Separation & Divorce

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Separation & Divorce

Assisting with the Impacts of Separation & Divorce

Help and Guidance for Each Step of the Process

Divorce or separation is often one of the most challenging times in a person’s life. The process can be stressful and overwhelming with uncertainty about the future. During a separation or divorce, a person can lose their sense of self, safety, and security which can lead to anxiety and depression.

Counselling can provide a safe space to talk about your thoughts and feelings and teaches the tools you need to make sound decisions, especially when children are involved. Mediation and alternative dispute resolution services can assist two parents in reaching agreements on issues in dispute. Assessment can help to determine the strengths and weaknesses of an individual’s parenting, provide the view of a child in a neutral manner, and ultimately assist parenting in reaching resolutions that are in the best interests of the child or children.

We are the largest office in Alberta with psychologists specializing in assisting families of separation and divorce. We provide comprehensive services, including counselling for divorce and separation, parenting assessments, mediation and parenting coordination. We can provide these services at the direction of the Court, instruction of legal counsel, or at the request of parents or families themselves.

Separation & Divorce Services

The process of separation or divorce differs for each family, who will have specific issues and details to work through.

For counselling, our services include individual counselling with adults or children, parent coaching, family counselling, and parent-child reunification therapy.

For assessment, our services include evaluation of a child’s mental health and learning disabilities, parent psychological evaluations, including risk assessments, and child custody evaluations.

We also provide alternative dispute resolution assistance, including parenting coordination, mediation, and arbitration.

Individual Counselling for Adults or Children

We assist children and adults by providing therapeutic support over the many changes leading up to, during, and following parental separation.

Parent Coaching

Our parent coaches can help when you and your co-parent have a history of engaging in the same types of conflict over and over, and you are looking to change this pattern from your end going forward.

Co-parent Counselling

Our co-parent counsellors can help parents learn to improve their communication with each other, and work together to reach agreements regarding parenting going forward.

Family counselling

When multiple family members are struggling to adjust to the changes brought on by separation or divorce, family therapy can assist in both individual and collective healing.

Parent-Child Reunification Therapy

In situations where a child is resisting or refusing contact with a parent, reunification therapy is often an effective way to work towards repairing and re-establishing the relationship between parent and child.

Child Mental Health or Learning Assessment

Children may exhibit difficulties during a separation or divorce that are related or unrelated to the changing family situation. A child assessment can help in determining how to correct and manage these challenges.

Voice of the Child

When there are differing perspectives on what a child in a family of separation or divorce wants, a psychologist can assist by obtaining the child’s voice in a neutral role that minimizes stress for the child.

Parent Psychological Evaluation

When concerns regarding one or both parents may be present, a parent psychological evaluation can assist in identifying parenting deficiencies and providing appropriate recommendations and strategies for the parent to work towards improvement.

Risk Assessment

Sometimes, parental separation occurs following a concern about a parent posing a risk to others. Risk assessments assist by clarifying whether specific risk factors are present and to what extent, as well as what is needed to manage the same.

Practice Note 7 Family Court

We conduct court-involved Practice Note 7 interventions, including therapeutic services to manage conflict and resolve disputes, and assessments to identify and manage risk, and to determine the needs and views of the children.

Practice Note 8 Child Custody Evaluations

We conduct court-involved Practice Note 8 assessments of parenting time and parenting responsibilities. Our senior psychologists are also available to conduct reviews of previously-completed Practice Note 8 reports.

Parenting Coordination

Parenting Coordinators work to assist co-parents in making decisions for their families. When arbitration authority is included, Parenting Coordinators can make binding decisions for parents, to assist the parents in resolving issues and moving forward.

Mediation

Mediation is an informal negotiation assisted by a neutral third party (the mediator) that is designed to encourage disputing parents to develop their own solutions to outstanding issues.

Arbitration

Arbitration, in contrast to mediation, is a formal process in which a neutral third party (the arbitrator) hears from both parents or their legal counsels before making a decision regarding the issue or issues that is legally binding upon the parents. Arbitration can be an effective alternate to taking an issue to court.

Why Choose Alberta Forensic Psychology?

The Key to Understanding

Our psychologists provide an impartial or neutral role in understanding the issues affecting a family, and we strive to provide the most helpful information possible to assist families in resolving issues. When courts are involved, our experts can assist in both civil and criminal matters affecting children, parents and families. Indeed, there are many possible applications where the benefits of forensic psychology in Calgary can assist with legal proceedings and assist in providing an understanding and resolution of what are often complex family situations.

What is a forensic psychologist?

They are registered psychologists who specialize in court-involved issues, including the treatment and assessment of individuals, couples and families involved in civil or criminal legal proceedings.

What is a psychological assessment?

A psychological assessment, or intervention, employs standardized methods to gather a better understanding of the client’s situation. This occurs through the use of evidence-based testing, clinical interviews, review of documentation, interviews with other professionals, and other methods.

Do forensic psychologists advocate for one side in legal proceedings?

Not commonly, however the forensic psychologist’s role will depend on the nature of their requested involvement and/or the direction provided by the Court, legal counsels, or the family members.

Ask Us About Telepsychology Services

We’re doing our best to be as accessible as possible. As an added measure of convenience, we also offer services via distance, including the option for telephone or secure video appointments.

Meet the team

Our team of Calgary psychologists has a broad range of specialties to serve you better. We offer a versatile range of treatment approaches and strategies that are tailored individually to each person’s unique needs. From children to adults, couples, and families, we treat everyone we meet with patience, dignity and respect.