Parental alienation is the psychological manipulation of a child by one parent into rejecting the other parent. Manipulated children start to show distrust, fear, and even hostility toward the alienated parent. These children often refuse to see the alienated parent and have no desire to continue a relationship with them, believing that this parent is entirely bad and the other is entirely good. Parental alienation is considered to be a form of child abuse, and leaves the child at a higher likelihood for mental and physical illness. Sometimes, reunification therapy can be helpful in reuniting the child and alienated parent.