OVERCOMING BARRIERS FAMILY CAMP:A PROGRAM FOR HIGH‐CONFLICT DIVORCED FAMILIES WHERE A CHILD¹ IS RESISTING CONTACT WITH A PARENT

Abstract

Overcoming Barriers Family Camp is an innovative program designed to treat separating and divorced families where a child is resisting contact or totally rejecting a parent. Both parents, significant others, and children participate in a 5‐day family camp experience that combines psycho‐education and clinical intervention in a safe, supportive milieu. This article describes the components of the program, from referrals to intake to aftercare. Evaluation immediately following the camp experience is provided for the camps that ran in 2008 and 2009, and 6‐month follow‐up interview information is provided for the 2008 camp program as well as 1‐month follow‐up about the initiation of aftercare with the 2009 families. A discussion of the strengths and challenges of this approach with entrenched, high‐conflict family systems concludes the article.

Family Reflections: A Promising Therapeutic Program Designed to Treat Severely Alienated Children and Their Family System

“…The following 3 years consisted of keeping up-to-date on empirical research and clinical literature on high-conflict divorce, alienation and estrangement (e.g., Baker, 2005, Baker & Darnall, 2007Bernet, 2010;Gardner et al, 2006;Warshak, 2010a), the link between child psychological abuse and child neurodevelopment (e.g., Siegel, D.J., 2012;Teicher, 2002;Yates, 2007), and best practices for teaching children through the use of multimedia (e.g., Brunye, Taylor, Rapp, & Spiro, 2006;Deimann & Keller, 2006;Rosen & Salomon, 2007). Additionally, the founder researched two wellknown reunification programs-Family Bridges: A Workshop for Troubled and Alienated Parent-Child Relationships, originally developed by Randy Rand and later refined by Rand and Warshak (Kelly, 2010;Warshak, 2010a, b;Warshak & Otis, 2010), and the Overcoming Barriers Program (Sullivan, Ward, & Deutsch, 2010). From there, the current FRRP model developed, drawn upon the strengths of both reunification programs and best practices for multimedia learning.…”

“…This intervention model works 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 the children, father, mother, step-parents, step-siblings, and sometimes other members of the family such as grandparents (Fidler & Bala, 2010;Fidler et al, 2013;Sullivan et al, 2010).…”

Catching Them Before Too Much Damage is Done: Early Intervention with Resistance‐Refusal Dynamics

“…A number of authors have addressed families in which children resist contact with a parent, with or without a reasonable basis for their objections (Fidler, Bala, & Saini, ; Kelly & Johnston, ; Friedlander & Walters, ; Warshak, ; Drozd & Olesen, ; Garber, ). Various authors have described treatment or psychoeducation approaches for families in which these patterns have become established, generally focused on children aged 8 and above (Sullivan, Ward, & Deutsch, ; Sullivan & Kelly, ; Warshak, ; Friedlander & Walters, ). Prior to this age, most children do not independently produce hostile narratives about a parent.…”

Finding a Tenable Middle Space: Understanding the Role of Clinical Interventions When a Child Refuses Contact with a Parent

“…Some new, innovative and exciting programs have been developed that also attempt to address the problem in an intensive and concentrated manner (see Family Bridges, Warshak, 2010, andRand, 2006; and the Overcoming Barriers Camp, Sullivan, Ward, & Deutsch, 2010). However, once the family returns to their home community, each such program also includes some form of clinical intervention, implemented by local mental health professionals, in order to sustain initial gains and establish a more lasting shift in the family dynamic.…”