The initiation and maintenance of severe Parental Alienation
is child psychological maltreatment.

It is also a type of coercive control and is considered family violence.

In my work I have noticed occasions when PA has been used and misused in circumstances where it is clinically contra-indicated. Think false positives?

What if the clinicians / assessors get it wrong? 

What about the false allegations of parental alienation? This can be equally devastating for a parent who is falsely accused and subjected to threats of separation from the child due to the false allegations!

These videos will enable and empower you to challenge such circumstances

in an informed way relying on the empirical literature. 

Brian is a registered and accredited Systemic Family Psychotherapist with the Irish Council of Psychotherapy and the Family Therapy Association of Ireland. He has lectured on accredited undergraduate and post graduate programs in psychological theory and therapy. He has designed and delivered two M.Sc. programs both of which have been validated by Middlesex University, London. He has also developed and delivers the only master’s degree in parental alienation studies across the globe in collaboration with the Institute of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice, Malta. See link here: https://parentalalienation.eu/masters-in-parental-alienation-studies/

Brian has completed the only published study regarding parental alienation in Ireland. It was conducted with ethical permission from the Human Research Ethics Committee at University College Dublin and graded A in final examination.

​​​​​​​Brian has been published in peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed journals nationally and internationally. He has delivered seminars regarding PA at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference in Nottingham, at Queens University Belfast, Dublin City University, Tusla and the Tavistock Clinic London among others.

Brian is the co-founding editor of the only peer reviewed journal devoted to the scholarly exploration of parental alienation across the globe. See link here: https://journal.parentalalienation.eu/journal-issues

PUBLICATIONS:

• O’ Sullivan. B (2012) Does Helping Hurt, Journal of Canadian Paramedicine, 35:1, pp.25- 27
• O’ Sullivan. B (2013) the Alienated Child, Irish Journal of Family Law, 16:1, pp. 20-23
• O’ Sullivan. B (2014) Paramedic Attitudes to Deliberate Self Harming Behaviours in Ireland, Journal of Paramedic Practice, 6:3 pp. 116 – 118
• O’ Sullivan. B (2015) Parental Alienation should be a criminal offence, Irish Times
• Monday September 1, 2015 https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/parental-alienation-should-be-criminal-offence-says-group-1.2335436
• O’ Sullivan. B (2016) Parental Alienation – Guest writer The Westmeath Examiner
• O’ Sullivan. B (2017) Parent Alienation, Irish Psychologists are beginning to recognize a new and damaging phenomenon https://villagemagazine.ie/index.php/2017/02/parentalienation
• O'Sullivan. B (2018) Parental Alienation – A Systemic Perspective, Context, Journal of Systemic and Family Practice (UK)
• O Sullivan & Guildea (2020) Clinical and legal aspects of parental alienation, Irish Journal of Family Law, 23 (4)
• O Sullivan. B et al (2024) Framework Submission to the Department of Justice, Ireland, Public Consultation regarding Parental Alienation, June 2022, European Journal of Parental Alienation Practice, https://journal.parentalalienation.eu/framework-submission-to-the-department-of-justice-ireland-public-consultation-regarding-parental-alienation-june-2022
• O Sullivan. B (2024) The Lived experiences of parental alienation in Ireland, summary of research findings, European Journal of parental alienation practice, https://journal.parentalalienation.eu/european-journal-of-parental-alienation-practice-issue-2-annual-subscription-download-only

CONFERENCES:

• Presentation of paper “The Alienated Child” at International Parental Alienation Awareness Day, conference, Dublin, 2015.
• British Psychological Society’s, Annual Conference, Nottingham, April, 2016.
• Redressing the impact of parental alienation: working with the family
• Irish Association of Social Workers, Special Interest Group, Lucena Clinic, Rathgar, Dublin. Presentation of research findings of study titled “Being Alien – The Lived Experiences of Alienated Parents in Ireland” September 26, 2016
• Irish College of Humanities & Science, Limerick post graduate presentation of research findings titled “Parental Alienation Understanding, Indications and Awareness, November 24, 2016
• Parental Alienation – Denied Contact in High Conflict Separation and Divorce, CPD seminar to faculty and lecturers PCI College, Dublin, March 9, 2017
• Research findings Being Alienated – The Lived Experiences of Alienated Parent Ireland – seminar to Post Graduate Research Seminar, DCU School of Nursing & Human Sciences, December 2017
• In the best interests of the children: Exploring parental alienation & estrangement, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queens University, Belfast, April 25, 2018
• Parental Alienation – A Systemic Perspective, Second Systemic Postgraduate research conference – curiosity and critical practice, Tavistock Clinic, London May 4, 2018.