Child Psychologist

Child custody disputes, whether they are in conjunction with a divorce case, or whether they stand alone, are often exhausting and emotionally draining experiences for not only the parents involved, but for the child or children who are at the heart of the matter. Child custody disputes often involve parents making scathing allegations about the parting ability of the other parent. Sometimes it may be hard or even impossible to determine what type of custody arrangement or determination will ultimately be in the best interest of the child or children involved. Additionally, it is often virtually impossible to determine how the parent’s custody battle is impacting the child involved until irreparable damage has occurred. This is where the services of a child psychologist come into play.

Generally, child psychologists seek to understand the development of the human mind during childhood and adolescence, and implement special programs to improve or heal the lives of children and teenagers. Child psychologists may focus their practice on helping children individually, or they may offer family therapy as well. In custody disputes, one or both parents may solicit the services of a child psychologist to testify as an expert about child behavior and development, the rapport the child has with his or her parents, about how the child is coping with the ongoing divorce or custody battle, and about how the child’s wellbeing will be impacted by the proposed custody arrangement.

In order to find a qualified child psychologist to help their child or children through a custody dispute, many parent often ask a family doctor or an attorney who specializes in divorce or child custody disputes recommended one or more child psychologists to help their children and potentially testify as experts. As with any decision to engage the services of an expert or professional, parents should not only be concerned about finding an affordable option, but should seek to hire a caring and thorough professional who is interested in helping their child or children heal and successfully develop despite the stresses that often arise during a custody dispute.