See You in Court? From Subpoena to Giving Evidence
Your Complete Guide to Navigating Legal Requirements with Confidence
2 Hours CPD | On-Demand Training
Let’s face it – none of us chose mental health because we dreamed of courtroom drama. But whether you’re carefully screening clients or not, legal requests have a way of showing up uninvited. When they do, you’ll want this in your back pocket.
This Practical Training Covers:
- Subpoenas vs. Requests: What’s the difference and how to handle each
- Valid or Not?: Quick assessment tools for incoming legal documents
- Money Matters: Understanding conduct money and getting properly paid.
- Objection Handling: When to push back on a subpoena or reqeust and how to do it ethically and professionally
- Report Writing: Creating court-ready treatment reports, and how to know if it’s a good idea to do one.
- What are the Odds?:How come you are probably not going to Court. Even though you really think you are 😉
- Affidavits Explained: When you need them and how to prepare them
- Court Preparation: What to expect and what to prepare if you actually end up on the stand
Why Learn From Me?
I’ve spent two decades in the trenches – from juvenile justice to Family Court proceedings. I’ve written countless court reports, handled more subpoenas than I can count, and survived plenty of cross-examinations. I’ve made the rookie mistakes so you don’t have to.
Starting with young offenders in the Department of Corrective Services MST program and moving into a decade-plus of Family Court work, I’ve transformed those hard-won lessons into clear, practical guidance for fellow mental health professionals.
Practice Managers: Contact me directly to arrange team training packages
When the Family Fractures – Working Confidently with Separated Families in Clinical Practice
A 1-Day Intensive for Mental Health Professionals
Upcoming Dates:
Auckland, New Zealand: Monday, 25th August 2025, hosted by ACT Wellington – buy tickets
Wellington, New Zealand: Tuesday, 26 August 2025, hosted by ACT Wellington – buy tickets
Practice Managers: Contact me directly to arrange team training packages
CPD hours: 7
Is This You?
- You feel uncertain when separation dynamics emerge in individual therapy
- Your admin team is overwhelmed by high-needs separated parents
- You struggle with managing consent issues and parent involvement
- You worry your therapeutic recommendations might complicate legal matters
- You’re unsure when to take on these cases and when to refer
- Your between-session workload with these clients is unsustainable
Let Me Resource You With:
- Clear protocols for managing consent, documentation, and parent involvement
- Practical strategies for maintaining therapeutic boundaries
- Understanding of how separation impacts child development and attachment
- Tools to identify red flags and know when to refer
- Procedures to reduce administrative burden
- Confidence in providing court-appropriate documentation
- Methods to structure sessions and manage between-session contact
- Tools to maintain therapeutic effectiveness while protecting yourself professionally
Why This Training is Essential:
Separation affects a significant proportion of our client base, yet most practitioners receive minimal training in managing these complex dynamics. This workshop fills critical knowledge gaps, helping you work more effectively while protecting your time, energy, and professional well-being.
This Workshop Is Ideal For:
- Psychologists
- Mental Health Social Workers
- Counsellors
- Mental Health Nurses
- Any mental health professional working with adults or children affected by separation
You’ll Leave Knowing:
✓ Exactly when you need both parents’ consent (and when you don’t)
✓ How to prevent being triangulated
✓ Which cases to accept and which to refer
✓ How to protect yourself legally while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness
✓ Practical ways to manage the administrative load and be appropriately remunerated
✓ Evidence-based interventions that work in separated family contexts
Why Train With Me?
I’m a Clinical Psychologist who has spent over two decades working with separated families, turning complex dynamics into workable solutions. My journey has led me to create The Same Mountain and Co-Parenting Companion, where I’ve developed evidence-based frameworks that help transform high-conflict situations into manageable co-parenting relationships.
My approach weaves together ACT, Compassion-Focused Therapy, and ProSocial principles with practical strategies drawn from extensive experience across:
- Expert witness testimony in Family Court proceedings
- Court-mandated therapy for separated families
- Child and adolescent mental health services
- Juvenile justice system intervention
- Perinatal mental health support
- Supporting neurodivergent children and their families
Based in WA, I regularly consult with mental health professionals nationwide on complex separated family cases. I’m known for my straight-talking, practical approach – taking complex clinical challenges and turning them into actionable solutions. In my training, I combine real-world experience with current research to help practitioners work confidently with separated families while maintaining sustainable practice boundaries.
My mission is simple: to help professionals like you develop the skills and confidence to work effectively with separated families, while preserving your own wellbeing in the process.