Lemonade Wisdom: Reunification Camps -20 Children in 9 Different Families

The Alienation Industry: Profiting from Childhood Traua [Reunification camps]( are finally receiving international media attention, which is long overdue. The first reunification camp dates back to the early 2000’s, yet this unsound, and regulated industry has flown under the radar for decades. While we have heard [sporadic outcries from survivors]( like [Addyson Bender in 2017]( and from their protective parents over the years, this issue has failed to garner the attention it deserves. That changed in October 2022, when 15-year-old Maya Laing of Santa Cruz County, California, [took to Instagram]( accusations that she and her younger brother, Sebastian, were being failed by family court professionals. She claimed that her reunification therapist, Regina Marshall, failed to act on her disclosure of alleged abuse at the hands of her mother. Maya made allegations that her abuse allegations were also being ignored by CPS, police, minor’s counsel, and the court system. Since Maya came forward with her story, reunification camps have received more coverage from various media outlets, thanks to the reach of social media and the bravery of affected children. These phenomena are not new nor uncommon; but as our community members become more aware of reunification camps as an industry, we’re called to transform our knowledge into action. We are further fueled and empowered by a recent United Nations report titled, “[Custody, violence against women and violence against children: Report of the Special Rapporteur (Reem Alsalem) on violence against women and girls, it’s causes and consequences.]( The United Nations joins the World Health Organization, the United States Federal Government, the American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Association in taking a firm stance against the denounced, debunked concept of parental alienation. Today, we’re highlighting the stories of twenty children in nine different families, all affected by [reunification camps]( and the [alienation industry]( as well as current and prospective legislation designed to dismantle this for-profit, pyramid scheme. 1. [Zoe]( In this video, 10-year-old Zoe Winenger speaks at a recent hearing for [Piqui's Law]( California, where she describes her horrifying experience at the Family Bridges reunification camp, owned by Randy and Deidre Rand. “To protect kids like me,” Zoe says in her statement, “we need to pass Senate Bill 331.” Zoe's mother, Jill Montes, Zoe's mother, was recently featured in a [powerful article]( written by Olivia Gentile for Insider. The bill is also known as [Piqui’s Law]( named for Piqui, a five-year-old murdered by his father. Thanks to the advocacy of Zoe, her family, and other courageous voices, the bill finally passed on the California Senate floor on May 24th, 2023. More work lies ahead, but this decision marks a crucial first step. Piqui’s Law mandates judges to complete training on domestic violence and child abuse. With this training, judges are expected to prioritize child safety in all custody proceedings. Critically, the law also clarifies California's ban on the use of dangerous reunification programs in family court. This is increasingly important as California has become the hotbed for this nefarious activity. Kayden’s Law and Piqui’s Law: Two Essential Pieces of Legislation Beyond California, advocates throughout the States are working tirelessly to enforce compliance with [Kayden’s Law]( named in honor of Kayden: a young girl killed by her father during a court-ordered visit. Kayden’s Law provides federal funds to U.S. states to improve their child custody laws and protect at-risk children. Kayden’s Law mandates training for custody judges on abuse and trauma. As part of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Kayden’s Law incentivizes states to protect at-risk children through their child custody laws. Danielle Pollack, Policy Manager for the [National Family Violence Law Center at the George Washington University]( provides technical assistance and guidance to lawmakers, to develop and advance these important laws. Kayden’s Law is the primary solution to the reunification therapy: if enough states comply, this legislation could mark the end of reunification programs. Without these protections, stories like Zoe’s will continue to unfold. In the stories that follow, we highlight other children whose worlds were upturned by reunification therapy. Each story showcases the cruelty of this industry and the remarkable power of a child’s voice, even in a family court system that refuses to listen. 2. Maya and Sebastian Laing [Maya and Sebastian]( first reached out to me on October 20th, 2022. Maya tagged me in multiple videos, including a now viral [video documenting the violent removal of both children]( from their grandmother’s home by police and transport agents. These agents or “transporters” arrived under court orders to transport the children to [Lynn Steinberg’s reunification camp](. Shortly before they were taken, [Maya posted a TikTok video with Sebastian]( providing an update from their aunt’s home. Maya and Sebastian’s father was accused of “alienating” them from their mother, who Maya describes as their abuser. [Rebecca Connolly]( the judge involved in the children’s case, has since sealed the case as a “private matter.” The designation of privacy makes it difficult to obtain updates: a common reality when children are court-ordered into reunification camps. Within minutes, both children lost access to their family, friends, community, school, and extracurricular activities. Seven months have passed since Maya and Sebastian were taken. Maya has turned 16, and Sebastian is now 12. In an unexpected turn of events, Maya Laing released a video in the middle of the night on Monday, May 29, 2023. The video has been shared on [Instagram]( [Facebook]( and [TikTok](. Maya and Sebastian have escaped, and their current whereabouts are unknown. In the video, they describe being called names like, “liars” and “psychopaths,” at the Los Angeles reunification camp. According to the children, they were threatened with wilderness camp where they were warned that non-compliance would result in the removal of basic necessities such as food or blankets. 