To Pamela Richardson,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your efforts in this cause. From listening to you on the CBC Radio, I finally have a label and some understanding of the terrible ordeal that my family went through over the last ten years. While I sought legal advise and many counselors to help my children, PAS was never mentioned. Instead I was told my son was depressed and anxious, which I now realize was the outcome of PAS not the cause. My son used to come home every week in tears and felt completely torn by his father’s requests for him to discuss legal and financial issues with me. It came to the point that I stopped accepting any child support in the hopes that his father would leave him alone.

Unfortunately, I saw this all unfold again for my children, when their father who is a lawyer divorced his third wife and continued the cycle all over again with their step mom. Things have settled down again, but I so wish I had this knowledge during those difficult times, when it seems no one really understands the effect this is having on your children. I will try to learn how to foster happiness and confidence with the resources that you have provided. I am grateful that you took your tragedy to make the world a safer and happier place for all children. I wish you the best in this pursuit.