Winston Churchill
In Reunification Therapy the focus is on nurturing the quality of the parent-child relationship. The goals for Reunification Therapy include fostering healthy child adjustment, and improving parent functioning and roles, as well as the following:
A child who has been separated from a parent, whether due to the parent's absence or their own removal from the home and placement in foster care, may act out in a range of ways due to feelings of insecurity and disorganization. They may feel torn between loyalties to one or both parents and possibly to their foster families as well. When a child’s negative reaction to a parent is driven by the other’s alienation, they may become resistant, increasingly hostile, and eventually altogether rejecting of the targeted parent, a primary challenge for a reunification therapist.
A parent whose child has been removed from their home or who has been court-ordered to stay away from a child for a certain length of time (pending completion of court-ordered classes, for example), may experience the shame of negative perceptions, real or imagined, of others in their extended family or community, as well as self-doubt about their ability to parent, along with the pain of being physically separated from a child and worries about the child’s feelings toward them.
When separation from a child is the result of parental alienation, a parent can experience severe stress, anger, anxiety, and even depression. The parent will often appear in court as less calm or stable than the alienating parent, which is one of the inherent challenges of winning support for a reunification program.
Sometimes, when parents divorce or otherwise split up, one will manipulate their child or children to refuse to have a relationship with the other. This form of emotional abuse, known as parental alienation, is typically achieved through lies or exaggerations about the other parent—that the parent has said they hate the child, that they’re responsible for the end of the marriage, or that they were abusive in some way. When alienation occurs, the targeted parent can challenge the other in court. Alienation is often challenging to prove, but when a parent can convince a judge that it has occurred, a court can mandate a reunification program, in which a child or children must spend time with the alienated parent, under supervision. Reunification programs also typically involve mandated family therapy to address the child or children’s trauma and to help them rebuild a connection to the alienated parent.
Regardless of the reasons why reunification therapy is necessary for your family, it is crucial that you choose a professional that will be a good fit for your situation. Although there is no perfect way to make sure that you will be 100% happy with your reunification therapist, there are some things you can do ahead of time to try to ensure that the reunification therapist is right for your family.
Research
Before you choose to work with a professional, be sure to do your research. Look at his/her online profile to learn a little bit about their background. You can also read online reviews, although online reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt. Keep in mind that the people who post these reviews may have a very different situation and different needs than you/your family have. If you have an attorney, ask them for their professional opinion about the potential reunification therapists.
Interview
Call the professional and vet him/her. Try not to give any specifics about your case, but ask him/her about the reunification therapy process, goals, etc. This conversation can give you a good feel for how the professional approaches the process and if he/she communicates well and you are connecting.
Ask The Right Questions
During the “interview” process described above, be sure that you are asking the right questions. For example, you should ask the professional how long he/she has been doing reunification therapy, if they have a safety plan in place if either the child or parent is uncomfortable with the speed, under what circumstances such a plan would/would not be followed, etc. These are very helpful questions that may help you understand if this is the right reunification therapist for your family. It is also important to know if they are a member of the Parental Alienation Study Group (PASG).
Follow Your Gut
If you have followed all of the above steps and something still doesn’t feel right about a specific professional, there is nothing wrong with saying no to them because of your instincts.
Nelson Mandela
$175 - $250 per 50 minute session for family reunification therapy, depending on level of conflict, complexity and court involvement.
If needed, longer sessions are available for an additional fee, based on hourly rates above. More information concerning fees are contained in the informed consent agreement for therapy.
Additional Fees may apply for such things as mileage, outing fees, etc. Document preparation and collateral interviews will be billed at a rate of $25 per 15 minute increments.
Insurance: We are not on any insurance panels or provider networks and I do not file any insurance claims. I can provide a superbill for sessions with a CPT and DSM-V diagnosis code, which you may file with your insurance company. Out-of-network services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Please check your coverage carefully by asking the following questions:
Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
What is my deductible and has it been met?
How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
What is the coverage amount per therapy session with an out-of-network provider?
Is a referral required from my primary care physician?
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