She is a published author on the topic of parental alienation, child protection assessments, custody evaluations, and clinical techniques for parent-child contact issues. Her most recent publication is a book entitled Therapeutic Interventions for Parent-Child Contact Issues, released in February 2025.

Dr. Amy Eichler, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and a licensed specialist in school psychology. She is an associate professor of Psychology at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and has been providing services to families navigating divorce dynamics for 15 years. Dr. Eichler has extensive experience as a reunification therapist and child therapist. She has also served as a Guardian ad Litem, conducted parental alienation assessments, provided professional consultations, and acted as an expert witness. Her research focuses on parental alienation and child protection assessments, with multiple published chapters and papers on these topics. Her most recent publication, Therapeutic Interventions for Parent-Child Contact Issues: A Clinician’s Guide, was released in February 2025.

Dr. Mary Alvarez, a licensed psychologist in Texas for over 25 years, specializes in high-conflict families and parental alienation. She works primarily with parents in high conflict family law disputes, conducts research, and co-authored a 2025 book chapter on the spectrum of parental denigration to alienation. She frequently presents to legal and mental health professionals.

Lisa Rothfus, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 35 years’ experience, provides therapy for families in divorce and high-conflict situations. Court-appointed as a Reunification Therapist in Texas, she offers therapy at all levels of parental alienation and shares expertise through YouTube videos.

Chris Turner, JD, MSW, is a TMCA Distinguished Educator specializing in family law and child protection. She writes and speaks on early intervention in alienation cases and co-founded Resetting the family, PLLC with Dr. Alvarez in 2017 to support prevention and early intervention in mild to moderate alienation.

Mary Gauci is the President of Happy Parenting - Malta (For Happier Children) and a leading advocate for family well-being and the prevention of parental alienation. She leads Sedqa Prevention Services in Gozo and is a Juvenile Court Expert on Social Care. With a background as a State Registered Nurse and former senior roles in Malta’s Ministries of Health and Finance, she brings a diverse professional history, including training with the European Commission in Brussels. Mary holds an MA in International Relations and a BA in Sociology and Philosophy and she completed postgraduate training with Malta’s National Parental Alienation Technical Committee. She now organizes and speaks at international conferences like PASG, and as the main coordinator of Happy Parenting - Malta, she oversees its prevention, support, and therapy initiatives.

Matthew Peloquin, PsyD, is a counselor specializing in supporting father’s navigating post-divorce challenges. As the founder of Support Fathers Rights Inc., he has dedicated his career to advocating for equitable parental rights and providing resources to disenfranchised fathers. Dr. Peloquin’s research focuses on the intersection of grief, identity, and systemic bias in family law. He has presented at numerous international conferences and has published articles on grief counseling and parental alienation. Dr. Peloquin has completed the IFT Malta Certificate in Parental Alienation Studies and will complete his Master’s in April 2026.

Melanie Gill is a UK-based Attachment Specialist, Psychologist and Forensic Consultant with 18 years of experience as an Expert Witness in complex family court cases, particularly involving parental alienation. Using evidence-based methods rooted in attachment, forensic, and behavioural science, she assesses individuals across all ages and analyzes intricate family dynamics. Despite facing ongoing public and professional backlash - which she successfully challenged in the High Court in 2023 - Melanie continues to share insights through podcasts and webinars, highlighting the unique harms of parental alienation and the underlying psychopathology of those who perpetrate it.

Bay Area-raised in a multicultural family, Michelle Jones, LCSW, was drawn to social work by her commitment to diverse and vulnerable populations. She has over 25 years of experience in social work, with a focus since 2010 on high-conflict divorce and parental alienation. She holds an MSW from Brigham Young University and has worked in trauma and eating disorder treatment before running a private practice. Michelle specializes in reunification therapy and custody evaluations, supervises court-involved therapists, and serves as president of the Utah Chapter of the National Parents Organization, advocating for shared parenting. She is also active in the AFCC, working to improve court-involved therapy.

Cory Sprunger is the founder and managing partner of Sprunger & Sprunger, a growing Indiana-based law firm that celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024 and is expanding to its seventh location in 2025. He also founded Sprunger PEO, an innovative employer organization helping rural attorneys access big-city resources on small-town budgets.

Natalie Wiliamson, an associate attorney at Coldren, Franz & Sprunger, joined the team in 2022 after a career as a 7th grade English teacher. She brings a child-focused approach to her family law and criminal defense practice and collaborates with Cory on parental alienation presentations, including sessions at PASG 2023 and 2024 on litigation costs and trauma-informed legal counseling.

