COURT-ORDERED
Individual Therapy for a Minor
How The Program Works
Expert counseling and therapists serving Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista, Leucadia, La Costa, Encinitas, and San Diego County.
STEP 1
Intake Assessment & Agreement
Each participant is assessed before therapy begins to ensure readiness and legal alignment.
Individual session for each parent: Each parent shares their perspective and learns about the therapy process.
Individual session for each parent (2 total sessions): Each parent shares their perspective and learns about the therapy process.
Parent-child session (with each parent – 2 total sessions): Prepares the child and parent for what’s to come and sets expectations.
Review of court documents: Therapist reviews all relevant custody orders and referrals.
Consultation with third parties: Includes contact with other therapists, minor’s counsel, or other professionals involved in the case.
Therapy Agreement: The therapist outlines a full plan of care. All parties must agree to this contract before therapy can begin.
STEP 2
Progression Through Three Phases of Therapy
Once the treatment plan is accepted, the child moves through three carefully designed phases:
1. Child – Individual Therapy
The child meets with the therapist individually
The focus is helping the child
2. Involving Parent
In some cases, children will need assistance from a parent for a short-term issue
The therapist may involve one or the other parent in the process
Involving parents only happens when there is no conflict with doing so – the focus remains on the child, not the parent-chid relationship
Therapists may suggest parent-child therapy based on clinical metrics – both parents and minor’s counsel will be notified in writing
3. Consolidation
As the child improves, sessions taper in frequency.
The program ends with a closing session and a formal letter to the court summarizing progress and outcomes.
Addressing Your Concerns
Children caught in a high-conflict divorce / separation/ blended family/ custody situation suffer greatly.
- One parent may have hurt or failed the child.
- The other parent may have turned the child away through negative emotions or narratives.
- Often, both dynamics are present.
Children caught in the middle are often provided individual counseling to have a space away from the conflict to process and heal. Involving parents is handled with great care since some situation can resolve with a brief parent-child session. Other times, parents want to be involved, but the therapist determines it presents a conflict and declines.
Ready To Start?
Most situations require the approval of both sides and sometimes the court or minor’s counsel (when relevant).
If you are seeking names of therapists to present to the other parent or court, you can list each therapists below for consideration – therapists on this page do Individual Therapy with a MINOR. We know court processes move slowly – bear in mind that listing our name is not a guarantee that the therapist will have an opening when you are ready to move forward.
