Richard A. Gardner

Richard Gardner, M.D. (April 28, 1931 - May 25, 2003) was a clinical professor of psychiatry in the Division of Child Psychiatry at Columbia University from 1963 until his death in 2003. He was known for coining the term Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in 1985. He published more than 40 books and more than 250 articles in a variety of areas of child psychiatry. He also operated a company, Creative Therapeutics, Inc., that marketed materials based on his theories. Gardner testified as an expert witness in hundreds of custody cases in the USA.

Gardner was a consistent advocate for fathers in custody battles, particularly fathers accused of child abuse. He made a number of controversial claims regarding pedophilia, including the theory that pedophiles are much more punitively punished than necessary, and that judges who rule against an accused pedophiliac father are likely closet pedophiles.

Although the Parental Alienation Syndrome has been accepted by many courts in the U.S. and Europe, his framing of well-documented parental alienation processes as a "syndrome" remains controversial. Gardner's goal to have PAS included in the DSM did not occur in his lifetime.

Career
Gardner wrote the first self-help book for children of divorce; it was reviewed by Time, excerpted in the Sunday New York Times magazine, and is currently in its 28th printing. He devised a therapeutic technique, Mutual Story-Telling, that is included in child psychiatry curricula and listed as one of 35 significant events in the history of play therapy. In addition, he originated a new therapeutic modality with his introduction of the first therapeutic board game for use in psychotherapy with children. The use of such games has since become standard in child psychotherapy with many games following Gardner’s lead. One noted expert in psychotherapy called Gardner's creation "one of the most popular therapeutic games available" and a Website for therapeutic resources claimed that "most child therapists consider it an indispensable part of their playroom equipment." Gardner’s books and therapeutic games have been translated into nine languages. Gardner was also one of the first to write a psychologically helpful book to children about parents' divorce already in 1970. The American Psychological Association, in addition to citing three of Gardner's books in a list of references pertinent to child custody evaluations, honored him by selecting him as one among a few professionals included in a series of training videotapes by "distinguished psychotherapists." Gardner was invited to contribute several chapters to the standard reference work in his field, the Basic Handbook of Child Psychiatry, whose Board of Editors includes many of the world's leading experts in child psychiatry.

His marriage to Lee Gardner ended in divorce.

Criticism
Gardner's main contribution was to draw attention to parental alienation processes, that is, how one parent may misuse the powers of socialization to turn a child against a once loved parent. Gardner's labelling of well documented alienation processes as a "syndrome" remains controversial among psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists.

The issues he raised, by their nature, stirred considerable controversy. Because of this, he felt compelled to publish a rebuttal before he died. Noteworthy scholars such as Bruce Sales have cast serious doubt upon the workings of the family courts in the United States and elsewhere. Furthermore, scandals in New York City and San Diego have blown open a small window into the world of custody evaluation and revealed what may be a massive corruption scam.

There is considerable criticism of Gardner by feminist critics. Kim Gandy alleged him to say rape victims "gain pleasure from being beaten, bound, and otherwise made to suffer" and that it is "the price they are willing to pay for gaining the gratification of receiving the sperm." or that masochistic women gain pleasure in this way. and that "the child who has suffered bona fide abuse may very well have enjoyed the experience".

Gardner did write about physical pleasure by children at the time of the abuse and the child's possible feelings of "guilt over such pleasure because ... the act is an unacceptable, sinful, or even criminal act."

Death
Dr. Gardner took his own life on May 25, 2003. He had been suffering from advancing symptoms of reflex sympathetic dystrophy. In addition to his son, of Cherry Hill, N.J., he is survived by two daughters, Nancy Gardner Rubin of Potomac, Md., and Julie Gardner Mandelcorn, of Newton, Mass.; his mother, Amelia Gardner of Manhattan; eight grandchildren; and his partner, Natalie Weiss.

Selected Books

 * The Parental Alienation Syndrome (1992) ISBN 0-933812-42-6
 * Doctor Gardner's Modern Fairy Tales (1977) ISBN 0-933812-09-4
 * Protocols for the Sex-Abuse Evaluation (1995) ISBN 0-933812-38-8
 * Psychotherapy With Sex-Abuse Victims: True, False, and Hysterical (1996) ISBN 0-933812-41-8
 * Sex-Abuse Trauma?: Or Trauma from Other Sources? (2001) ISBN 0-933812-47-7
 * The boys and girls book about divorce, with an introduction for parents, by Richard A. Gardner. Foreword by Louise Bates Ames. Illustrated by Alfred Lowenheim (1970), Science House, ISBN 0-553-27619-0