Each year they use their expertise in parental alienation to provide practice pointers to attorneys to better serve clients experiencing PA.

Nicholas Bala has been a law professor at Queen’s University since 1978 and is a leading Canadian expert on legal issues related to children, youth and families in the family and criminal justice systems. His interdisciplinary research has shaped significant reforms in Canada’s approach to family justice. He has authored 24 books and over 250 publications, and his work is widely cited by courts in Canada and internationally. Frequently invited to speak to legal and mental health professionals, he has received the Ontario Law Society Medal, the AFCC President’s Award, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He recently co-authored articles with Dr. Rachel Birnbaum on Children Resisting Contact and Parental Alienation.

Psychiatrist, certified expert of the Court of Cassation and the International Criminal Court, and recipient of the Knight title of the Legion of Honour awarded by the Ministry of Justice, Paul Bensussan has combined private psychiatric practice and forensic psychiatric expertise with research and publications, particularly since 1999, when he released his first book focused on false allegations of sexual abuse during high-conflict parental separations: Incest, the Trap of Suspicion.

Warmly prefaced by Andrée Ruffo, Youth Court Judge and, more importantly, co-founder in 1994 with Bernard Kouchner of the International Bureau for Children’s Rights, this book earned Paul Bensussan a reputation in France for speaking out—at times against the prevailing tide, but always courageously—especially during the Outreau case, a child abuse scandal described in France as a “judicial earthquake.”

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Randy Flood, MA, LLP, has provided psychological services for court-involved families since 1992, specializing in forensic evaluations and counseling, parent coordination, and reunification counseling in cases involving resist/refuse dynamics, parental alienation, and abuse. Randy is cross trained with expertise both in intimate partner violence and parental alienation dynamics in family systems. Based at the Fountain Hill Center in Grand Rapids, he offers expert consultation, coaching for targeted parents, and has trained professionals, including CPS workers, on parental alienation. He is a speaker, author, media consultant, and active presenter for organizations like AFCC, PASG, Batterer Intervention Services Coalition of Michigan (BISCMI), Family Court Counseling Professionals of West Michigan (FCCP) and Professional Education Systems Institute (PESI).

Randy Flood, MA, LLP, has provided psychological services for court-involved families since 1992, specializing in forensic evaluations and counseling, parent coordination, and reunification counseling in cases involving resist/refuse dynamics, parental alienation, and abuse. Randy is cross trained with expertise both in intimate partner violence and parental alienation dynamics in family systems. Based at the Fountain Hill Center in Grand Rapids, he offers expert consultation, coaching for targeted parents, and has trained professionals, including CPS workers, on parental alienation. He is a speaker, author, media consultant, and active presenter for organizations like AFCC, PASG, Batterer Intervention Services Coalition of Michigan (BISCMI), Family Court Counseling Professionals of West Michigan (FCCP) and Professional Education Systems Institute (PESI).

Zach Flood, MA, LLP, also at the Fountain Hill Center, conducts forensic evaluations and provides reunification therapy, co-parenting counseling, and parent coordination with a focus on parental alienation. Zach is also trained and has expertise in domestic violence offering assessments and treatment for domestic violence offenders. He is a member of Kenty County Domestic Violence Action Network, AFCC and West Michigan’s Family Court Counseling Professionals. He educates professionals about the challenges surrounding alienation and domestic violence through presentations and media appearances, including Families Divided TV and Professional Education Systems Institute (PESI).

Rony Golczewski, an alienated father of a 14 year old son, is involved in an ongoing court case in Switzerland, which may become first in the country to implement the Family Bridges Program. This case has been featured on the cover of a major Swiss newspaper in October 2024 to raise awareness of the challenges of PA and the naivety of local authorities despite clear rulings from the EcHR. Rony is a Master’s candidate in Parental Alienation Studies at IFT-Malta and recently completed his first year. An engineer with an MBA from Duke, he leads the global Myasthenia Gravis business at Alexion, Astra Zeneca Rare Disease Business Unit and resides in Zurich, Switzerland.

