A Deeper Dive: The Intersection of Family Law and Psychology 2019


Course Date: April 11, 2019

Full Course Materials
Total: 11h 17min
Total Ethics: 2h

Day 1: Thursday, April 11, 2019

Welcome and Introduction

John-Paul E. Boyd John-Paul Boyd Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver and Calgary
Alyson Jones
Alyson Jones & Associates, West Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, QC
Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Managing High Conflict Parents in and Out of Court

  • high conflict family law disputes in BC
  • containing conflict and managing expectations
  • protecting children from conflict
  • ethical responsibilities of counsel representing high-conflict parties

Moderator: Robert Colby, RPsych Colby Gallagher & Associates, Vancouver
Professor Nicholas Bala Faculty of Law, Queen’s University, Kingston
Todd R. Bell Schuman Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver
Nikki L. Charlton Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP, Vancouver

Break

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Therapeutic and Legal Interventions in High Conflict Cases (available online)

  • overview of high conflict and court involved therapeutic interventions
  • assessment of interventions
  • review of team roles and team approach to complex issues in family law and family therapy
  • communication and coordination protocols for lawyers working with mental health professionals

Alyson Jones Alyson Jones & Associates, West Vancouver
Yuval Berger Hindsight Counselling, Vancouver

Dealing with Lawyers in Family Law Cases

  • communicating with lawyers
  • how lawyers represent their clients
  • overview of court processes
  • mental health professionals as experts

John-Paul E. Boyd John-Paul Boyd Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver and Calgary

Networking Lunch (provided)

Neuropsychology of Conflict and Brain DevelopmentDivorce & the Science of the ACE Study

  • overview of the core story of brain development & the brain’s stress response system
  • overview of divorce and the science on the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
  • understanding the impact of toxic stress on brain development
  • brief overview of the science of resilience

Kim Hetherington, BScSocial Worker/Practice Development Consultant, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Surrey

Break

Attachment, Parenting Plans, and Child Contact Problems

  • overview of family dynamics
  • understanding and supporting parent child attachments
  • disrupted attachments and parent-child contact problems
  • age appropriate parenting plans from an attachment perspective

Moderator: The Honourable Judge Patricia Bond Provincial Court of BC, Surrey
Yuval Berger Hindsight Counselling, Vancouver
Michael Elterman, PhD, MBA, RPsychVancouver
Susan Gamache, PhD, RPsychVancouver
Alyson Jones Alyson Jones & Associates, West Vancouver

 

Day 2: Friday, April 12, 2019

Welcome and Introduction

John-Paul E. Boyd John-Paul Boyd Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver and Calgary
Alyson Jones
Alyson Jones & Associates, West Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, QC
Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Approaches to Parenting Assessments

  • case law update
  • mental health professionals' views of parenting assessments
  • understanding psychometric testing and test scores
  • identifying appropriate assessment methodologies

Moderator: The Honourable Mr. Justice G. Bruce Butler BC Court of Appeal, Vancouver
Rebecca St. Clere England, PhD, RPsychWard St. Clere Inc., Vancouver
Bob Finlay, MA, RFT, RCCFinlay Counselling & Mediation Services, New Westminster
Leanne Harder, MSW, RSW, M.Ad.Ed.Olive Branch Consulting, Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, QC Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Break

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Managing Parenting Assessments and Assessors (available online)

  • retaining parenting assessors
  • communicating with parenting assessors: do's and don'ts
  • dealing with ambiguous recommendations
  • responding to parenting assessments

Rebecca St. Clere England, PhD, RPsychWard St. Clere Inc., Vancouver
Mary Korpach, PhD, RPsychVancouver

Preparing for and Giving Evidence in Court

  • roles of mental health professionals in court processes
  • purposes and functions of expert witnesses
  • preparing to give evidence
  • giving evidence in court

Todd R. BellSchuman Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver
Alyson Jones Alyson Jones & Associates, West Vancouver

Networking Lunch (provided)

Children's Experience of Separation and Wish to be Included in Decision-Making

  • importance of children’s participation in family disputes
  • different ways of hearing from children
  • empirical research on children’s participation

Dr. Rachel BirnbaumProfessor, King’s University College, Western University, London
Professor Nicholas BalaFaculty of Law, Queen’s University, Kingston

Break

Intersectional Issues and Cultural Competence

  • identifying and responding to cultural assumptions in your practice
  • understanding non-traditional family arrangements
  • family violence, criminal complaints, child protection, and family law
  • poverty and family law

Moderator: Dr. Rachel BirnbaumProfessor, King’s University College, Western University, London
Jereme BrooksRONIN Consulting & Mediation Services, Langley
Zahra H. Jimale Jimale Law Corporation, Vancouver
Zara Suleman Suleman Family Law, North Vancouver

Closing Remarks

John-Paul E. Boyd John-Paul Boyd Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver and Calgary
Alyson Jones
Alyson Jones & Associates, West Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, QC
Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver