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questionswillbeaskedof you. Vhenyolr calt rhe .ttorney, he doesnor rerurnyour calls.Howcver,he doessendyou a lerte! rnrnrnrngl ,,u rt-rr he rnrends ro r.t lor Inr v.ur R (nmnenJ.fi nr\ (on{ rn r nS. custody,due tothe factthar bofi parenrs
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Testifyingin Divorce Litigation: Risks and Risk Prevention
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forrhc.oun hr.rrrng. Ag.rn),,u.ftpmpr to cofltacr rhe atto.ney to discussyoLrr r$fi rnnny.b.rrrhr i ftnrne)
Vhen you ger to conrr, you rcalizc thxt you do nor hive writtelrauthorizatn)n hom yorr client'smorberro resrify. You do not hrve an audrorizrtionfornr withyou,andwhcnyourry totilk rorhe mom'sartorney,hc doesnor hrve rime , duringrhecouftlsr€cess ro dircus with , youtheproblems rcsardingconfidenitil rry Inir you wxnr to rirse, After dre recess, the b.riliffcrlls vou
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cn*rre.,khp,orcssionxrsnnti.nwideh.rvcrear.nedthNrrcstiryins ijlTill::lii:l,jl'l:ffi:i:lfiill lhcrr€)tmcnrdrrr)otr hnveprovnlccltrr inhiilhconfiictdivorcelitigrtionisfraughtwithd,:necrr.Thcrinrr
,esur,ins{rom,estimonyi'rcourrbyMFrsincrur,.rln*B€rothe :;:ljIIffl;j:l'l'.THH:ill ,er..rionJhir criDicrr N. sr.,isricard*,.re avalnbre t.
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ifyouctonrrrov she $illrerminatc rreatmenr, yourestify hur rrrcdoralevidence nri)rmsusrhar0 hiah\ ot,,mcuf Bo.rfd.omDh|rrs sition.
con.Lrn rher.p,s,s.rcstimony ir crivorce courtLicer(inA *uinrmembr* rer^rr Iil';'J*ii:$i;"::Xl:lj'::::ii rh.rronocc;rsion more th.nharrortheconlpramrs b€ins col,sidded arise oL't "r :*,rj,*:il:ij.,.i"iliil:J::"il.*, r.lr'monv bv melral healthprofessionals in dornesric lirisarnn.srepscaDbet.ken
on crxs ex.rminarbn,drd\ atroF by marriage anclfemilythefapisrstocomplywithrheAAMl:TerhLrl p,in.int.,'")"']"ifd"dshouldarle.sthaveioinr
rndprotccrasainstrhcriskoraBoardcomprainr.n*,n,*,-".,""."0."..,,.,.:jillJ,,$1.:1,:.iil::T: ivoidrhepossibihy rha*estimory;r cou*wirh.rrm ,r,eL,rpeuri, ,cr'ion,h rls. ::Uil:i]l;1li:",',j],|i,'l'_:::i::::11 Arypica,casesrudy A mom who is separntcdfrom her husband lrnd goins through a.lirorce brings hcr eight year'old daughrer ro yoLr for coDnseling.She h.!s temporary custody orderedbv th. court, and givcsyoD con sent to provide counselinsro rhe child. The eight-vcerold has beenacringour ar school and drrowing tanrrums at homc
since rhebrexkup orrhemarri.sc. Ar. ::i, il'il ]lll.""'l:':;,J'.:jjf ,:r;i:';,:11 sixweeLsofpl.yrherapv,thechild:mood has improved,.nd so has her behav;or. Themon tellsyou rhat alinal orders he.rins is going to be held in the divo.ce case.she irsksit you are willing to tcsrity in court. You obrain written permission from your ctienrt molher ro ralk ro her arlorney,s.' rhar you can find ou! what
hastoldyou.)rl her dacl,satroroeyrsks if youwiltarleasr.sreetharafatheishouttl have rn opporrunill to speD.lrinre\yirh lis daughtel vou agreerhar ir is reason, ablc for d.ughren !o havea rchrion\hip wirh rheir rau,er Thenextdal,,vou receireanourraged phone call ftorn the nom, who accus
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.ETHIIAL MATTER5 6 IEGAL .s \o u oi nor c ar ins ! b o u t v o u r c l l e n t, re :ru s e v ou t es t if iedth :t h tr d ru g h te r .l ,o u l d hr r c r is nat r n u rh rh e d rd . " l ( rl L fe\ e. leim v d! us h i c rs p c n d:t \i n g l e .::f!r. s 1r h. r nr in \ ho ,s e n (,r,n 3 l l y r..:, \ e r nJ un. r r 0c . . n d ro u o b v rc u s l y : . :.r: i r hnr t her if r o L r\u ,l J l c r h c r .:::r.: - r : : s r r h hr nr .\\' e q l l n c re r b c i .r:. , . . . r , { r . ll\ t e l n h L n Frn .o u rt, .,,: l :, ; - . r r , , . J .o o r n ' l rti o n s h i p : :i , r. . - r , - , . i: r Jh. r J .ru c h re r. p h :r:l : , " : : F c I i, . r r . ! ,,i \l .rrri rg e :rn d Irn ,l \ T r r r . jr ' : . I f \ r nr rc rs .rn i h i i tc d b y rh cJ.n l.ll. i, , J : . . . r n. J r,,ro u rl i c e rs u rg h (,.rrJ ,, n. . r , L. L' , ! i: J r\e h ! .s s e s s n rcn rrn hr r ) . . r r ) !\1, t r jri )l \ h.r.e J* i l e l y o n th e rn g h rm .s hr | "rrr b r.r\cJ\ r . 1( r n! . c dr . rl ! b v h i s e \-w i te . Nc\r, r , n, r ( . . \ f . ' . . rfg r\ e i te r h o n l yo u f i ( ) r nr ! r! l, . r r ' \ njo rh u ,Ih re i te n i n g ro su cr ou k i, l r ( . \ liL rs !()d l i !l c n i i i l i ty , Jtren ' rhc r r ( r r 1, . , ( J ,,l n o r h .1 !cw ti r ',,! te nru rhr ur r nn t , , J L ' rl ,' \c(,)n fi d e n ti i l mtrtr r f l , i{ ) r h( . iiu r(.
