# EP 22: Pulled Apart: How Parental Alienation Breaks Families

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/breaking-up-with-toxicity-6618238/ep-22-pulled-apart-how-parental-alienation-breaks-families
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/breaking-up-with-toxicity-6618238/ep-22-pulled-apart-how-parental-alienation-breaks-families.md
Podcast: [Breaking Cycles with Maria](https://stenobird.com/podcast/breaking-up-with-toxicity-6618238)
Published: 2026-01-15T13:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://breaking-up-with-toxicity.captivate.fm
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/beb2c409-8485-4645-bb0a-896283a0adea.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/breaking-up-with-toxicity-6618238/episodes/ep-22-pulled-apart-how-parental-alienation-breaks-families
Duration seconds: 827

## Resource

Parental alienation is one of the most misunderstood and emotionally charged dynamics in family systems—and when it’s oversimplified, it can cause real harm. In this episode of Breaking Up With Toxicity , Maria Shkreli, LMHC , breaks down what parental alienation actually is, how it develops, why it happens, and what it looks like in real families—without blame, labels, or sound-bite psychology. This conversation explores: What parental alienation is—and what it is not How children become caught in adult pain and loyalty conflicts The emotional and psychological patterns that drive alienation Different types of parents who may alienate a child (without diagnosing) Real-world examples involving children, teens, and adult children The long-term impact of alienation on identity, relationships, and trust How healing begins for parents and adult children alike This episode is not about choosing sides or dismissing real abuse. It’s about understanding patterns, protecting children, and breaking cycles of emotional harm. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to replace therapy, diagnosis, or professional mental health treatment. Content discussed does not constitute clinical assessment or diagnosis of any individual. Listeners are encouraged to seek professional support for their own circumstances.

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/breaking-up-with-toxicity-6618238/episodes/ep-22-pulled-apart-how-parental-alienation-breaks-families/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/breaking-up-with-toxicity-6618238/ep-22-pulled-apart-how-parental-alienation-breaks-families.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.