The Battle Over ‘Parental Alienation’

Madison Welborne said it wasn’t until she heard the term “parental alienation” that what she had lived in her childhood came into focus. “I went from being happy, outgoing, confident, and a strong-willed kid to having been diagnosed with childhood depression and anxiety disorder at the age of 9,” she said in an interview. Ms. Welborne says she was alienated from her father by her mother for 20 years. She says she discovered this last year at the age of 28. “When I learned the term parental alienation, it was like a light-bulb moment. I was able to put together what had happened,” she said. “Learning the truth has allowed me to heal, rebuild a relationship with my dad, and build a better life for myself.”...