PRACTICAL SERVICES FOR HEALING, BELONGING, AND PEACE
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is meeting one-on-one with Mary Helen and is available for people ages six and older.
When the parents of a child are never married, separated, or divorced Eagle River Counseling requires the consent of both parents, regardless of legal custody status, to provide therapy to a minor. Exceptions will be made on an individual basis for clinical reasons or with a court order signed by a judge.
Family Therapy
Family therapy includes two or more family members working together with the therapist to resolve family dynamic issues.
Group Therapy
Group therapy involves meeting together with the therapist and other clients who are seeking help with the same challenges in their lives.
Divorce coaching
Unlike therapy, divorce coaching is more skill-based learning about how to respond to your spouse/ex-spouse in the context of co-parenting. It does not address mental health issues and is instead geared toward real-time help with email and other communication, best-practice co-parenting, child development and parenting plans, and other topics related to learning to be an effective co-parent.
Co-parent Facilitation
Co-parent facilitation is similar to divorce coaching but involves parents meeting to improve their communication skills for co-parenting their children.
This is a solution-focused practice to help parents move forward together rather than a review of past conflicts and mistakes.
Co-parenting facilitation can take place before or after a divorce proceeding.
Parenting coordination
Parenting coordination is ordered by a family court judge as part of a divorce decree or post-divorce judgment.
The primary goal is to help parents learn to make decisions in their children's best interest.
PARENTING PLAN MEDIATION
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution where both parties negotiate in good faith to develop a custody schedule (parenting plan) for their children. It is informed by child development, parenting best practices, and practicality for what works for your family.
At the end of a successful mediation, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) of the agreement is provided to the families and their attorneys, if any. Mary Helen does not mediate property or asset disputes.
REUNIFICATION COUNSELING
This specialized family therapy is designed to introduce a child or adolescent to a parent they have not seen for an extensive time (usually six months or more) or have never met.
The goal is to help the child and parent move to a new relationship together.
This can be done with or without a court order, but will not result in a custody recommendation by Mary Helen.
Mary Helen does not do reunification counseling where custody was disrupted by an Office of Child Services placement.
Conflict Resolution Credentials
40 Hours of Civil and Family Mediation Training
Advanced Mediation Training With Multiple National Experts
Parental-Child Contact Problem Training
Training in Screening for Intimate Partner Violence
Parenting Coordination Training
Collaborative Law Training
Parenting Plan Evaluation Training
Ongoing continuing education: Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Best Practice Guidelines, parenting, custody, child development, and the voice of child court proceedings.
Clinician Consultation for High Conflict Custody Cases
Eagle River Counseling also offers guidance for clinicians working with high conflict child custody disputes.