A AMF T Code of E thi cs therlpisrs cxn avoid foreseeablerisks by complyingwith thc AAMFr Codc of Ethics. Principle 3.14 of thc Code proyidesimportaDt gui.lanccto MFTS: "To avoid aconflict ofinterest, marriageard ftnilv rherapists who trcat mirors or a d u l rsi n v o l vedi n cusl odyor vi si tari o. 3 c ri o n smay not al so pe.form forensi c c v a h a i i o n s for custodn resi dence,or v i s i r.tu n o f thenl i nor.Themi rri agexnd fa m i l y rh c r l l pi stw ho treatsthe nl i nor m a v p ro v i d erhc court or mcnti l hc.l th professionalperformnrs the evaluatnn rvith information about the rnrror frorn drc irri,rse ind family therapisfs ters tc c ti v e ." Co pl yi ng w i tl r thi s ethi cal ru l c tl 1 .y c n.rhl cyo{ to avoi d someof d re t()h l c ms evi denri n thi s crse study. I Iowcvcr',clicntt cxpecr tions rcgrftling their rherr pists'icstimony in d ivofcc r cnormous froD rcm. C c n e ml l y s peaki nBi,t i s i ' npossi hl eto mc c r c l i rn rs' expectrti ons. A ny re!v ,n a b l e testi monyconcedi fl sohvi ous
points ("shouldi't this lirtlc girl havc a relationshipwith her father?") can bc sccnby a client as a betrayal in a biticr, acrimoDiouscustody hattle. l nformed consent l ssues ThcLapistswho hrve bcensetupbyattof nevs,burned by their clients,andsricrecl by nrdividualsthcy hevc revcr nret lcarn quickly from their mistakes.Thefrst les son is to comply rvith the AAMFf Code of Fihics.rndto manua;r theproper role for n treatnert provider when testifymg in couft. lt] tuing so, lrowcvcr, Ml-lt Nrsr derl with Iheir clicnts'cxpectatiors. Cllientsnust be infonned thar rhe only professionrlswho can mrke recommenddtionsro the cour! concerningcustody and parentnrgissuesaredre independenr, objectiveprofesionrls who are.ppoinIed by thc court to conduct dlcscevalLrarions. MfTs c.rn dcil wlth drcir clicnts' expect.tj,nrshy i fornling thcnrthit it is unethicrl k) nrikc rcconrnrcnJitii)nsR) $e judseor n) cxpfcssofin i(rrs on issucs
OPPORTUNITII CARIER r4rl,n. Cmr.,r,. f..onn'[./1o6.iru d 1.d,/.r,n ,r&t,ns dnl ( hdnglig lu?j -
b1ptn,iring1[eIrgior qunli! bdrd,,or.ll.olil vrrtr.r.miln6/.. C jfN i rr P^ 1ts- &,r lhok s uler nr s honr \.ru al ,d did ion s ex ur l anoreiia , reh rion rhip r ddi. r ior , N lxr SrrP - Hsh ing nc n r c s ain fftcdom iroN rhemiLal dependencr Erqu c r uur P rorssro ur C.mf r.h.nsive rreaimeni for pr.f6ri.nals *rlgglmg wnh lnrcrPersonarf erau.n!hPs
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W oM !N's CrNrrn - Re"id. "t i^l ti o8rn ,nsL e:rin ge JL if q Llnu er " Jn. .n rnr'.r, o ePe na enc y
TINELiROvE
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The lana Colldga Maslar's Prog@m ih MFT is saaking to llll tha lollowing pasition in its COAMF|E Candidacy Slalus Prosraml
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Tenur€-Track Frcultv Foll2006 A successful candidale shoud hold a PhD n M F T ( o r a r 6 l a t 6 d f i e l d ) , AAM FT C l i n i c a M e m b a r a n d Appr ov ed S u p e r v s o r s l a t u s , a n d be eligib1 6l o r N Y S M F T L i c e n s e . A successlul cand daie should also pf es ent a d o c ! m 6 n t e d r € c o r d o t t eac hing, s c h o l a r s h i p ,a n d c l n i c a l
Sendapplicatiannateial, includingVitaaahd three tettere of rccommendalahta: Di Bobgri A. B0rns ProgramDireclor& Chairof SearchCommitt6€ IONA COLLEGE EganHall NewBochelle,NY 10801 E-mail:
[email protected] (914)633-2073 ]!ts .oteqe ts an equatwdrn)\
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df ll"ddhnt ihnrLing, ,\n i"!8riri.' mindti,l..$ lJ,i.rn., :.J .qlonive L.!:vi.[l N)'d og],, rhis book ss .trr r irtrightlorwrrJ progrin of.Yrrn$ xnd rd\nr i u n h tl t L.rder mov. rhrcughing.. r, i -.]",i non nonnrgliLl *ry of lirrng.
