Keep Families Talking to Support Success in Family Therapy

 

Family Therapy
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Dr. Miriam Galindo offers clients at her Irvine, California, private practice a supportive atmosphere focused on their individual needs. Licensed as both a social worker and a psychologist, Dr. Miriam Galindo has worked closely with Southern California courts as an expert panelist, and has handled numerous cases involving divorce, custody, and family therapy.

Family therapy brings together all members of a family group in an effort to help them communicate more effectively with one another, handle interpersonal stresses better, and learn from and resolve differences.

A psychologist or clinical social worker is typically the professional providing family therapy, which needs to be crafted to accommodate each family’s unique circumstances. This is particularly important, experts say, because each family is, in effect, a social ecosystem of its own.

Studies have indicated that patients who talk more among themselves, and with their therapist, are more likely to remain in therapy for an effective length of time, and to have more successful outcomes. Experts advise family therapists to make sure to help parents find ways to talk through their issues more openly in therapy and to feel included and valued in the therapeutic process.

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Membership Categories Offered by the AFCC

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
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Dr. Miriam Galindo, a licensed psychologist and social worker in California, belongs to a panel of experts who work with families involved in high-conflict divorce cases in Orange County Superior Court. Active in her professional community, Dr. Miriam Galindo is a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC).

The premier association for professionals involved in resolving family conflicts, the AFCC maintains several basic membership categories. Four of these categories are:

1. Individual – Open to professionals and others interested in the resolution of family conflicts, individual memberships cost $160 a year. All members within this category receive a subscription to the Family Court Review and AFCC eNEWS. Members also receive reduced rates for AFCC conference registration.

2. Institutional – At $390 per year, institutional memberships are designed for courts, mental health practices, private law practices, and government and community agencies. Full member benefits are granted to three individuals, and these benefits can be shared with other members of the same organization.

3. Retired – Active AFCC members who have been part of the organization for five consecutive years but are no longer earning income from work related to family resolution are eligible for a retired membership. Retired members receive all the benefits awarded to individual members but pay only $80 per year in dues.

4. Student – For the discounted membership price of $25 a year, full-time students enrolled in accredited institutions can join the AFCC. Student members receive the same benefits as individuals, but students receive electronic-only access to the Family Court Review.

CSULB School of Social Work’s Simulation Lab

CSULB
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Licensed in clinical psychology and social work, Dr. Miriam Galindo and her husband run a private practice in Irvine, California. For close to a decade she was a social worker at Olive Crest in Santa Ana. Dr. Miriam Galindo holds a master of social work from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).

As noted by the School of Social Work at CSULB, social workers are unsung heroes. They may work in unfamiliar environments for long hours, just part of their normal work day. To help better prepare the next generation of social workers, the school established a simulation laboratory located at the Social Work Student Center.

The lab is a simulated home where faculty, consultants, and other experts work together to help train social work interns. Various scenarios are acted out, and there is always a mentor or coach in the scene who provides a prompt assessment of the scene and the action of the interns. The lab is a secure location where students can hone their skills before going out into the real world and meeting the families that may require their assistance.

NACCFI’s Forensic Interviewing of Children Course

National Association of Certified Child Forensic Interviewers
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Dr. Miriam Galindo holds a master of social work from California State University, Long Beach, and a doctor of psychology from Trinity College of Graduate Studies. Throughout her career as licensed clinical social worker and psychologist, Dr. Miriam Galindo has completed a number of continuing education and advanced training programs, including Forensic Interviewing of Children through the National Association of Certified Child Forensic Interviewers (NACCFI).

A self-paced e-learning course, Forensic Interviewing of Children is designed to help professionals learn the proper procedures and interview techniques involved in effectively questioning children, whether they are victims or witnesses of a crime.

Analyzed and reviewed by more than 1,500 practicing child forensic interviewers, the Forensic Interviewing of Children course features 40 hours of online training designed as part of the curriculum needed to qualify for child forensic interviewer certification. Other portions of the curriculum include 16 hours of peer review practicum and 32 hours of competency training.

Child Custody Evaluations in California

Dr. Miriam Galindo
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A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Miriam Galindo holds a doctor of psychology from Trinity College of Graduate Studies. Dr. Miriam Galindo runs a private practice in Irvine, California, where she conducts child custody evaluations.

In California, parents who go through a divorce often have to undergo a child custody evaluation, or a 730 Evaluation. While judges sometimes order these evaluations for concerns related to substance abuse or child abuse, they also order them when parents simply cannot come to an agreement on custody.

A 730 Evaluation may be conducted by four types of professionals in California: psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. If the parents cannot agree on an evaluator, the judge either chooses one or requires the parents to submit a list of potential evaluators. The professional conducting the evaluation assesses the parenting practices and mental health of both parents in order to inform the judge’s orders related to custody and visitation.

Social, Cultural, and Economic Influences on Child Psychology

Dr. Miriam Galindo
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Dr. Miriam Galindo serves as a licensed clinical social worker and a licensed clinical psychologist. As a result, Dr. Miriam Galindo has experience with the discipline of child psychology.

A rich field of study, child psychology deals with growth and development. Its practitioners differ as to the importance of various factors in explaining a child’s personality. Although most people look to genetics and personality to account for children’s feelings and actions, several other domains also play a part.

