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Specialized Practice in Divorce and Recovery from Divorce1 Obtaining a Divorce - there are three ways to obtain a divorce: litigation, collaborative divorce and divorce mediation. Litigation involves filing legal papers in court. The divorcing couple is represented by separate attorneys during the court process. If attempts to reach a settlement do not progress smoothly and quickly your case may go to trial. Below, read about the other two approaches to a divorce. If your divorce will involve a battle then litigation is your best option. ♦ Collaborative Divorce Collaborative Divorce helps resolve the ending of a marriage without resorting to adversarial techniques or tactics. It enables the divorcing couple to work as a team with trained professionals to settle disputes respectfully, without going to court. Collaborative Divorce helps contain conflict and stress and the spread of these factors to the children. Learn More ♦ Divorce Mediation Divorce Mediation provides a structured process which helps a couple resolve issues in a divorce by reaching a mutually agreeable settlement. The mediator creates an environment where communication is facilitated and the couple can state their goals and define their mutual interests. This process works best when the couple is in general agreement about most aspects of the divorce. Learn More During the Divorce – to help reach a settlement and/or contain conflict, expert information and skills training are provided for an individual, the couple or an attorney. ♦Parenting Coordination Parenting Coordination is a child-focused process for those parents who have difficulty implementing their parenting plans because of the ongoing conflict between them. Learn More ♦ Divorce Coaching Divorce Coaching helps individuals and couples improve communication, problem solving and negotiation skills to manage conflicts that interfere with the divorce process. People learn to present their concerns in ways that are more likely to be heard and acted upon in the settlement. They also learn how they may be unknowingly hampering the divorce process. Learn More ♦ Consultation for Attorneys Consultation for Attorneys provides information about the clients and the best ways psychologically to work with them and represent them. The strengths and weakness of a case from a forensic psychologist’s perspective are given along with an estimation of how a forensic evaluation may affect the case. Learn More ♦ Pretrial Co-Parenting/Child Specialist Provide information on children’s needs and assistance resolving parenting issues in attempt to reach a workable settlement. During and After the Divorce – Other specialized assistance is provided for specific situations that may arise. Parenting Coordination is used during and after the divorce. ♦ Parenting Coordination enables high-conflict families to resolve recurrent disputes regarding a parenting plan. Functioning as a neutral-third party I assist the parties to implement the parenting plan, and where appropriate monitor compliance with the plan. I also may monitor psychological counseling for the children or manage cases when a parent and child are rebuilding an interrupted or damaged relationship. Working in this role I am appointed by the Court or stipulated to by the parents. Note - Parenting Coordination is used during and after the divorce. Learn More ♦ Therapeutic Stabilization of Children in Divorce when there is a divorce and the parental conflict has an adverse impact on their children, I work with the children, individually and as a sibling group, to help them adjust to the parental conflict, pressures from the divorce and the changes in the family structure. Learn More ♦ Therapeutic Stabilization of Parents when parental conflict adversely impacts the children, the desired route may be to work directly with the parents. For example, when the children are very young and the parental conflict is severe. ♦Co-parenting Coaching when a focus is needed on the couple being able to parent their children together as a separated or divorced couple. ♦ Post-divorce Conflict Resolution is used when a focus is needed on the divorced parents being able to keep their conflict under control and where necessary to make joint decisions regarding the children. Forensic Evaluations I conduct forensic evaluations in most areas involving families (family forensics). These evaluations may involve custody, visitation, disruption of visitation, need for supervision, removal of supervision, relocation, etc. I only undertake a child custody evaluation when appointed by the court or both parents through there attorneys select me as a neutral psychologist. In some case, attorneys ask me to review the adequacy an evaluation conducted by another psychologist. I have been evaluating children for the court since 1972. • Therapeutic Visitation – when a parent needs active feedback to learn parenting skills or has little awareness of their inappropriate behavior • Evaluation of the need for supervised visitation – determine whether supervised visitation is needed and/or the conditions under which supervised visitation should be reduced or eliminated. I advocate that when supervised visitation is ordered, mechanisms and criteria with which to evaluate the need for continued supervised visitation should be established. • Determination of a visitation schedule – based on a developmental and psychological needs assessment of the children • Therapeutic Reunification – when the custody of the children has changed to the other parent or when the children are re-establishing contact with a parent after an extended period of absence • Emergency Case Stabilization – when the family or a member of the family is in crisis 1Note these services are focused on relationship issues and not covered by insurance. | ||