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that they havc nor and cinnor evahare. 'Iherapistsshouldalso discloseto clienls who w.Dtthem rocorneto couft rharrhey can only testifyconcerningthe tr.drmenr that has bcer provided. Ther;pists nationwide are nrforning their clicntsat the inccprnDof treatmenr rhar rhey should not bc askcd ro restify in court, becausethis will potenrially llesrroyrhe profess(,n.1rel.rionshiprhat his b.cn esfublishcd.To avoid harmnrg i h c clm i. al r elit nr r s h i f rn d rh c c l i c n rs rte ci ir r g r r er t m c ni,p ro fe s s i o n a h l sa v e hcendrrhingeonrfu.rs in whiclr their client! pft ,nnscnorio nrbpocnirhedrerapisr to .o un. N' hiles ! . h ic o n i r!c t m a yn o rb c eni<xcerble,n Jocscxpressa connrirmcnr c,nrhe prff ofrheclicni not to involvethe rhcr:lpisrin litigfinrr .s, wiiness.
who findthenselves on thcwirness staDd in bitterlycontested donesriccases Drusr resNtqucstio.sconcerninS rheirrecom, mendations on cLrstody issuesand rheir opnrionson other is es beins adjudicatedby rhe coun. If a rherapisthas bcenprovidingtr.armenrto a child of thc divofcingparties,andrhetherapist is askedfor an opurionasro whichparent woLrldbethemorefitand properperson Io havecustody, thetherapist shouldsrn " I havenotconducred theev.harionnec essaryio fornuhle an ofiiion on th.1r sLrbject. Therefore,I c.nnot answcrrhe qresrion."In ol(ler () complywith the AAMFI'CodeofEthics,a mirrirge and familytherapistwhohasbecnproviding trertmentmrrctlre preparcdro answer questions r0htingto cusrocly rnd parenting tinreby responding, "l do nor hrve Ad vo c at lng t he T ru th an opirion on rhatsubiccr." Occrsioni ll! nienil I herhh prolessiona h 'iflhenr therapisth.s beenable ro b e l i ev et h; u $hc n r he y rc s ri fyi n c o u rt, inf(xn1rhe clienr\ arromet wuh clicnt i h e y a r e " r d! oe. r es " fo r rh e i r c l i e n rs ., conscnr,concenringrhc limir:rriurson Norhing c:rn be frrrhcr ffom rhe rruth. tl)€drerrpisr's tesumony, rhercby correctAny witness in courr nnrsrswerr to tcll ingrny misconcepri(nrs on ihc artorney\ rherrLuh.M.rrli:rgeind fi mily rheripists partreg.rdingthcopinionsrhnthcor she
will beal,leto elicit in rhecourroom, the therapist nay, in fact, be able to avoid havLngto tlo to court.
Marfiage and fanily rherapistsshould discloseto thcir clienrsat the beginnjng of tre3tment, when a client is involved in a divorcc or custody barle, rhe role of d treitins professional: ro trelp the child of family nremberwirh any srress or enrotional problems.Ar !o t;me will it be proper for the Ml'T to make fcc, ommend.tions ro thc courr concernin8 custody.Complirnce wirh rhe AAMFT cthi cal codcci nhel pro prev€ nrr he r lsl ()1. Roard conltlainr as a consequence for testifying in domesticlitigat;on. O DExrstc LAXElt,,isanattorney|(ented ln Colo€doandthe OlsvlctofColumbia who practices in the areaofmenralheath lawHeisthe authorof lheregaidnd EthlcalGuidefat MentalHeakhPrcfessianah (Bfadford Publishing 2006)and Ihelegol Guidefot PQcticingPsychothetuW ln Colarcdo (BndfordPublishlng 2006).
Job Connection The AAMFT offers iobs for marriage and family therapists in the many facets of the field. I Academia l. Adminisrration I Agency Direction 6 Clinical Supervisors tt Clinical'lfherapists {. Home-based Services * Residential Counselors
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