In the social sphere, schools, peers, and families all play a role in a child’s development. Relationships play a role in molding how a child learns and thinks.

Culture is also important. Cultural identity is a factor in making assumptions about the world and sharing customs and values. It also influences children’s relationships with parents, levels of educational attainment, and standards of child care.

Additionally, socio-economic status (SES) has a strong influence on children. Its aspects include family income, level of schooling, types of jobs held, and the quality of the neighborhood. Children who are high SES typically have better access to healthcare and nutrition than children on the lower end of the economic ladder.

These three domains interact with one another. For instance, healthy relationships and a vibrant culture may compensate for a low-SES situation. Properly understood, these concepts can help child psychologists determine the best treatments for their young patients.

Inside Child Custody Evaluations

Miriam Galindo
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From her private psychology practice in Irvine, California, Dr. Miriam Galindo works with families involved in high-conflict divorces. Dr. Miriam Galindo also serves as a child custody evaluator, having participated in some 300 court cases.

Custody evaluation is the process of determining the needs of children and how the parents can best help meet them. While it concentrates on the children’s situation, custody evaluation also attempts to consider the needs of the family as a whole. It is not intended to decide who is at fault or to choose sides.

The evaluation begins with interviews of both parents, separately and together. The individual interviews will help the evaluator look at each person’s concerns about the children and the other parent. The joint interviews allow the evaluator to see how the parents work together. A session with the entire family can yield more relevant information.

The evaluator may ask permission to access records from schools, doctors, social services, and law enforcement. These will provide an outside perspective of the family environment. As a means of obtaining more information, a judge may also require psychological tests of each parent. A psychologist will then interview both parents and may administer several tests.

Many parents wonder if the evaluator will ask the children who they would like to live with. Although counseling does involve questions about thoughts and feelings, evaluators do not ask children to make that choice.

After these steps have been taken, the custody evaluator will present his or her findings to the judge. In most areas, this information is confidential.

Reunification Therapy Seeks to Establish Parent-Child Relationship

Irvine, California

 

For more than two decades, Dr. Miriam Galindo has worked with children and families. She shares a private practice in Irvine, California, with her husband. With her primary focus on counseling children and families involved in high-conflict divorce cases, Dr. Miriam Galindo also offers reunification therapy and co-parenting services.

Reunification therapy is becoming more common high-conflict divorce cases. This form of therapy becomes necessary when one parent does not see a child for a specific time. This process attempts to recognize a relationship between a child and a parent while identifying specific aspects that have impacted the parent-child relationship. The goal is to ascertain the specific factors that contribute to the estranged relationship so both parties can work on communication and trust.

The therapist typically begins reunification therapy sessions by meeting with each parent separately to go over court orders pertaining to custody and parenting. When a case involves conflict, the therapist must assess parents’ resistance on pertinent parenting issues.

Focusing on the process of divorce, the impact upon the child, and the long-term benefit of having a relationship with both parents, the therapist also interviews each child individually. From there, each child meets with the noncustodial parent. The goal is to develop a pathway that enables the noncustodial parent and child to spend time together outside of therapy and reestablish their relationship.

Be Careful What You Post: Social Media Content in Family Court

Dr. Miriam Galindo
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As a social worker, Miriam Galindo helps families in Santa Ana, California, make decisions in the best interests of their children. In addition to directing a group home for children in need, Miriam Galindo is experienced with family court services and custody proceedings in the state of California.

It is no secret that most adults who use the internet participate in some form of social media. Many users are aware of the implications their postings can have on their careers, but few realize just how damning social media can be during divorce proceedings and custody disputes. As long as the posts in question were not obtained illegally, anything an individual chooses to post on social media can be used as admissible evidence against him or her in family court. Even if your profile is set to private, content shared by mutual friends without consent can become problematic down the line.

This creates a problem for many users who share information indiscriminately in times of family conflict. Everything from ill-advised comments about an ex to photographs of inappropriate conduct in front of children can cause problems in divorce and custody battles.

Common Questions about Play Therapy

Play Therapy
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Dr. Miriam Galindo received widespread recognition in 2014 when she recommended against the filming of a reality television star’s children. With more than 25 years of experience in the field of psychology, Dr. Miriam Galindo has obtained several post-graduate credentials, including that of a registered Child Play Therapist.

Dedicated to encouraging and exploring the therapeutic power of playing, play therapy was developed in the early 1900s and is currently used in the mental health community to both communicate with and treat children. The following are some commonly posed questions about play therapy:

1. Who is play therapy for?

Therapists prescribe play therapy for children who may be facing difficulties in the home or in social situations, such as with friends or at school. Play therapy can also help children who are struggling to come to terms with an emotional issue. Patients are usually between the ages of 3 and 12. However, teens and adults can benefit as well.

2. How long does it take?

Mental health providers often hold weekly play-therapy sessions that are between 30 minutes and one hour long. Research has shown that, on average, it takes 20 sessions to produce significant results.

3. What activities do people do in play therapy?

People participate in a variety of activities in a play-therapy session, depending on the needs of the patient and the therapist’s assessment. Some of these activities include drama (such as role playing), art and music, dancing, and creative visualization.