Wheat Ridge Child Custody and Divorce Attorney | Reintegration Therapy – Will It Help My Child?

When you are dealing with a Wheat Ridge or Jefferson County divorce or child custody case, it is likely that you will be worried about how everything is affecting your children. Throughout the divorce and / or child custody proceedings, you may hear the term reintegration therapy or reunification therapy mentioned by your attorney, your spouse’s attorney, the court, or even an expert. So, what is reintegration therapy and how can it help? Let’s find out

What is Reintegration Therapy in Golden, Colorado?

Reintegration or reunification therapy is a type of therapy that is used to rebuild a relationship between a parent and a child. It is often recommended as a first step for before parenting time will be awarded. This type of therapy is most often recommended when the children have been away from one paretn for an extended period of time or when there are serious issues between the child and parent (more common with teenagers). The purpose is to make sure the child or children are emotionally and mentally prepared to have parenting time with the estranged parent.

How Does Reunification Therapy Usually Work?

Generally, the process works as follows:

1. Therapist will meet individually with the child / children, and then each parent. The therapist will determine how to proceed based on these meetings
2. The process going forward will depend on the individual needs of those involved. The therapist may want more individual meetings with the child before bringing in the parent and having joint sessions. The time period for which the meetings will take place will also be determined on the needs of those involved, most importantly – the children.
3. The therapist is not the one making any parenting time decisions – that is left up to the court. The therapist is there to create a safe space where the child and parent can communicate and work through issues so they will feel comfortable spending time together.
4. The therapist will set goals and milestones to reach. Once reached, the therapist can make recommendations to the court regarding what the child may be ready for, but it is the court’s decision about how to determine or modify parenting time. If the parties can come to an agreement, the court is likely to accept it as long as the therapist recommendations support it.

If you are getting a divorce or fighting for child custody, call the best family law attorneys from the Pearman Law Firm at 303-991-7600 for a phone consultation.

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