Family law professionals often find themselves entrenched in polarized dynamics—between parents, between attorneys and mental health professionals, and even within their own roles. This interdisciplinary workshop explores how de-polarizing strategies can improve outcomes for court-involved families and reduce professional burnout.
Attorney Jess Couser (with the help of Shannon Moss, MSW) will share how her firm integrates mindfulness-informed co-parent coaching to support clients in navigating emotional reactivity and improving communication. Therapist and Special Master Kenny Levine, LCSW, will describe a hybrid approach to dispute resolution that blends legal authority with therapeutically-informed techniques, offering practical strategies rooted in AFCC best practices for Parenting Coordination.
Attorney Del Dickson will then guide participants through an experiential exercise that simulates a real-world parenting dispute, dividing the room into Parent 1, Parent 2, and Problem Solver teams. This role-based simulation offers attendees an opportunity to step into the shoes of clients and colleagues alike, encouraging collaboration across disciplines and helping professionals explore alternative approaches to entrenched conflict.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe why de-polarization serves the family system's best interests.
2. Identify specific strategies attorneys and mental health professionals can use to reduce client reactivity and foster more productive co-parenting communication.
3. Demonstrate de-polarizing problem-solving skills through an interdisciplinary role-play exercise designed to model real-life parenting conflicts.