3. Orrin Ryder Homme and Camille Harley Joan Homme In December, 2022, we received a video of two children, Orrin Ryder Homme and Camille Harley Joan Homme, who were [violently transported from Los Angeles to the Family Bridges reunification camp](. The youngest child, Wolf, was transported separately. According to court orders, the two oldest children are not even living with their father but with their paternal grandparents. Camille and her mother, Brody Dalle, were both granted restraining orders against the children’s father, [Josh Homme]( who has a concerning history that is well-documented by media outlets. Despite the abuse findings and two restraining orders, Mr. Homme managed to successfully counter with the legal strategy of “parental alienation.” It has been 466 days since they have seen their mother, with a custody trial that was pushed out until fall of 2023. 4. Ty and Brynlee Larson In January of this year, [Ty went public with his story]( which quickly received more than 370,000 views on TikTok. At the time of this video, he was 15-years old; five years had passed since the beginning of the case against his abusive father. The possibility of resolution – let alone, safety – seemed dim. Ty and his 12-year-old sister, Brynlee, live in their mother’s home in Utah, where the family court system is attempting to reverse custody to a documented abuser, with the children being at risk for Turning Points reunification camp. The reasoning behind the court’s push for reunification? The court thought it was the last opportunity for Ty and Brynlee to restore a relationship with their biological father – despite previous substantiated findings of sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse by CPS. After Ty repeatedly refused visits with his biological father, the court signed a writ to allow police involvement with “reasonable force.” To avoid being returned to their father’s home, [Ty and Brynlee barricaded in a bedroom](. “My own word doesn’t matter, and they don’t believe my truth,” Ty said. In the video, Ty describes a recent application of the writ: after he refused a visit with his father, the police arrived at his bedroom door. They refused to break down door but were trying “very hard” to lure Ty and Brynlee out of the room, Ty reflected. Ty lives in fear of his father, and the two siblings are terrified to leave their room, their home, and even stopped attending school in December of 2022 to prioritize their safety. The children currently remain in limbo, [awaiting further orders from the court]( after Judge Derek Pullan paused his original orders. 5. Lexi Venetis At the end of March 2023, we connected with Lexi, a 15-year-old girl living in Phoenix. Lexi and her two younger brothers, 13-year-old Zachary and 7-year-old Elijah, were ordered to attend Turning Points for Families, a reunification camp owned by Linda Gottlieb. Gottlieb describes Turning Points as a “[therapeutic vacation]( but stories like Lexi’s show otherwise. Survivors speak to the true reality of reunification camps, where children undergo traumatizing therapy sessions and lose contact with their safe parents for years at a time. [Authorities entered Lexi’s home]( and took her younger brothers to Gottlieb’s camp, documented in [this video](. For days, we stayed in near-constant contact with Lexi in an effort to keep her safe, [livestreaming via Instagram]( from time to time. Volunteers came together to ‘eep watch overnight as Lexi slept, to allow her to feel safer in the home. After authorities shut off her cameras, knocked on her doors at all hours, broke into her home, and physically scratched her, Lexi decided to run away and is now considered a missing person. I recently received a series of letters from Lexi, which I shared on my Instagram account. 6. Maya in Mexico 18-year-old Maya is a [survivor of reunification therapy](. To avoid reunification camp, Maya fled with her mother and siblings to Mexico, to avoid being sent to Turning Points in the U.S. after a family court judge in Texas ordered the siblings into the New York reunification program with Linda Gottlieb. The family recently received positive news when the [Hague Convention]( issued a ruling, which will now protect them. As a young adult, Maya is already committed to fighting against the alienation industry and recently shared her story on a panel hosted by the National Safe Parents Organization. In addition to sharing her story publicly, Maya hopes to expose the traumas she was subjected to in court ordered reunification therapy. Maya recorded her final and chilling session of reunification therapy with Loretta Maase, partner to Linda Gottlieb in the Texas branch of Turning Points. While many professionals who work in the alienation industry claim that victims of domestic abuse are immune from forced reunification programs, the family therapy session with Loretta Maase and her subsequent actions in testifying in favor of the children being sent to reunification camp, expose the truth of what happens in these cases. 7. Mia and Ava Mia, age 16, and her younger sister, Ava, age 14, were both sent to Turning Points after their biological father accused their mother – the preferred parent – of parental alienation. After completing reunification therapy, the girls returned to their father’s custody but ran away to live with their grandmother. Today, Ava and Mia are still unable to contact their mother and remain in limbo, waiting for the courts to make a decision about what the future will hold. As teenagers, their life is in limbo and in the hands of the same family court system that ordered them into this unregulated, unsound “treatment.” In a recent [testimony]( which Mia wrote for me to share with the Senate in both California and Montana, she details her experience with grace, strength, and clarity. Ava emphasizes the deeply traumatic effects of reunification therapy, the ineffectiveness of these camps, and the overwhelming need for advocacy as more children are silenced. 