This half-day training presents a unique opportunity for clinical and legal professionals to get up to date on contemporary practice in the area of parental alienation, or high conflict access/custody matters. As an interdisciplinary course, Brian O’Sullivan covers the clinical issues, while Brendan Guildea BL summarises the relevant legal factors.

CLINICAL

Brian O'Sullivan

In this 2 hour training, I will invite you to consider several themes. For example,

• How to identify an expert in Parental Alienation
• We will introduce some ideas regarding the patterns of misinformation regarding parental alienation in the literature
• We will briefly explore the validity and reliability of Bakers model of assessment
• We will deconstruct the five-factor model of assessment in PA as well as the 17 behaviours, 8 symptoms and systemic ideas from the 1950’s
• Outline other psychometric instruments for you to consider utilising in the assessment process of PA

LEGAL

Brendan Guildea

This is a 72-minute presentation, which can be watched on demand and includes.

• 20-page paper, including draft engagement response letter, recommended report layout and expert’s recommendation.
• Presentation slides.
• Recommended further reading and reference materials.
• Meet your annual training compliance (CPD).
• For lawyers. Learn how you can integrate the high conflict tactics arising from a PA welfare report into your practice.
• For clinical professionals. Improve the overall integrity of your practice and increase the strength of your recommendations in court.
• For parents. Empower yourself with the knowledge to engage with the clinical and legal process of report writing.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this talk, you will be able to: (1) ensure you are properly engaged before undertaking any investigation or therapy, (2) design your investigation in a fair and balanced manner (3) conduct your investigation in accordance with the in camera rule and avoiding unfounded allegations of bias or prejudgement, (3) write your report in a legally compliant manner, (4) prepare for your court appearance, and (5) review your report.

Brian's first undergraduate award was in Emergency Medical Science. He then earned a B.A. Psychotherapy & Psychometric Testing before earning an M.Sc. Systemic Family Psychotherapy at University College Dublin & the Mater Hospital.

Brian is a registered and accredited Systemic Family Psychotherapist with the Irish Council of Psychotherapy and the Family Therapy Association of Ireland. He has lectured on accredited undergraduate and post graduate program's in psychological theory and therapy. He has designed and delivered two M.Sc. programs both of which have been validated by Middlesex University, London.

His area of interest, practice and research relates to the phenomenon where children resist contact with a previous loved parent in an unjustified way in the context of high conflict separations and divorce often, referred to as parental alienation. He acts as an expert witness in private family law proceedings where alienation may be considered to be a factor.

Brian has completed the only study regarding parental alienation in Ireland. This study adds to a paucity in the literature globally. It was conducted with ethical permission from the Human Research Ethics Committee at University College Dublin and graded A in final examination.

Brian has been published in peer reviewed and non peer reviewed journals nationally and internationally. He has delivered seminars regarding PA at a variety of venues including the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference (2016) in Nottingham and more recently at Queens University Belfast (2018) and the Tavistock Clinic London (2018).

Before commencing practice at the Irish bar in 2011, Brendan studied law in Trinity College Dublin (LL.B), King's College London (LL.M) and the Honorable Society of King's Inns (B.L.). He specialises in high conflict access and custody cases, as well as cases involving aspects of the in camera rule.

Brendan has successfully represented custodial and non-custodial parents before Irish courts of all levels, from the District to Supreme Court. He also assists with applications to the European Court of Human Rights and child abduction proceedings under the Hague Convention.

As a faculty member of the Post Graduate Certificate in Parental Alienation Studies, accredited by the Maltese Institute of Further and Higher education, Brendan is working towards a multi-disciplinary approach to parental alienation cases which will empower judges to intervene at an early stage.

In February 2020 Brendan was invited to speak on ethical aspects of parental alienation at the EU Parliament Buildings in Brussels at an event organised by Prof. Dr. Klaus Buchner MEP ÖDP and Forum Soziale Inklusion e.V. He gives talks and publishes articles regularly on the legal challenges of parental alienation. 

Brendan lives with his wife Rebecca and their three boys in County Wicklow, Ireland.