Telephone and Zoom Consultations
Dr. Warshak consults by telephone and secure video conference with clients worldwide. To preserve time for research, writing, and pro bono work, he maintains a deliberately limited consultation schedule.
These consultations are designed to provide clear, research-informed guidance and practical perspective on complex family situations—particularly those involving severe conflict and parent–child relationship disruption.
Consultations are offered selectively each year. Not every request can be accommodated, and inquiries are reviewed to determine fit and availability.
Format & Timing
Consultations are conducted by phone or video. Sessions are structured to gather essential background and provide feedback on current concerns.
The initial consultation is typically 90 minutes. This generally allows sufficient time to understand the background and to offer guidance on the most urgent questions.
Upon request, some of the reserved time may be used to review limited materials beforehand—such as a concise chronology or targeted documents—so the session can focus on interpretation and next steps.
Who These Consultations Help
Telephone and video consultations are commonly requested by families seeking clarity and direction in high-conflict situations— including concerns about alienation dynamics, estrangement, and relationship repair.
Guidance on responding to a child’s resistance to contact, navigating conflict without escalating it, and building conditions for healthier parent–child relationships.
Support in understanding complex loyalty conflicts, reducing friction in blended families, and coordinating a constructive role that helps rather than inadvertently intensifies dynamics.
Perspective on maintaining connection with grandchildren during family rupture, supporting the targeted parent, and avoiding actions that unintentionally worsen the situation.
Common Topics
Consultations are tailored to the situation, but often focus on practical next steps, communication strategy, and research-informed understanding of family dynamics.
Identifying early warning signs, understanding pathways to unjustified rejection, and choosing responses that reduce risk and preserve attachment.
Strategies to rebuild trust, avoid counterproductive pressure, communicate effectively, and set conditions that make reconnection more likely over time.
Practical approaches for boundaries, documentation, conflict de-escalation, and minimizing children’s exposure to adult disputes.
Experience & Resources
Dr. Warshak has more than 40 years of experience as a clinical, consulting, and research psychologist, and has consulted with thousands of parents.
His work appears in numerous books and peer-reviewed articles across multiple languages. He has contributed to widely cited guidance on parenting plans for young children and to research influencing relocation and custody decisions internationally.
Divorce Poison is widely regarded as a classic, and Welcome Back, Pluto is used broadly by professionals and courts.
Important: These Consultations Are Not Psychotherapy
Telephone and video consultations are educational and consultative in nature. They are not intended to replace therapy or ongoing clinical treatment.
These conferences are not psychotherapy, are not a substitute for therapy, and are not covered by health insurance. Although Dr. Warshak is a licensed psychologist, he does not consider the coaching and observations provided during telephone/video conferences to be the provision of psychological services.
How to Inquire
To keep intake consistent across services, inquiries are submitted using the form on the main Services page. Please do not send confidential documents unless specifically requested.