Q) How can I keep my child’s biased therapist away from my social investigation? I’m afraid their opinion could damage my case in the social investigation since they favor my former spouse. A) You may want to discuss the pros and cons of requesting an order from the judge that could potentially order the child’s “Psychotherapist Patient Privilege” be protected during the course of the social investigation. As there are many pros and cons to put this kind of order in place, it is important you explore the possible effects of this on your case. Putting such an order in …

Court-ordered therapy is meant to be a catalyst for change, for an individual or family who, is at any time, involved in the legal system and subsequently ordered by a judge or magistrate to participate in therapy with a mental health provider. Throughout the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, court-ordered therapy is used to persuade litigants to get the help they need, when they are unable or unwilling to seek it out on their own. If a judge has ordered that you or a loved one must participate in individual therapy sessions, special consideration should be made to …

Every family has different dynamics, complexities, and issues that needs to be focused on. For this reason, the reunification therapy process can vary in time from family to family. Typically the time will rely on the level of resistance from the parental parties as well as the children. The time it takes to fully assess each individual involved will also play a large role in the length of the process. Process Background Information Reunification will begin once the clinician has received all necessary paperwork and documentation from both parties. This includes court orders, parenting plans, settlements, court motions, DCF or …

Although Judges are trained to be neutral parties in the courtroom and one would assume they are in complete control of their decision-making process, studies have shown that there are several factors (which attorneys can often subtly manipulate) in order to help tip the scales during difficult trials. A large research study in Ireland analyzed the results of 1,112 parole board hearings, as they relate to the time of day in which they occurred. The results were astonishing:  Researchers clearly identified a pattern in which the judges were substantially more likely to rule in favor of the defendants whose cases were heard …

Parental Gatekeeping For parents who are co-parenting after a divorce, parental gatekeeping can become a very serious problem when trying to co-parent and communicate effectively. Parental gatekeeping is a term used to describe a parent’s preferences and attempts to restrict and exclude the other parent from being involved in the child’s development. Gatekeeping attitudes and behaviors can range from very positive, which are facilitative, to very negative, which are inhibitory, or to the most extreme known as Parental Alienation. Statistics Although restrictive gatekeeping usually occurs in divorced families, about 20% of parents in “intact” families are restrictive gatekeepers, 42% of …

If you are a mental health provider, case worker, parent, or attorney with questions regarding our Therapeutic Supervised Visitation Program, please feel free to contact us:                                                                                                561-429-2140 What are Therapeutic Supervised Visitations? Supervised Visitations are typically court-ordered and allow non-custodial parents or guardians to meet with their children in a safe and controlled environment, …

What is Chronic Litigation in Family Law Court? Chronic Litigation in Family Law Court refers to the cases that come back to court over and over again, generally for minor issues that could have very easily been handled without new motions being filed or hearings being scheduled.    These constant cases are characterized by very high levels of conflict, with at least one party having such resentment and anger that they are unwilling to compromise on nearly anything, primarily for the sake of not allowing the other party to feel as if they have gotten their way or “won” something. This leads to an enormous amount of time, energy, and money being spent when everyone is …

Think Kids. The key to co-parenting is to focus on your child. This can be very difficult and it also means that your own emotions towards the divorce or your ex has to come second to the needs of your child. Setting aside such strong feelings may be the hardest part of learning to work cooperatively with your ex. Co-parenting is not about your feelings, or those of your ex, but rather about your child’s happiness, stability, and future well-being. You’re The Parent. Always remember, YOU are the parent and only you  and your ex will know what is best for your …

Each year, the need for more and more Court-Involved Therapy cases rises, especially within Palm Beach County, Florida. Ideally, court-involved therapy should be provided by a specially trained Court-Involved Therapist (CIT). It is meant to be therapeutic for the individual who, is at any time, involved in the legal system. A CIT is a mental health professional who should be aware of, and following, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) guidelines  of the best therapeutic practices within the court system, as well as the the specialty guidelines of forensic psychology. Only those therapists or counselors should be trusted …