FFP 11: One Child Who Won’t Return: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare

02/13/25 • 39 min

Fractured Families Podcast Fighting Parental Alienation

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Fractured Families Podcast, we sit down with John Kugel,a father who has been alienated from one of his three children while fighting to maintain his relationship with the other two. John shares his harrowing journey through a legal system that often fails to recognize the psychological abuse of parental alienation. From false accusations to court-mandated therapy, monitored exchanges at police stations, and relentless legal battles, John’s story exposes the emotional and financial toll of alienation. Despite the challenges, he continues to fight for his children, hoping that time and awareness will bring them back together.

Talking Points:

Recognizing the Signs of Alienation – How subtle undermining and external influences can start the process.
Legal System Failures – False accusations, restraining orders, and the uphill battle for fair custody.
Emotional Toll on the Alienated Parent – Coping with rejection, false allegations, and financial strain.
Impact on Children – Erasing memories, controlling communication, and psychological manipulation.
The Role of Professionals – How court-appointed guardians, therapists, and legal counsel either help or hinder reunification.
Strategies for Alienated Parents – Parallel parenting, maintaining communication, and using documentation to build a case.
Holding onto Hope – The long-term perspective of waiting for children to see the truth.

Key Takeaways:

Parental alienation follows a pattern. The same behaviors appear in nearly every case, making it crucial for courts to recognize them.
False accusations are a tool of control. They are often used to remove the targeted parent from the child’s life while delaying legal proceedings.
The court system is slow and expensive. Financial drain and legal delays make it difficult for alienated parents to fight back.
Children are caught in the middle. Even when they recognize manipulation, fear of consequences prevents them from speaking out.
Time is the only true ally. Many alienated children eventually realize the truth as they grow older and gain independence.

Thank you for listening to the Fractured Families Podcast. If this story resonates with you or you’ve experienced parental alienation, we want to hear your voice.
👉 Be our guest! Share your story and join the fight for awareness by signing up here: https://tally.so

📲 Follow Charity:
https://www.facebook.com/ParentalAlienationisReal
https://www.tiktok.com/@parentalalienationisreal
https://www.instagram.com/parentalalienationisreal/

Together, we can amplify the voices of alienated parents and fight for change. Don’t forget to like, share, and follow for more episodes.
🎙️ Let’s rebuild fractured families.
#FracturedFamiliesPodcast #ParentalAlienation #LaurenCarr #JeremyTheAlienatedDad #CharitySchneider #FamilyCourtReform #ParentalRights #ChildCustody #Resilience #HopeAndHealing #Podcast #parentalalienationisreal

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Episode Summary:

Talking Points:

Recognizing the Signs of Alienation – How subtle undermining and external influences can start the process.
Legal System Failures – False accusations, restraining orders, and the uphill battle for fair custody.
Emotional Toll on the Alienated Parent – Coping with rejection, false allegations, and financial strain.
Impact on Children – Erasing memories, controlling communication, and psychological manipulation.
The Role of Professionals – How court-appointed guardians, therapists, and legal counsel either help or hinder reunification.
Strategies for Alienated Parents – Parallel parenting, maintaining communication, and using documentation to build a case.
Holding onto Hope – The long-term perspective of waiting for children to see the truth.

Key Takeaways:

Parental alienation follows a pattern. The same behaviors appear in nearly every case, making it crucial for courts to recognize them.
False accusations are a tool of control. They are often used to remove the targeted parent from the child’s life while delaying legal proceedings.
The court system is slow and expensive. Financial drain and legal delays make it difficult for alienated parents to fight back.
Children are caught in the middle. Even when they recognize manipulation, fear of consequences prevents them from speaking out.
Time is the only true ally. Many alienated children eventually realize the truth as they grow older and gain independence.

📲 Follow Charity:
https://www.facebook.com/ParentalAlienationisReal
https://www.tiktok.com/@parentalalienationisreal
https://www.instagram.com/parentalalienationisreal/

Support the show

Previous Episode

FFP 10: From Pawn to Power: Reclaiming Family After Alienation

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Episode Summary

In this episode of the Fractured Families Podcast, Charity speaks with Jessica Lee, a survivor of parental alienation from multiple perspectives—as an alienated child, an alienated parent, and an alienated stepparent. Jessica shares her deeply personal journey, from being separated from her mother as a child, to later experiencing the same devastating reality when her father alienated her from her own daughter. She also discusses her husband's struggles with parental alienation and how they fought for years to rebuild relationships. Jessica’s story highlights the long-term emotional, psychological, and financial toll of alienation, but also offers hope by showing how cycles of trauma can be broken with resilience and understanding.

