There are many different counseling and similar resources that can be very helpful for people involved in family law matters, whether in litigation, collaborative practice, or any other model. Sometimes, people are court-ordered or agree to participate in certain kinds of counseling to assist in developing communication, parenting skills, or other issues that come up during the divorce or separation process, or as people parent together post-separation.
For some people, it can be difficult to find a counselor with experience in dealing with the specific dynamics that come up in separated families, or with expertise in specialized kinds of counseling, such as parent-child reunification counseling. It can also be difficult to find someone with experience working with attorneys and the court system. However, we believe skilled, experienced mental health providers can significantly improve post-separation parenting, both for parents and for children. For this reason, the Mental Health Liaison Committee, a subcommittee of the Family Law Section of the Sonoma County Bar Association, created a list of local mental health resources, organized by the type of family law counseling provided. A link to the list is provided below.
COURT INVOLVED THERAPIST REFERRAL LIST REV JANUARY 1, 2016