ABUSIVE PARENTS ARE OFTEN THE PRODUCT OF CHRONIC, SEVERE EMOTIONAL DEPRIVATION AND ABSENCE OF MATURE PARENTING IN THEIR OWN INFANCY. IN THIS THERAPY PROGRAM, A MALE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND A FEMALE PSYCHIATRIC NURSE TEAMED TOGETHER TO LEAD A THREE-YEAR PROGRAM OF GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR ABUSIVE PARENTS. THE MALE-FEMALE CO-THERAPIST RELATIONSHIP WAS DESIGNED TO ALLOW FOR IDENTIFICATION AND MODELING OF PARENT SURROGATE ROLES BY THE GROUP MEMBERS. THE THERAPISTS PROVIDED A WARM ACCEPTING, AND 'PARENTING' ENVIRONMENT, ALLOWING MANY OF THE GROUP MEMBERS TO EXPERIENCE PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE AND INTIMACY FOR THE FIRST TIME. THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, GROUP MEMBERS WERE ALLOWED TO WORK OUT AND OVERCOME THEIR FEELINGS OF ISOLATION, PARENTAL REJECTION, AND DISTRUST WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN.