Structure Diminishes Anxiety: Practical Family Law Solutions to Reduce Conflict and Keep the Kids Out of the Middle

Description

Tuesday, March 17, 2026
WEBINAR
4:00pm-5:30pm

Structure Diminishes Anxiety: Practical Family Law Solutions to Reduce Conflict and Keep the Kids Out of the Middle

Family law professionals are facing increasingly complex dynamics in domestic relations cases when family violence is involved. This presentation will review scientifically based methodology and models for determining whether there was family violence, including intimate partner violence, and if so, what type(s) of violence occurred, and how parenting plans might be affected. Then, two cases will be presented to test our skills on what information we need, what our first impressions are, and how we would approach understanding the family dynamics.

Two learning objectives:

a. Participants will recognize the artificial binary approach inherent in both the 4-factor and 5-factor model and their risk of doing harm to children and their families.
b. Participants will acquire a broader “ecological” view of the many interwoven relationships dynamics and practical exigencies associated with PCCP and learn to use the rubric to minimize bias and optimize a comprehensive approach to evaluation.

Relevant citations include:

a. Garber, B.D. (2019). Sherlock Holmes and the case of resist/refuse dynamics: Confirmatory bias and abductive inference in family law. Family Court Review, 58 (2), 386-402
b. Saini, M., Johnston, J. R., Fidler, B. J., & Bala, N. (2016). Empirical studies of alienation. In L. Drozd, M. Saini, & N. Olesen (Eds.), Parenting plan evaluations: Applied research for the family court (pp. 374–430). Oxford University Press.
c. Baker, A. J. L. (2018). Reliability and Validity of the Four-Factor Model of Parental Alienation, 42 J. FAM. THERAPY 100.
d. Lorandos, D., & Bernet, W. (Eds.). (2020). Parental alienation: Science and law. Charles C Thomas Publisher, Ltd.
e. Garber, B.D., Prescott, D., and Mulchay, C. (2022). The family law professional’s field guide to high conflict litigation: Dynamics, not diagnoses. American Bar Association.

PRESENTER
Benjamin D. Garber, Ph.D. (he/him)
Family Law Consulting, PLLC
www.FamilyLawConsulting.org
1-603-314-8841 VOIP
1-603-386-6083 eFax

Ben Garber is a New Hampshire licensed psychologist. He currently restricts his practice to child custody evaluations, expert testimony, and serving in any other capacity that works to educate the courts about child and family development, systems, and healthy outcomes. Dr. Garber is a compulsive writer and a world-renowned speaker in all subjects related to child and family development. He is particularly proud of his 2022 book “Dynamics not Diagnoses” with Drs. Prescott and Mulchay and -of course- of his five brilliant, gorgeous grandchildren.

COAFCC Members: $25 ǀ Non-members: $45

All Colorado judicial officers, who have been appointed to the bench within the previous twelve months, and all Colorado court staff, will be granted free admission (including confirmation of CLE) to this webinar.

**Must use judicial email on registration.**

CLE Credits:

2.0 General CLE has been approved

Certificates of Attendance will be provided electronically for non-legal professionals.