Family Court Ordered & Court-Related Therapy
Family separation and Family Court proceedings can place significant emotional pressure on children, parents and the wider family.
Best Life Therapy & Mediation provides therapeutic support for families involved in complex parenting matters, including where counselling or family therapy has been recommended or ordered by the Court. Our approach is child-focused, trauma-informed and family-systems based, with particular attention to the emotional and developmental needs of children.
What can Family Court therapy assist with?
Families may come to Best Life Therapy & Mediation for support with:
- Parent-child relationship breakdown
- Reunification and reconnection
- Child resistance or refusal to spend time with a parent
- High-conflict parental separation
- Parenting after separation
- Communication and co-parenting difficulties
- Children experiencing loyalty conflicts
- Attachment and relationship difficulties
- Re-establishing time with a parent
- Changes to parenting or living arrangements
- Children affected by ongoing parental conflict
- Parent coaching and therapeutic parenting support
- Complex family dynamics affecting a child’s relationships or wellbeing
Reunification and reconnection therapy
When there has been a significant disruption in the relationship between a child and parent, simply expecting the relationship to return to normal may not address the difficulties that have developed.
Where therapeutically appropriate, reunification and reconnection work may involve:
- Individual sessions with the child
- Individual parent sessions
- Parent coaching
- Therapeutic preparation
- Carefully structured joint parent-child sessions
The process is tailored to the individual family and may consider the child’s age and developmental stage, the history of the parent-child relationship, the length of separation, the child’s emotional presentation, parental conflict, attachment and relationship dynamics, and relevant safety or risk concerns.
The aim is not to force a particular relationship outcome, but to provide a structured, clinically informed therapeutic process focused on the child’s wellbeing and, where appropriate, the parent-child relationship.
Child resistance or refusal
There can be many reasons a child may become reluctant, resistant or refuse to spend time with a parent. These situations can be complex and should not automatically be attributed to one cause.
The therapeutic process may consider factors including:
- The child’s experiences and perceptions
- Developmental needs
- The previous parent-child relationship
- Attachment patterns
- Parental conflict
- Prolonged separation
- Communication between parents
- Family transitions
- The child’s emotional wellbeing
- Relevant safety concerns
Where appropriate, therapy may explore barriers affecting the relationship and consider a gradual therapeutic pathway focused on communication, trust and connection.
Working with Family Court Orders
Where Family Court Orders are in place, Best Life Therapy & Mediation asks for the relevant Court Orders and any other agreed or authorised documentation before therapy commences. This allows the practitioner to understand the scope and purpose of the therapeutic intervention and determine whether the requested service falls within their professional role.
Best Life may also support families where Court Orders are already in place but parents are experiencing difficulty supporting their child to follow the arrangements. In these situations, the therapeutic work focuses on understanding the factors contributing to the difficulty and considering an appropriate child-focused therapeutic pathway.
Reportable and non-reportable Family Court therapy
Best Life Therapy & Mediation can provide reportable or non-reportable Family Court therapy, depending on the circumstances of the referral, relevant Court Orders and the agreed scope of the therapeutic work. The reporting and information-sharing arrangements need to be clearly established before therapy begins.
Where appropriate, the practice can liaise with lawyers, Independent Children’s Lawyers and other professionals involved with the family, subject to the Court Orders, professional obligations, consent requirements and the therapeutic needs of the child.
Family Court therapy is different from a Family Report
Court-related therapy is a therapeutic service. It is different from a Family Report or independent expert assessment prepared to assist a Court with decision-making.
If there is uncertainty about what service has been requested, the practice will need to review the referral and relevant documentation before therapy begins.
What happens first?
Please contact the practice before booking Family Court ordered or Court-related therapy.
Before accepting a referral, the practice may need to review:
- The referral
- Relevant Court Orders
- Who is expected to participate
- The purpose of the therapeutic intervention
- Any reporting or information-sharing requirements
- Other authorised information relevant to the referral
The practice can then determine whether the referral is appropriate and explain the next step.
Do not book a general counselling appointment for a Court-related matter unless the practice has confirmed this is the correct pathway.
Professional referrals
Solicitors, Independent Children’s Lawyers and other professionals are welcome to contact Best Life Therapy & Mediation regarding the suitability of a Family Court ordered or Court-related therapeutic referral.
Not sure whether this is the right service?
Family Court therapy is different from general counselling and Family Dispute Resolution.
If you are unsure which pathway applies to your circumstances, contact the practice before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can Family Court therapy assist with?
Family Court therapy may be used with families experiencing issues including parent-child relationship breakdown, reunification and reconnection difficulties, child resistance or refusal, high-conflict separation, co-parenting difficulties, family transitions and other complex relationship issues affecting a child or family.
Can Best Life provide reportable and non-reportable Family Court therapy?
Yes. Best Life Therapy & Mediation can provide reportable or non-reportable Family Court therapy depending on the referral, relevant Court Orders and the agreed therapeutic scope.
What happens if Court Orders are already in place?
Provide the relevant Court Orders and any authorised documentation before therapy begins.
This allows the practitioner to understand the purpose and scope of the therapeutic work.
Can therapy be considered when a child is having difficulty following Court-ordered arrangements?
Where appropriate, the therapeutic process may explore factors contributing to the difficulty and consider a child-focused therapeutic pathway.
What is reunification or reconnection therapy?
Reunification and reconnection therapy may be considered where the relationship between a child and parent has been significantly disrupted.
The therapeutic process is tailored to the individual family and may involve separate work with the child and parents, therapeutic preparation and structured joint sessions where appropriate.
Is Court-related therapy the same as a Family Report?
No. Court-related therapy is therapeutic work and is different from a Family Report or independent expert assessment.
Can I book Court-related therapy online?
Contact the practice first. The referral and relevant Court Orders or documentation may need to be reviewed before an appointment is arranged.