Mental Health Essentials for the Family Law Professional (3 hours)

Family law has become a diverse and increasingly complex field that is equal parts law and psychology. This workshop will provide professionals with current, practical, and empirically based information to guide their work in these cases. Professionals who do not have a background or training in essential mental health knowledge or skills, or those who need a refresher, will learn about: child development; the importance of attachment; family systems theory and interventions; cognitive behavioral theory and interventions; impact of divorce on children and parents; parenting styles; and personality disorders. This workshop provides an update on the latest empirical research on factors associated with risk in children following divorce, including parent conflict, quality and type of parenting, loss of relationships, multiple transitions, and how to mitigate risks by reinforcing protective factors associated with better outcomes for children.