Shawn Philbert is a family lawyer in Mississauga, Ontario, who has practiced since 2002 and now focuses exclusively on complex parent-child contact issues. His work has helped shape Ontario Court of Appeal rulings on matters regarding defining what is deemed unconscionable, short-term marriage property division, and alienation-related consent blackout periods. Recognized as one of Mississauga’s top family lawyers by the ThreeBest Rated, he is also a Lawyers of Distinction honoree. Shawn is a member of AFCC, listed on the Voice of the Child Roster, and holds certification in Voice of the Child Reports, mediation, psychotherapy, and domestic abuse.

Shawn Wygant is a highly skilled forensic psychologist and child custody evaluator/trainer who specializes in the assessment and treatment of parental alienation and other complex forms of psychological child abuse. He shares his expertise with family courts assisting triers of fact in unpacking complex behavioral science evidence.

Shawn Wygant is a highly skilled forensic psychologist and child custody evaluator/trainer who specializes in the assessment and treatment of parental alienation and other complex forms of psychological child abuse. He shares his expertise with family courts assisting triers of fact in unpacking complex behavioral science evidence.

Stan Korosi, Ph.D., is a clinical sociologist and adjunct fellow in the School of Law and Society at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. He has provided specialist evidence and services to the Family Court of Australia for remediating parent-child relationships. Dr. Korosi’s work focuses on alienation as a socio-political and structural condition in families, suicide prevention, and social and public health policy.

Theresa was born in Kolkata, with Anglo-Indian and Nepalese heritage. She was raised in South London and began acting aged five. After attending the hugely respected Sylvia Young Theatre School, she studied acting at the prestigious Guildford School of Acting. Theresa has guest starred in Bridgerton, PRU, Eastenders, Avenue 5, Motherland, Critical, Law & Order, Outnumbered and Silk to name a few and feature films Finding Fatimah and King of Crime as well as many independent short films, most recently the BFI network film 'Torr', Directed by Kate Cox, released in 2023.

William Bernet, M.D., a professor emeritus at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, has testified as an expert in forensic psychiatry about 300 times in 24 states. In 2007, Dr. Bernet and Judge Don R. Ash published Children of Divorce: A Practical Guide for Parents, Therapists, Attorneys, and Judges. Dr. Bernet edited Parental Alienation, DSM-5, and ICD-11 (2010). Dr. Bernet and his colleagues edited Parental Alienation: The Handbook for Mental Health and Legal Professionals (2013). Dr. Bernet and Demosthenes Lorandos edited Parental Alienation – Science and Law (2020). He was the founder and first president of the Parental Alienation Study Group.

Dr. William Bernet, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, has testified as a forensic expert nearly 300 times across 24 states. He is a leading author and editor on parental alienation, including Parental Alienation - Science and Law and Children of Divorce, and was the founding president of the Parental Alienation Study Group.

Dr. Ben Hine, Ph.D, is a professor of applied psychology at the University of West London, researches domestic abuse, post separation control, and parental alienation, and is best known for his work that highlights how abuse may continue after separation. His interest stems from both academic and personal experience with alienation. He leads the Evidence-Based Domestic Abuse Research Network, serves as trustee of the Mankind Initiative, and has contributed to national discussions on male victims and suicide risk among alienated fathers.

Dr. Jennifer J. Harman is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Colorado State University and a leading researcher on parental alienation as a form of family violence. She has published over a dozen peer-reviewed studies in top scientific journals.

Dr. Yvonne M. Parnell is a clinical neuropsychologist, clinical psychologist, and adult psychoanalyst in private
practice. She is currently Founder and CEO of Family Bridges Institute.

Rabbi Yaakov Aichenbaum, M.A., is a special education professional. He is active in correcting misinformation and in exposing research fraud about parental alienation and family court issues. He has worked together with other PASG members to write seminal critiques of the Child Safety First Report, The UN Special Rapporteur Report, and the book Challenging Parental Alienation. He has also testified at legislative hearings and met with policymakers across the nation concerning parental alienation.

Dr. Yvonne M. Parnell is a clinical neuropsychologist, clinical psychologist, and adult psychoanalyst in private
practice. She is currently Founder and CEO of Family Bridges Institute. Dr. Parnell has been involved in 35 Family Bridges workshops. She developed the FB Aftercare Protocol for alienating parents, now the standardized protocol used in all Family Bridges cases. Dr. Parnell’s experience and training in the field is extensive. She also trains professionals from around the world wishing to learn the Family Bridges methodology, and presents at conferences on severe alienation and Family Bridges. She conducts outcome research on her work with Family Bridges cases and has published in the fields of neuropsychology and psychoanalysis.