I am a psychologist, not an attorney. But from where I sit, attorneys are failing.
To me, as a psychologist, parents in the family courts represent a category, a class of people. They are a particularly vulnerable class of people because their rights to self-determination and autonomy in decision-making is compromised by the court’s involvement.
This vulnerable population has been expelled from clinical psychology (treatment) and has been given their own “special” psychologists for this group alone. No other pathology has their own “special” psychologists – not ADHD, or autism, or eating disorders. All of those pathologies (problems) are treated by clincal psychologists.
Only court-involved families are restricted to their own “special” psychologists created just for them, just for this special class of parents for no other reason than their court involvement… with compromised autonomy in decision-making and restricted rights of self-determination.
Because “forensic” psychology is a “sub-specialty” practice, all licensing board complaints are given to other forensic psychologists on the licensing boards for review… and they all do the same thing. They are allowed to self-review – there is no oversight of the forensic psychologists by anyone other than other forensic psychologists.
The field of “forensic” psychology needs outside and independent review. It is a cesspool of professional practice. Where are the licensing boards enforcing ethical standards of practice? Nowhere to be seen… which is why it’s a cesspool.
The licensing boards are corrupt with the influence of exactly the “forensic” psychologists they are tasked with reviewing. The practices of forensic psychology in the family courts need outside and independent review.
Do not get a forensic custody evaluation. Parents want a proper risk assessment for possible child abuse, i.e., a possible shared persecutory delusion with the allied parent as the primary case – which would be a DSM-5 diagnosis of V995.51 Child Psychological Abuse.
Forensic psychologists are ignorant, incompetent, and unethical. I am willing to debate this anytime with anyone, send me the date, time, and platform log-in: The Role of Forensic vs. Clinical Psychology in the Family Courts – Dr. Childress representing clinical psychology and Anyone representing forensic psychology.
I’d like to see a debate sponsored by a law school.
But maybe if the attorney world isn’t able to generate a class-action lawsuit with the AFCC and APA as deep-pockets on something like what’s happening in the family courts (I think it warrants a RICO racketeering look), maybe the legal profession isn’t up the the task of self-examination.
I guess I’ll just have to solve this entirely as a lone clinical psychologist using the power of diagnosis. Because I’m not a lawyer, I never went to law school, I went to psychology school instead so I don’t know legal stuff.
But from where I sit as a clinical psychologist, the attorneys are failing. Or maybe you just haven’t found the right attorneys. I wonder if the ACLU might have an opinion on your situation?
Craig Childress, Psy.D.
Clinical Psychologist, CA PSY 18857
GreatCosmicMothersUnite 