Talking Points 🗣️

🔹 Parental Alienation from a Child’s Perspective

Feeling like a pawn in a custody battle 🎭♟️
Lack of control over relationships with both parents 🚷
Emotional impact, including suicide attempt at age nine 💔😢

🔹 Experiencing Alienation as a Parent

Losing her daughter to her father and grandfather’s manipulation 👨‍⚖️
How financial and legal power played a role in alienation ⚖️💵
Making the difficult choice to step back to prevent further damage 🛑

🔹 Her Husband’s Story of Alienation

His ex-wife gaining sole custody while he was deployed 🇺🇸🎖️
Fighting for 14 years to maintain contact with his son ⏳
Reuniting with his son after a near-fatal accident 🚑

🔹 Breaking the Cycle

Lessons learned from experiencing alienation firsthand 📖
How Jessica made different choices for her younger daughter 👩‍👧
The importance of prioritizing the child’s well-being over revenge or control ❤️

🔹 Systemic Failures & Call for Change

How the court system profits off of fractured families 💵
The need for mediation-focused approaches instead of legal battles 🤝
Recognizing the psychological abuse inflicted on children in high-conflict custody cases 🧠

Key Takeaways ✨

1️⃣ Parental alienation is generational – Jessica’s experience shows how alienation can repeat through generations if cycles are not broken. 🔄
2️⃣ Alienated children often feel abandoned – Jessica struggled with suicidal thoughts and self-worth issues, believing her mother didn’t want her. 😢
3️⃣ The legal system is flawed – The courts often prioritize financial incentives over the child’s best interests, prolonging family disputes. ⚖️💰
4️⃣ Fighting for your child doesn’t always mean winning in court – Sometimes, the best way to protect a child is to step back and hope they recognize the truth in time. 🛑👀
5️⃣ Reconciliation is possible – Jessica and her husband both reconnected with their children after years of separation, proving that healing can happen. ❤️
6️⃣ Breaking the cycle requires conscious choices – Jessica chose a different approach for her younger daughter, keeping her custody arrangement out of the courts to prevent further harm. 🚫

Thank you for listening to the Fractured Families Podcast. If Jessica's story resonates with you or you’ve experienced parental alienation, we want to hear your voice.
👉 Be our guest! Share your story and join the fight for awareness by signing up here: https://tally.so

📲 Follow Charity:
https://www.facebook.com/ParentalAlienationisReal
https://www.tiktok.com/@parentalalienationisreal
https://www.instagram.com/parentalalienationisreal/
Together, we can amplify the voices of alienated parents and fight for change.

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Next Episode

FFP 12: Erased: A Mother's Fight Against Coercion and Alienation

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Summary:

In this heart-wrenching episode of Fractured Families, Jen Holmes, a mother whose life was shattered by coercive control and parental alienation. Jen shares her 20-year marriage story, marked by her ex-husband’s manipulation, addiction, and psychological abuse. Over time, he orchestrated a plan to turn their son against her, leaving her isolated and falsely accused. Despite being criminalized for trying to maintain a relationship with her child, Jen continues to fight for justice and awareness. This episode exposes the dark realities of alienation, the deep wounds it inflicts on families, and the urgent need for systemic change.

Talking Points:

Jen’s Story – How her marriage slowly turned into an orchestrated campaign of coercive control.
Psychological Manipulation – The tactics used by her ex-husband to paint her as unstable and unfit.
Legal & Systemic Failures – How authorities overlooked signs of alienation and coercion, dismissing her concerns.
False Allegations & Criminalization – The devastating consequences of being falsely accused and prosecuted.
The Child’s Perspective – Understanding why children align with the alienating parent and the trauma they experience.
Hope & Healing – Jen’s ongoing fight to reconnect with her son and her message to other targeted parents.

Key Takeaways:

Parental alienation is a form of psychological abuse that can have lifelong consequences.
Coercive control is often misunderstood and overlooked by legal and child protection systems.
False allegations can destroy a parent’s credibility and limit their ability to fight for their child.
Children caught in alienation are victims of manipulation, often believing false narratives.
Raising awareness and advocating for systemic change is critical to protecting families from similar experiences.

Thank you for listening to the Fractured Families Podcast. If the story resonates with you or you’ve experienced parental alienation, we want to hear your voice.
👉 Be our guest! Share your story and join the fight for awareness by signing up here: https://tally.so

📲 Follow Charity:
https://www.facebook.com/ParentalAlienationisReal
https://www.tiktok.com/@parentalalienationisreal
https://www.instagram.com/parentalalienationisreal/

Support the show