GRAND Magazine - November/December 2019 - 27

invisible grandparents

I thought I was the only one
BY PAT HANSON

had the opportunity to interview Amanda,
founder of Alienated Grandparents Anonymous
(AGA-fl.org) just before she approved the final
galleys of her forthcoming book: I Thought I Was
the Only One: Grandparent Alienation ... A Global
Epidemic. Since its inception eight years ago AGA
has registered 141 support groups in 50 states
and 23 countries. To date, AGA has documented
over 200 success stories (from people who had the
wherewithal to report) where some level of family
reconciliation took place.
The book provides information gathered from
communicating with thousands of grandparents
and great-grandparents who have been cut off or
severely limited to access with their grandkids. It
provides personally expressed feelings of grandparents in their own words, explanations and insights
about over 30 complex dynamics of Grandparent
Alienation, including reasons why this occurs, and
suggestions for a hopeful reunification.
* What are some examples of the dynamics of
grandparent alienation the book addresses?
How money and wealth may play a part in alienation is one. It begins with an explanation of why it
could be a factor, what might be done about it, and
suggests strategies that might alleviate the situation.
Among the 30 topics are: feelings of the grandchildren, enablers, raging, siblings, weddings and births,

27 GRAND

Nov-Dec 2019

holidays, legal issues, grandparents'
rights, and factors concerning the
use and misuse of social media.
* Besides grandparents themselves who should read this book?
Doctors, mental health providers, clergy, university professors,
judges, policymakers, and those
who can make decisions that
affect family custody and grandparent visitation rights need
this information. Therapists
and attorneys without training
can make things worse. AGA
Headquarters has provided professional continuing education
training sessions for attorneys
and mental health providers. Many therapists who are
called to testify do not believe
Parental Alienation Syndrome exists,
much less know how to handle it.
* Are there differences in the dynamic of
alienation and family separation in the countries and cultures you work with?
In our work on Grandparent cutoff and
Grandparent Visitation Rights nationally and
globally, we have found no socio-economic, religious, or cultural boundaries. This phenomenon
is endemic in society globally.

* Are there reasons parents might keep a
grandparent with mental health issues from
interacting with their children?
Of course; there are people with addictions and
certifiable mental illnesses that should
not be given access to children. AGA deals mainly with
loving caring parents and
grandparents who need to
know there are others like
them and who need the tenacity to hold onto the hope of
reconciliation and work for
change.
* What would you recommend estranged grandparents
do about the holidays ahead?
Hits on our website double
during the December holiday season. I suggest my support group attendees to "take
Christmas" any day they can get it
... to appreciate those who do love
and care about them. I have devoted
a full chapter regarding holiday
issues.
Dr. Pat Hanson is a seasoned health educator, public
speaker. workshop facilitator and novice comedienne. She
is the author of Invisible Grandparenting: Leave a Legacy
of Love whether You Can be There or Not and In Search of
Stillness: My Final Frontier.
www.invisiblegrandparent.com
Facebook.com/Patricia Hanson
Facebook.com/Stillness: My Final Frontier
Facebook.com/Invisible Grandparent

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GRAND Magazine - November/December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - November/December 2019