How our Divorce and Co-Parenting Counselors are Helping Fathers Adjust to New Roles Today, with post-divorce parenting time protocols leaning towards 50/50 custody, many fathers are learning to adjust to single parenthood, with children that are simultaneously going through big adjustments and emotional turmoil. After a divorce, fathers can be left to adjust to new homes, new routines, and new responsibilities now that there are no longer two parents splitting the duties within one home. These changes can clearly cause single dads with increased levels of stress, self doubt, sadness, insecurity, and frustration. To help with this, our counselors are skilled …

In a Press Release made to the public by Palm Beach County’s Sheriff this afternoon, our community learned that the brutal murder of Kimberly Lindsey was committed by her ex-husband, and that he has now killed himself in a Miami Dade residence. With this terrible news hitting so close to home, Dr. Kristin Tolbert, a forensic psychologist and owner of the Psychological Center for Expert Evaluations, Inc., would like to invite anyone who is having difficulty coping with this terrible tragedy to call our practice and schedule an appointment, free of charge, with one of our forensically trained therapists. We are keenly aware that there are many family members, friends, police investigators, co-workers, and neighbors who will likely have a difficult …

Reunification Therapy is a practice that is now becoming more common for families who have experienced a high-conflict divorce or separation. Reunification Therapy can be defined as a kind of therapy used to re-introduce the parents and children to a supportive relationship, under the supervision and therapeutic guidance of a skilled therapist. Typically, the amount of time the process will take relies on the level of resistance from each of the parents, as well as the cooperation of the children. The time it takes to fully assess each individual involved will also play a large role in the length of …

Parental Alienation has been defined as a group of behaviors that effect a child’s mental and emotional well-being and can interfere with a relationship of a child and either parent. These behaviors are often accompanied by high conflict marriages, separation or divorce. These behaviors, whether verbal or non-verbal, can cause a child to be mentally manipulated into believing a loving parent is the cause of all their problems, and/or the enemy, to be feared, disrespected or avoided.  Obviously, these behaviors can impede a child’s upbringing which means any behaviors from either parent should be caught early and treated before further …

One of the hardest tasks that parents face when going through the divorce process is creating a parenting plan that works for the children and both of the parents. To complicate matters, if one parent decides that it is necessary to move a significant distance from the other, the ability to negotiate details and compromise on small issues diminishes. Bottom line – one parent often feels as if they are getting the very short end of the stick. The idea of being physically far from one’s child can evoke some very STRONG emotions, so naturally, these cases tend to be …

Best Interest Factors for Interstate Relocation Disputes When dealing with an interstate relocation dispute case, it is very important to be aware and familiar with the “best interest of the child” factors for all states involved. Each state has unique “best interest” factors that they believe play an important role in keeping children safe in their state. These factors also play a major role in relocation disputes when the court must make a decision about which services to provide, what action to take, and which intervention to implement. The term “best interests of the child” refers to the long and …

Among many other states, Florida has taken a strong stance when it comes to protecting innocent children from being exposed to those who have been accused of sexually abusing them. In 2007, The Keeping Children Safe Act was adopted in the Florida legislative session and was intended to be utilized when a child’s parent, relative, or caregiver has been accused of any form of sexual abuse. The Act demands that until the matter can be presented in a court hearing, protective actions must be put in put in place to prevent the child from potentially being re-exposed to any further …

How can a forensic psychologist help my parenting plan dispute? The following roles are offered by Dr. Kristin Tolbert, a Florida Licensed Psychologist, and the diligently selected clinicians at the Psychological Center for Expert Evaluations, Inc. in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.Psychological Evaluation (initial evaluator)A forensic “Social Investigation”, also referred to as a “Child Custody Evaluation” is an important tool often used by the Court to assist in determining custodial arrangements of the children involved. The Court typically orders an evaluation when litigants cannot agree on a custodial arrangement by themselves, or with the assistance of their lawyers or mediators. The …

Parental Alienation & High Conflict Divorce:  Without question, the break up of a marriage creates an overwhelming amount of stress, even during ideal circumstances. When you add kids in to the mix, the new source of concern typically (and appropriately) shifts away from the parent’s own feelings and instead becomes centered around making sure that the children are “okay”, without any long term emotional damage. Unfortunately, divorcing parents don’t always have the luxury of dealing with the “ideal” former spouse, and some are so misguided or irrational that effective communication is nearly impossible . When attempting to co-parent, some parents …

Relocation Disputes Information about post-divorce families that plan to move, how to have a healthy long distance co-parenting relationship, and tips to prevent parent/child relationship breakdowns. In today’s day and age, many divorced families will find themselves far from one another due to various reasons, such as job changes or the desire to move closer to relatives. For this reason, relocation disputes are becoming much more common, especially in families where one or both parents lack the appropriate co-parenting and communication skills necessary for this situation. Relocation Disputes involve one parent requesting to move with the child(ren) a substantial distance …