Explore the psychological and neurobiological processes that can lead children to internalise distorted views of a parent, including fear, loyalty conflicts, attachment pressure, splitting and trauma-based alignment.

One of the most shocking experiences for parents living through attachment disruption and coercive family dynamics is hearing their child describe a version of history that bears little resemblance to lived reality. Parents often speak of the moment they realise that family memories, relationships, experiences and even their identity as a parent are being rewritten in front of them. Loving care becomes recast as danger, healthy boundaries become abuse, ordinary parenting becomes evidence of harm, and the parent, themselves, can begin to feel disoriented, destabilised and emotionally overwhelmed. In this seminar, Karen Woodall will explore the psychological and neurobiological processes that can lead children and young people to internalise distorted narratives about a parent, including the impact of fear, loyalty conflict, attachment pressure, splitting and trauma based alignment. She will focus, in particular, on why children can come to believe narratives which do not reflect lived reality; the impact of coercion, anxiety and attachment fear upon memory and meaning making; false allegations and the emotional impact upon parents; gaslighting, self doubt and the erosion of parental confidence; why arguing with distorted narratives often intensifies conflict; how to preserve psychological integrity whilst living with misrepresentation; therapeutic parenting responses which reduce pressure rather than escalate it, and; the difference between defending yourself and maintaining emotional truth. Please note, this is not a legal advice presentation. It is a psychologically informed seminar for parents seeking to understand what is happening to their child, and how to remain emotionally steady whilst navigating one of the most painful experiences a parent can endure.