Richard Warshak

Dr. Richard Warshak is a clinical psychologist and internationally recognized expert on divorce, child custody, and parental alienation. He is best known for his research and work in helping families navigate the challenges of high-conflict separations, particularly in restoring damaged parent-child relationships. Warshak is the author of several influential books, including Divorce Poison, and has served as a consultant to courts and legal professionals around the world. His work blends clinical insight with scientific research to advocate for children's best interests in family law matters.

• [1966] : Graduated from Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York.
• [1971] : B.S. in Psychology from Cornell University.
• [1972] : M.A. in Psychology from City College of New York.
• [1978] : Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from University of Texas Southwest Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.
• [1997] : Interned at the Dallas Child Guidance Clinic, a United Way agency providing outpatient treatment for children with emotional and behavior problems.

During his time at Cornell University, Warshak worked as a waiter, bartender and chef at a popular pizzeria, then later as a television technician.

While working on the woman's television, she noticed how well he got along with her children and offered him a managerial position at her church's afterschool program for teenagers.

Upon graduating from Cornell, he became a counselor at a residential treatment center in Manhattan, New York, where he supported many children and teenagers who struggled emotionally.

At the same time, he attended City College of New York, where he continued to learn and understand psychology by reading books and performing rigorous psychological research that focused on matters of divorce and child custody.

Before completing his M.A., he was accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Eventually, his work turned into a project– the Texas Custody Research Project. It is a career-long project of examining prevailing and proposed child custody assumptions and practices in the light of logic and scientific data.

In December 1978, Warshak completed his doctoral dissertation, “The Effects of Father Custody and Mother Custody on Children's Personality Development.”

• Served as a Clinical Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry.

• Founding member, past president, and the founding editor of the organization's Bulletin.

• Co-founder. This center focuses on promoting awareness, understanding, prevention, and healing of disrupted parent-child and co-parenting relationships.

• Developed this workshop program designed to assist children and rejected parents in rebuilding their relationships.

• Served as a consultant on child custody matters.

• Dr. Warshak was among 60 top experts invited to participate in a family law reform initiative.

• Member of the editorial boards of various professional journals.