8. Macy Northcutt Macy is a 15-year-old girl living in South Dakota. Earlier this month, Macy fled her home after a judge ordered her into the custody of her abusive father. Two years ago, Macy’s father was arrested for false imprisonment and domestic violence against Macy, her sister, and their mother. He was convicted and sentenced to jail, but he did not actually serve more than a few days in jail. He subsequently violated a no-contact order, which remains in place. Despite this legal history, Judge Matt Brown ordered Macy into her father’s custody. Pat Myers, her father’s lawyer, is attempting to send Macy to a reunification camp owned by Linda Gottlieb. Macy is stuck in the final stage of the [alienation industry pipeline]( when children are sent to reunification camp and assigned “therapists” to reestablish relationships with their abusers. In this [TikTok video]( Macy describes some of Gottlieb’s common counterpoints: children attend her camps voluntarily, and the “hard part” is persuading courts to send children to reunification camps. As Macy says: “Who would want to be counseled by someone who won’t even listen to you?” Her mom has “tried everything” to get her out of this situation, Macy shared in a [follow-up video](. But when legal authorities refuse to listen to children, crisis ensues. In this case, a 15-year-old girl chose to run away to protect her safety, rather than enter her father’s home. This is a crisis, a tragedy, and a blatant failure of the family court system. 9. Gabe and Cam in Utah Several months ago, I was contacted by Xander who had aged out of the system but expressed concern for his younger brothers who had been sent to Turning Points in Texas, operated by Loretta Maase. An investigation into their story was shocking. Gabe described inhumane punishments for non-participation in the four-day reunification camp such as being stripped of clothing until he and his brother were in their underwear. An [investigation by Hannah Dreyfus of ProPublica]( uncovered more horrors in this for-profit traumatization of children. It has been over 90 days since their mother has seen them, with no end currently in sight. The Next Steps for Advocacy These stories represent only a handful of children whose lives were overturned by reunification camps or other unsound treatment methods. We are in a family court system that promotes a pro-contact agenda at all costs, often compromising a child safety and well-being. As advocates and witnesses, we’re called to honor the rights of these children, promote their healing, and protect their futures. We are called to be their voices when their voices are silenced. The family court system has failed these children, but we have an opportunity – and an obligation – to amplify their voices. We will continue to share updates as we receive them, as well as opportunities to engage in both local and national advocacy and uplift these young voices. [Colorado just made history]( as the first state to adopt Kayden’s Law, and we call on other states to follow in their footsteps. We must prioritize child safety and we must demand a ban on these dangerous reunification therapies and camps. In California, Piqui’s Law (modeled after Kayden’s Law) has passed through the Senate with flying colors and is now in the Assembly. If you are in California, we encourage you to [get involved with legislative efforts](. For the 48 remaining states, please sign up at [www.nationalsafeparents.org]( to join efforts in your state. Child safety is common sense, we want #KaydensLawForAll. Sending love and light, Tina Are you struggling to understand how to properly communicate with a narcissist (or high-conflict individual) during your child custody battle? Communication during a child custody battle with a narcissist, and more specifically, strategic communication, plays a huge role in the outcome (positive or negative) of family court cases. The reality is, most people play right into the narcissist’s trap and wind up looking like they are part of the conflict. In this course, we will discuss the following: - The Reality of Family Court (Radical Acceptance: they don’t know either of you) - Understanding Narcissistic Communication - Gray Rock vs Yellow Rock Communication - What is “The Yellow Rock Mentality?” - Decoding the Narcissist’s Communication - Strategic Communication for the Win Having a strategic mindset and removing emotions is a tall but crucial step to painting a picture of who the narcissist is — and who you are as a person and, as a parent. Link: [( - [Nightline: Lala Kent and Tina Swithin]( - [Insider: Her son said his stepdad was sexually abusive. A judge gave the stepdad custody anyway. Then she found the photographs]( - [One Mom's Battle by Annie Kenny: Welcome to America, the Land of the Free - Unless you are the Child of An Abuser]( - [ProPublica: Barricaded Siblings Turn to TikTok While Defying Court Order to Return to Father They Say Abused Them]( - [Page Six: Lala Kent Protesting Family Court Abuse]( - [San Francisco Public Press: Family Courts Rely on Dubious Theory to Dismiss Child Abuse Claims]( - [San Francisco Public Press: Children’s Violent Removal From Santa Cruz Home Raises Calls to End Reunification Camps]( - [Good Times Santa Cruz: Teens and Lawmakers Work to Outlaw Reunification Therapy]( There is no “perfect” student, and there are no prerequisites required for the High Conflict Divorce Coach Certification Program (HCDCCP). We simply ask that students apply and join the program with a willingness to learn and engage. Regardless of your background, you must also be far enough in your own healing journey to hold space for future clients. Our students come from diverse backgrounds, ranging from family court attorneys and psychologists to those who have personally experienced a high conflict divorce or child custody battle. Apply today at [hcdivorcecoach.com/apply]( and join us for August session! [Click here to learn ALL about becoming a High Conflict Divorce Coach.]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Link]( [Website]( [Pinterest]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( Our mailing address is: One Mom's Battle/Tina Swithin P.O. Box 123 San Luis Obispo, California 93406 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2021 One Mom's Battle, LLC, All rights reserved