Our Services

1. How I can help them with family visitation services.

 2. Counseling services with attorneys.

•   The visitation monitor is the eyes and ears of the court. Their key duty is to work as a neutral third party during the child or children's visits with their non-custodial parent.     The visitation monitor is the eyes and ears of the court. Their key duty is to work as a neutral third party during the child or children’s visits with their non-custodial parent. The monitor is present for the physical and emotional safety and legal protection of all parties involved. During a visit, the monitor is in charge. He/she is not present to give advice or opinions or act as a babysitter. The monitor is the “fly on the wall,” observing and noting everything that takes place. He/she should not intervene unless rules are broken or danger is present. If a non-custodial parent, (NCP) breaks the rules or behaves inappropriately, the monitor has the authority to intervene and if necessary, end the visit.  A report is usually required for the court and this will consist of a summary with observations and transcribed notes taken on visits. No opinions are stated and no recommendations are made. Sometimes a client or lawyer will ask for recommendations, but that is not our mandate. It is up to the lawyers, therapists, and judges to come up with conclusions and make recommendations based on our report and other factors. The monitor will communicate with the above professionals provided releases are signed by the clients. The only time a monitor can state an opinion or recommendation is when ordered to do so by the court. Rarely, the monitor is subpoenaed to appear in court. However, the subpoenaing party must remember that the monitor is a neutral third party, and cannot take sides.    What is supervised visitation? California’s law and public policy are to protect the best interest of children whose parents have a custody or visitation matter in family court. Custodial stability, continuity, and a loving parent-child relationship have been classified as the most important criteria for determining a child’s best interest. In certain circumstances, however, a judge may place safeguards when there are issues of protection and safety.  To protect the safety of a child, a judge may order that a child only have contact with a parent when a neutral third person is present during the visitation. This type of third-person visitation arrangement is often called supervised visitation.   How does supervised visitation become mandated by the court? Although California law recognizes the importance of frequent and ongoing contact with both parents, that rule is not absolute. The exception to the rule is when such an order is not consistent with the child’s best interest and where there may be conditions that make visitation uncomfortable or even dangerous for a child. In those scenarios, supervised visitation may be an appropriate answer. Family Code Section 3200.5(b) also requires a California family court to determine whether supervised visitation is necessary or not. Supervised visitation is typically ordered by the court to give the non-custodial parent the chance to work through certain issues and enhance the parent-child relationship and visits. If a child’s safety or well-being is at issue, there are several reasons why the judge may order supervised visitation, including To give the visiting parent a chance to address specific issues; To help reintroduce a parent and a child after a long absence; To help introduce a parent and a child when there has been no existing relationship between them; When there is a history or allegations of domestic violence, child abuse, and neglect, or substance abuse; When there are parenting concerns or mental illness; or When there is a parental threat of abduction. Parents may be able to establish a parenting plan and agree on the supervised visitation provider. However, if parents disagree on a parenting plan or provider and depending on the nature of the situation, the court will specify the time and duration of the visits, and may also specify where the visits are to take place and who is to supervise the visits. California family courts have wide discretion to consider any factor that may be relevant to visitation if it affects the health, safety, and welfare of the child. Thus, if supervised visitation is ordered, keep in mind it will be because the judge deems it to be in the best interest of the child.     2. Lawyers and other knowledge workers are under increasing pressure to do “deep work” (a term popularized by Professor Cal Newport) in environments riddled with distractions. Advancing technology requiring connectivity 24/7 along with other changes has witnessed alarming rates of stress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide within the legal profession. Moreover, some of the attributes rewarded and encouraged by the profession (e.g., skepticism and perfectionism) can wreak havoc when it comes to interpersonal relationships and overall well-being. As a coach, I work with individual lawyers to enhance their well-being by aligning their needs and values with their professional roles and responsibilities. Integral to my work is the extensive experience I gained as a shareholder, assistant general counsel, and chief professional development officer at Big Law firms. I understand the pressures attorneys face every day, and lawyers appreciate having a coach who truly understands the unique challenges they face trying to navigate their personal and professional aspirations.  As a consultant, I partner with bar associations, employers, law schools, and employee assistance programs to improve the well-being of attorneys and law students. My work is informed by the perspective and acumen developed through years of experience in the highest ranks of law firm management.  Through public speaking, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) presentations, and workshops, I offer science-backed strategies for lawyers and organizations designed to build resilience, heighten engagement, and empower stakeholders to create environments where lawyers can thrive in all dimensions of their lives.