Reunification therapy is a specialized form of family therapy used in family court matters when a child is resisting, avoiding, or refusing contact with a parent, when there has been a prolonged period of no contact and the relationship has become estranged, or when a parent and child have had limited or no established relationship.
These situations can occur for many reasons, and the clinical task is to understand what is driving the rupture or absence of contact and what conditions are necessary to support repair.
The goal is to identify what is maintaining the contact problem, reduce barriers to rebuilding the relationship, and support a structured process of reestablishing a functional parent child relationship in a way that is developmentally appropriate for the child. In highly litigated cases, reunification therapy is not simply talk therapy. It is a structured clinical process that requires careful pacing, clear boundaries, and consistent alignment on goals so the work does not become another setting for adult conflict.
When Reunification Therapy Can Be Performed
Because reunification therapy in a litigated context often involves complex role expectations and significant disagreement between adults, I accept reunification therapy matters only when there is a clear court Order or written legal agreement that defines the scope of the work. This matters because it establishes, at the outset, the scope of the role, the participants, decision making authority within the therapeutic process, and any requirements related to communication, documentation, or coordination with other professionals. A defined scope reduces confusion, limits later disputes, and supports a workable clinical structure.
My Role as the Reunification Therapist
In reunification therapy, my role is to provide treatment and to manage a structured clinical process. My job is to evaluate the dynamics that are interfering with the parent child relationship, facilitate repair focused conversations, and help the family develop a pattern of contact that can be sustained outside of sessions.
In many matters, the role is also implementation focused once repair begins. When a Marital Settlement Agreement or court Order sets designated parenting time goals, I may develop a structured gradual exposure plan, sometimes referred to as a step-up plan, to support progress toward those defined goals. This planning is grounded in established behavioral principles used in evidence-based treatment for avoidance and anxiety. Contact is introduced in measured steps with clear objectives so the child and parent can build tolerance, consistency, and confidence over time.
Once I am retained, I review relevant documents provided by counsel that relate to the treatment context and scope. I typically begin with individual caregiver meetings to understand the history, the current barriers to contact, and each parent’s goals and concerns. I will then meet individually with the child or children to understand their experience and developmental needs. From there, I outline next steps and the initial structure of the reunification process based on my clinical conceptualization of the problem.
My Clinical Approach
My approach to reunification work is systemic and coordinated. In highly litigated family court matters, parent child contact problems rarely exist in isolation. They are shaped by family structure, caregiver conflict, the child’s developmental needs, and the broader professional system involved in the case.
The clinical backbone of my work is drawn from structural family therapy and family systems therapy. Structural family therapy, associated with Salvador Minuchin, focuses on how the family is organized, including roles, boundaries, alliances, and hierarchy. Family systems therapy, grounded in Bowen’s model, emphasizes recurring relational patterns, emotional reactivity, triangulation, and differentiation. Together, these frameworks support a practical, child centered approach to understanding what is maintaining the contact rupture and what must change for repair to occur.
I also draw from the principles of Multimodal Systemic Therapy (MMST), a systemic, multi component intervention model that has been described in the family court literature as a recommended treatment approach for court involved reunification work. In my practice, this does not mean a full team based MMST program. It means applying the same core concepts: coordinating interventions across the relevant parts of the system, maintaining a clear therapeutic frame, and aligning professional involvement so the child is not pulled in competing directions.
As part of that systemic approach, I coordinate clinically as needed with the professionals involved in the case, within the scope of the Order or written legal agreement and within confidentiality limits. This may include communication with individual therapists for the child or parents, a Parenting Coordinator, a Guardian ad Litem, and other involved providers. The goal is to reduce fragmentation, keep treatment objectives consistent, and support a coherent therapeutic process in a complex family court environment. Systemic, coordinated approaches are used in these matters because parent-child contact problems are typically multi determinant, and progress is more likely when the adults and the professional system are working from aligned objectives and a consistent structure.
Neutrality
In reunification matters, adults commonly hold polarized beliefs about why contact has broken down. My role is not to adopt either parent’s narrative, but to remain clinically grounded and focus on interventions that support repair and functional contact. My view is child centered, and my interventions are child centered. The child’s developmental needs guide the pace, structure, and clinical priorities of the process, and that focus remains the same regardless of the positions the adults may hold within the litigation.
A child centered approach also requires clear differentiation between children being heard and children being placed in the position of making adult decisions. Children are supported in having a voice, expressing their experience, and participating in developmentally appropriate ways. They are not positioned as the decision maker regarding adult responsibility areas such as whether contact occurs or how the process is structured.
Insurance and Fee Structure
I do not participate with any health insurance networks. Reunification therapy services are provided on an out-of-pocket basis, and I do not submit claims, negotiate with insurance companies, or assist with seeking reimbursement. These matters are handled under a retainer model. An initial retainer is required before services begin, and all time spent on the case is billed against that retainer. As the retainer is spent down, additional replenishments will be requested to continue services. For current rates and retainer requirements, please contact the practice directly.