S4 E26: Parental Alienation, Institutional Betrayal, and Why Family Court Keeps Getting It Wrong — with Philip Viater

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In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Philip Viater, a family lawyer with 17 years of experience at VP Family Law Group, for one of the most candid conversations about the failures of family court we've ever had. Philip breaks down why parental alienation is predominantly used as a defense against abuse rather than a genuine diagnosis, why he views it as junk science not recognized by the DSM, and why the moment someone raises it in his cases he considers it a red flag. He also explains the concept of institutional betrayal trauma — what happens when a victim turns to psychologists, judges, social workers, and child protection services for help and gets re-victimized by the very systems designed to protect them.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by our podcast guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or the podcast. We value diverse perspectives and aim to provide a platform for thoughtful discussion and exploration of different ideas.

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