Episode 111: Erasing Family with Ginger Gentile

Explicit content warning

03/24/21 • 58 min

This week I get to share my interview with activist documentary filmmaker, Ginger Gentile. Ginger is the filmmaker of a movie I think is super important for everyone to see, called Erasing Family.

Erasing Family is a film about parental alienation, but it's also an exposé of the family court system and gives really important information about why we need to stay as far away from court as possible during divorce.

Many people ask, "What's the first thing I should do when I decide to divorce?" And my answer is always, "Educate yourself." Ginger’s film is a great way to begin to do that.

Show Highlights

The inspiration for Ginger’s documentary, Erasing Family. (2:59)
Some of the characteristics of parental alienation: such as love is not unconditional, instead, it’s conditional and it is not a gender issue. (10:06)
The damaging messages children receive from parental alienation. (15:39)
Why family court is NOT the proper venue to decide custody. (30:35)
The importance of shared parenting. (34:18)
How to approach reunification after parental alienation. (48:18)

Learn More About Ginger:

Ginger Gentile is an activist documentary filmmaker dedicated to addressing ignored issues and shedding light on solutions. With her documentary ERASING FAMILY which premiered at Lincoln Center in 2019 she exposed the trauma children suffer when a loving parent is erased by the divorce courts, a problem that affects over 22 million families in the US alone. Ginger crowdfunded over $430,000 for the film.

Resources & Links: Erasing Family Erasing Family on Facebook Erasing Family on Twitter Erasing Family on Instagram Erasing Family on YouTube

TODAY'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:SOBERLINK

Proof. Protection. Peace of Mind. The Soberlink remote alcohol monitoring system consists of a portable breathalyzer with wireless technology for real-time results. With proven use as the leading choice in child custody cases since 2011, we are the only system that combines: Court-admissibility in all 50 states

Facial recognition
Tamper detection
Easy-to-read Advanced ReportingTM

Trust the Experts in Remote Alcohol Monitoring TechnologyTM to support the best interests of the child in your Family Law cases.

JOIN THE SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO FACEBOOK GROUP

This week I get to share my interview with activist documentary filmmaker, Ginger Gentile. Ginger is the filmmaker of a movie I think is super important for everyone to see, called Erasing Family.

Many people ask, "What's the first thing I should do when I decide to divorce?" And my answer is always, "Educate yourself." Ginger’s film is a great way to begin to do that.

Show Highlights

The inspiration for Ginger’s documentary, Erasing Family. (2:59)
Some of the characteristics of parental alienation: such as love is not unconditional, instead, it’s conditional and it is not a gender issue. (10:06)
The damaging messages children receive from parental alienation. (15:39)
Why family court is NOT the proper venue to decide custody. (30:35)
The importance of shared parenting. (34:18)
How to approach reunification after parental alienation. (48:18)

Learn More About Ginger:

Resources & Links: Erasing Family Erasing Family on Facebook Erasing Family on Twitter Erasing Family on Instagram Erasing Family on YouTube

TODAY'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:SOBERLINK

Facial recognition
Tamper detection
Easy-to-read Advanced ReportingTM

Trust the Experts in Remote Alcohol Monitoring TechnologyTM to support the best interests of the child in your Family Law cases.

JOIN THE SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO FACEBOOK GROUP

Previous Episode

Episode 110: DSG Abuse Mini-Series: Sexual Coercion and Marital Rape with Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic

This week, I am talking with Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic about sexual coercion. We discuss how it shows up in relationships and what a woman can do if she is a victim. Dr. Jeglic is an internationally renowned expert speaker, author, and researcher on topics related to sexual violence prevention and sex offender public policy. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology, and author of Protecting Your Child from Sexual Abuse: What You Need to Know to Keep Your Kids Safe.

My hope is that through this episode, you can begin to understand that your partner should want you to be an active and willing participant in any sexual behavior. The feelings should be mutual, and sex should not be forced on you.

Show Highlights

Dr. Jeglic helps us to understand what sexual coercion is and what it is not. (3:13)
Whether you're in a marriage, a dating relationship, or meet a stranger at a party, if you are not able to give consent, it’s rape. (4:58)
The impact of our vision around our own sexuality. (7:28)
The power of choice comes down to you, your values, and what you consent to. (14:42)
Some ways in which sexual coercion shows up in relationships. (15:53)
Examples of sexual scripts that show up within society, media, and the entertainment industry. (21:00)
It is our responsibility to teach our children what a consensual relationship looks like, how you get consent, and what affirmative consent looks like. (22:32)
If you are experiencing sexual coercion in your marriage or have, Dr. Jeglic offers some advice on what to do next. (27:23)
How we can teach our children to have healthy, sexual relationships. (30:25)

Learn More About Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic:

Dr. Elizabeth L. Jeglic is an internationally renowned expert, speaker, author, and researcher on topics related to Sexual Violence Prevention and Sex Offender Public Policy. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. She is the author of Protecting your Child from Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence: Evidence-Based Policy and Prevention. Dr. Jeglic has published over 130 articles and book chapters and is an Associate Editor of the Journal Sexual Abuse. Dr. Jeglic's work is frequently quoted in the media, she is a nationally recognized public speaker and has been awarded the Fay Honey Knopp Award for her work preventing sexual violence.

Resources & Links:Dr. Jeglic’s website Dr. Jeglic on Twitter Dr. Jeglic on Facebook Dr. Jeglic on LinkedIn Protecting Your Child From Sexual Abuse: What You Need to Know to Keep Your Kids Safe DSG Abuse Mini-Series: Escaping Toxic Relationships and Abuse in Faith-Based Communities with Sarah McDugal Should I Stay or Should I Go Facebook Group The Thrive Fund

Next Episode

Episode 112: Split: A Film for Kids of Divorce (and their Parents) with Ellen Bruno

This week, I’m sharing the conversation I had with Ellen Bruno about her film, Split. Split is an incredible film for kids of divorce and their parents. It is simple in its presentation, but poignant.

Split is a deeply personal film that explores the effects of divorce on children, from the child’s perspective. The movie allows children to speak the powerful truth of what is on their minds and in their hearts.

Show Highlights

What inspired Ellen to create a child-centered film about divorce. (5:53)
How the film can be used as a tool for children and co-parents alike. (12:11)
Mediators, family advisors, and court systems are also utilizing the film as a resource. Viewing it before mediation sessions help turn parents’ attention away from their anger and experiences, and instead towards their children, instead. (19:03)
The production of Split 2 and what Ellen learned as she revisited 11 of the 12 children she interviewed originally. (25:07)

Learn More About Ellen:

Ellen Bruno is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in San Francisco.

With a background in international relief work, Ellen’s films have focused on issues at the forefront of human rights, including sex trafficking in Burma, political prisoners in Tibet, the social alienation of people with leprosy, and genocide in Cambodia.

Ellen earned an MA in Film at Stanford University. She is a recipient of Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellowships, a Goldie Award for Outstanding Artists, an Alpert Award for the Arts, an Anonymous Was A Woman Award for the Arts, and was an Artist-in-Residence at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

Ellen serves on the board of the International Buddhist Film Festival, the Pacific Pioneer Fund, and Ethical Traveler.

Resources & Links:

Split’s website Split on Facebook The Thrive Fund

TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:THE CENTER FOR DIVORCE EDUCATION

The Center for Divorce Education is an organization that provides separated parents with the tools and techniques necessary to navigate the difficult task of being a co-parent.

They currently offer an online parenting class called Children in Between. Anyone who is co-parenting can benefit from the class. Visit the link above to learn more.

JOIN THE SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO FACEBOOK GROUP