Threats of parental alienation, child custody cases, or taking younger children away send shock waves of fear into my clients who are just looking to leave someone they see as verbally and emotionally abusive. Verbally and emotionally abusive people do not like themselves and do not like or trust others, which can be a very dangerous way to be. Only people full of self-loathing can be nasty to other human beings. Harming others is too emotionally painful for the rest of us.