Therapy and Child Custody Cases

In child custody cases, often the parents and or the child(ren) have a therapist. If it is individual therapy, each parent and the child(ren) should have their own therapist separate and part from each other. Last I was aware, the American Psychological Association Ethics state that it is a conflict for the same therapist to provide therapy to one of the parents and the child(ren). The Courts usually reject this and direct a separate therapist for the child(ren). The therapist only knows what one parent says and what the child says and imputes the parent’s story to the child’s condition. The other parent’s story being omitted, even if the therapist calls in the other parent for a session of two, the therapist is still slanted and biased. Too often by the time the Court puts an to it and orders a new separate therapist for the child(ren) damage may have already occurred.

Too often one parent will put the child(ren) in therapy behind the back of the other parent. In this case, the therapist only gets back ground information from the enrolling parent, causing the therapeutic treatment of the child(ren) to be slanted and biased by omitting input from the other parent. This creates a situation of flawed input to the lawyer for the child and the Court by the therapist. The Court’s often disregard such information, but some errantly consider it. When a forensic evaluation is then instituted, often the forensic expert has a different report than the child’s therapist about the child(ren).

In situations of family therapy, to use one therapist is the only way to go, but each individual should still have his or her own therapist to aid that specific individual in heeling and or coping.

If your child’s school has a Banana Splits Program, it is always best to enroll your child(ren) in that program as children. When children find out they are not alone in what is occurring in their lives, they usually feel better. Children often just need to know they are not the only ones going through the same thing, and be able to talk about it with peers who they may otherwise not know are going through it too. This often helps most children feel better without actually therapy.

Do not bring your child(ren) to your own therapist for therapy. Do not enroll your child(ren) in therapy without informing the other parent and giving the other parent the contact information or the therapist. Always give the child(ren)’s therapy full contact information for the other parent. Find out what programs your child(ren)’s school(s) may offer.