"This book is about shifting the focus of family law assessments and interventions and legal representation from the individual to relationships"--

"This book is about shifting the focus of family law assessments and interventions and legal representation from the individual to relationships"--

"[T]he best and most useful social science text I have read in a decadeÖ.It is comprehensive in its research and scope, clearly written and uses excellent case studies and examples to illustrate in simple terms what might otherwise be complex phenomena." --Dr. Tom Altobelli Federal Magistrate, Family Law Courts Sydney, Australia The goal of every family law professional and mental health practitioner is to improve family court outcomes in the best interests of the child. This book will assist readers in meeting this critical goal. Developmental Psychology for Family Law Professionals serves as a practical application of developmental theory to the practice of family law. This book helps family law and mental health professionals gain a broader understanding of each child's unique needs when in the midst of family crisis. It presents developmental theories with which professionals might better assess the developmental needs, synchronies, and trajectories of a given child. Ultimately, this book presents guidelines for making appropriate legal decisions and recommendations for children who have experienced crises such as abuse, neglect, relocation, divorce, and much more. Key topics include: Custodial schedules Foster and adoptive care Post-divorce disputes Termination of parental rights Psychological assessment and diagnosis Incarcerated parents and visitation rights Relocation and "distance parenting" Visitation resistance and refusal/reunification Parental Alienation/alignment and estrangement Theories of cognitive, language, and social development

Forrest S. Mosten Collaborative Divorce Handbook Helping families without going to court Praise for Collaborative Divorce Handbook "There are many roads to peace. Whether you engage in collaborative practice, which by definition includes the provision that professionals will not represent the parties in litigation, or some other process for respectful conflict resolution, you will find Collaborative Divorce Handbook to be an invaluable resource for deepening your understanding and enhancing your skills as a peacemaker." Talia L. Katz, JD, executive director, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals "Collaborative lawyering is a promising new way of resolving disputes through joint problem solving rather than adversary litigation that has particular appeal for divorce cases. Whether you are a client who seeks to learn more about it or a lawyer using it who desires a wise guiding hand, this book is an invaluable resource." Frank E. A. Sander, Bussey Professor Emeritus, Harvard Law School "Written by one of the innovative thinkers in the field, Collaborative Divorce Handbook is a treasure of information for all professionals interested in collaborative divorce. Easy to read, expansive, and chock-full of resources, it is bound to become a classic." Constance Ahrons, PhD, author, The Good Divorce and We're Still Family, and professor emerita, University of Southern California "Family law is changing. As more people realize that the adversarial process is expensive, degrading, and stressful, they look for alternatives and find it in various forms of alternative dispute resolution. Woody Mosten is the nationally recognized leader of this movement, and his book on collaborative practice literally will be 'The Handbook' we will all follow." Garrett C. Dailey, Esq., CFLS, AAML, president, Attorney's BriefCase, Inc.

An easy and practical book for legal professionals or anyone else disputing with someone with a high-conflict personality.

Family Dispute Resolution brings together some of the field's leading practitioners, researchers, teachers, and policymakers to share their expertise and experience. This overview of family dispute resolution processes and practices is designed to help professionals who assist separating and divorcing parents make decisions about the future of their families. It is essential reading for legal and mental health professionals in the field and law and graduate students who intend to work with separating and divorcing families.

This practical career guide is the first book written specifically for professional counselors on how to provide services to the family court system, a growing and lucrative field of practice. Written by a professional counselor with over 20 years of experience, it discusses the roles of counselors in family court and provides step-by-step guidelines on how to expand oneís counseling practice to include family forensic services. It describes how to enter the field, build a successful practice, and how to work effectively with attorneys and judges as well as parents and children. The book provides specific guidelines and examples of how to communicate effectively with attorneys, conduct interviews with parents and children, make recommendations for custody and visitation, write reports, and successfully testify in court. Content builds on the background and expertise already possessed by the professional counselor, and describes the advantages that counselors haveóand challenges they must often overcomeóin successfully practicing in the family law system. Included is a wealth of relevant information about the court system, definitions of legal terms, standards of practice required by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), training and licensing requirements for evaluators and mediators, scope of practice, and ethical concerns. The book also includes forms for taking interview notes, templates for writing reports, examples of actual reports, sample visitation schedules, and case studies. Key Features: Written specifically for counselors, by an experienced counselor Offers a practical, step-by-step approach for counselors with little legal background Describes how to communicate with attorneys and conduct interviews with parents and children, including dos and doníts Includes templates for conducting interviews, writing reports, visitation/parenting plans, sample reports, and case examples Examines myths and misunderstandings regarding forensic family practice