The Divorce Conundrum: Legal, Ethical, and Psychological Issues
with Penny Clemmons, Ph.D., J.D.
Course Outline:
This one and a half hour seminar will focus on current legal, ethical and psychological issues in the dissolution process and how they impact clinical treatment. The intersection of law, ethics and clinical practice will be addressed and conflicts that result from the overlap of competing assumptions will be discussed. Topics will include:
I. The mechanics of divorce, child custody and the best interest standard (10 minutes)
II. Role of parenting co-ordinators, avoidance of dual relationships, the utilization of collaborative law, and mediation (50 minutes)
III. Treatment issues (30 minutes)
(The course content is designed to meet Standard 2 of the APA Standards and Criteria for Approval of Sponsors of Continuing Education for Psychologists.)
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course participants will be able to:
1. Summarize the procedural steps of the divorce process in California;
2. Describe ethical principles that apply to treatment of parents and children involved in child custody disputes;
3. Identify best practices for psychologists treating clients involved in dissolution proceedings;
4. Assess potential role conflicts in treatment of children of divorce.
References:
Benjamin D. Garber (2014) The Chameleon Child: Children as Actors in the High Conflict Divorce Drama, Journal of Child Custody, 11:1, 25-40, DOI: 10.1080/15379418.2014.892805.
Joanna L. Grossman, The High Price of Badmouthing One’s Spouse During Divorce, VERDICT (2014) Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.hofstra.edu/faculty_scholarship/347.
Mary Ann Mason, The Roller Coaster of Child Custody Law over the Last Half Century, 24 J. Am. Acad. Matrimonial Law. 451 (2011).
Luke Salava,Collaborative Divorce: The Unexpectedly Underwhelming Advance of a Promising Solution in Marriage Dissolution,Family Law Quarterly Vol. 48, No. 1 (Spring 2014), pp. 179-196.
CPA is co-sponsoring with Santa Barbara County Psychological Association (SBCPA). The California Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CPA co-sponsored credit is also accepted by the Board of Registered Nursing and the Board of Behavioral Sciences for their licensees. CPA maintains responsibility for this program and its contents.
Important Notice:Those who attend the workshop and complete the CPA evaluation form will receive (1.5) continuing education credits. Please note that APA CE rules require that we give credit only to those who attend the entire workshop. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the start time or leaving before the workshop is completed will not receive CE credits.
This salon will be held at 658 Chelham Way, Montecito, CA 93108.
