PSICHOLOGŲ DARBO, BANDANT ATKURTI VAIKO IR VIENO IŠ TĖVŲ RYŠĮ, PATIRTYS
PSYCHOLOGISTS‘ EXPERIENCES IN HELPING TO RESTORE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A CHILD AND ONE OF THE PARENTS

Summary/Abstract: A parent’s divorce is one of the most stressful events in a child’s life. In response to this stress, children may align themselves with one parent while rejecting the other. Reunification therapy is a therapeutic approach that helps children and parents rebuild their relationship after it has been damaged. Most research on reunification therapy focuses on the experiences of parents and/or children, while there remains a lack of studies exploring how professionals understand and practice this form of therapy. The aim of this study is to analyze the methods and strategies used by psychologists, the obstacles and challenges they encounter, and the outcomes achieved in repairing the relationship between a child and one of their parents.Four specialists participated in the study two - men and two women—with backgrounds in psychology and practical experience working on cases involving the repair of relationships between children and parents after divorce. A qualitative research approach using thematic analysis was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. This study applied a mixed approach to thematic analysis, combining both deductive and inductive methods. Initial themes were developed based on theoretical sources, while additional themes emerged during the analysis of the interview transcripts. This combined approach allowed for maintaining theoretical consistency while also capturing the realities of the participants’ experiences. The results revealed that restoring the relationship between a child and one parent is an emotionally complex process. A thorough case assessment was identified as one of the mostimportant stages when working with the family. Psychologists draw on a range of therapeutic paradigms, including cognitive-behavioral, systemic family, and psychodynamic approaches. The findings also highlight the importance of the therapeutic relationship, the role of psychoeducation, the use of both individual and joint sessions, and play-based methods when working with children. The process of reunification is often complicated by the child’s resistance, which may stem from loyalty conflicts, a lack of parental cooperation, intense emotions, and mutual accusations. Specialists aim to ensure the child’s emotional well-being while fostering constructive relationships between parents. Successful therapy is associated with a restored parent– child relationship, improved emotional security for the child, and greater parental cooperation. The findings also emphasize the lack of a unified model in Lithuania, particularly in complex cases involving parental alienation. To address this, the establishment of a state-level support system is proposed, involving an interdisciplinary team of specialists and a structured therapeutic process. The potential use of intensive therapy in Lithuania is also discussed.

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