Conflict, transition and the powerful emotions associated with divorce understandably prompt some individuals to seek out psychological services. Most callers are unaware of the variety of psychological services that may be relevant in this context or the distinctions among these services.

This page is intended to detail the various services Dr. Garber is available to provide to individuals, families and family law professionals seeking psychological services in the context of family transition, conflict and divorce.

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the easy-to-read "Which hat to wear?" chart

Ethics and practical considerations mandate that psychologists wear one hat at a time. This means that Dr. Garber may be available to provide one of the services described below, but cannot provide more than one service at any one time. This rule also limits Dr. Garber's availability to provide two or more distinct services in sequence over time. 

Family conflict, parental separation and divorce are routinely associated with two simultaneous processes: Emotional upheaval (and related difficulties of behavior, health and relationships) and legal process.  

CLINICAL services seek to address the emotional, behavioral, health and relationship difficulties of an individual, couple, group or family. Clinical services are typically available in the form of psychotherapy. Learn more about psychotherapy here

FORENSIC services are those psychological evaluations and interventions intended to serve the court. These services typically seek to help the court to rule in a legal matter. Examples include evaluations relevant to custody determinations and court-ordered anger management therapy. Learn more about forensic services here    and about custody evaluation here

Clinical and forensic psychological services differ at least as to whose needs are addressed. Clinical services seek to address the needs of the client(s) or patient(s). Forensic services seek to address the needs of the legal system.

3. Can Dr. Garber meet with me before I commit to participate in an ongoing service? 

Absolutely. The request to interview a professional before engaging in a service makes good sense. HOWEVER, please be aware that if you are involved in high conflict litigation, a preliminary meeting may lead believe that Dr. Garber has become your ally and therefore no longer neutral to the conflict.  

For example: Mom calls to request that Dr. Garber provide co-parenting support for herself, her ex-husband and his new wife. In the interest of confirming that Dr. Garber's services might "fit" with the co-parents' needs, she requests a preliminary individual meeting. Dr. Garber warns that to meet in this way will likely prompt her ex-husband to believe that he is somehow on her "side." As alternatives, a preliminary meeting with each parent can be arranged. At the least, Mom is advised to inform her ex-husband of her wish for a preliminary meeting.

Click here to learn more about co-parenting interventions

4. What clinical services is Dr. Garber available to provide in the context of divorce? 

Dr. Garber has a special interest in helping families and the courts to better met the needs of children whose families are in transition. As a result, a number of relevant services are available.

a. Individual child therapy: Because children often experience co-parental conflict, separation and divorce as a tremendous upheaval, outpatient psychotherapy can offer a child a very much needed "port in the storm." The goals of such therapies routinely include the provision of stability in the midst of turmoil. In addition, specific goals including understanding the family transition, establishing healthy and appropriate means of expressing emotions associated with this experience and mastering specific behavioral difficulties (e.g., sleep difficulties, peer and sibling conflict, school failure) are often critically important. Click here to learn more about psychotherapy

b. Sibling (group) therapy: No matter how much they bicker and fight, siblings provide one another with the greatest sense of stability and security possible when families are in conflict. Psychotherapy with brothers and sisters together as a group can help siblings learn how to support one another and better manage the stresses of the family's changes.

c. Individual adult and couples' psychotherapy: Adults caught up in the trauma and turmoil of co-parental conflict, separation and divorce are going through a grieving process. The family that once was, is no longer. Establishing a neutral, supportive therapy can help adults keep perspective not only on their own needs but on their children's needs as well. Such therapies can be particularly helpful for those adult who experience depression, anxiety and/or anger associated with these changes.  

4. What forensic services is Dr. Garber available to provide in the context of divorce?

Dr. Garber brings specialized training, experience and/or certification to families in conflict so as to provide the following court-related services when the necessary conditions are in place:

a. Co-parenting intervention: Dr. Garber is available to work with highly conflicted co-parents toward the goal of improving child-centered communication and consistency. When co-parents are unable to sit together to participate in this process (e.g., when domestic violence is a concern), Dr. Garber may be able to meet with parties in a separate but parallel facilitated co-parenting process known as Directed Co-parenting Intervention or DCI. Learn more about DCI here

b. Child-centered Family Evaluation (CCFE; also known as "custody evaluation"): Dr. Garber brings unique experience and skills to the complex process of family. Dr. Garber's background and expertise in developmental psychology, family systems and the attachment paradigm qualify him as assist the court in addressing the needs of children impacted by co-parental conflict, separation and divorce. Learn more about custody or CCFE evaluation here

c. Guardian ad litem: Dr. Garber is a New Hampshire certified Guardian ad litem (GAL). A GAL is a court-appointed child-centered professional assigned to investigate specific matters so as to assist a judge or marital master in deciding a specific matter. Dr. Garber accepts GAL appointments under very specific conditions toward the goal of assisting the court in better meeting children's needs. Click here to learn more about GALs in the state of New Hampshire .  

d. Parenting Coordinator: A Parenting Coordinator (PC) is a child-centered professional appointed by the court in order to help conflicted co-parents settle child-centered matters post-divorce. The PC is a mediator/arbiter assigned the task of investigating, mediating and, as necessary arbitrating specific disputes over a limited but renewable time period. Click here to learn more about this  new and promising o pportunity to help children

e. Consultant and/or expert witness: Dr. Garber strongly prefers to engage conflicted families as a neutral, child-centered helper.  When this is not possible, Dr. Garber may be available to serve as consultant or expert witness to one party. This "partisan"  role is only acceptable when it is understood that Dr. Garber will only represent what he believes to be in the child[ren]'s best interests. In this capacity, Dr. Garber may be available to review psychotherapy and psychological assessment materials, advise/educate the Court, Guardians ad litem and/or attorneys in matters pertaining to child and family development, co-parental conflict, separation and divorce, most particularly on the subjects of parental alignment, alienation and attachment. Click here to learn more about these subjects