There is no one size fits all treatment plan – each family will require an individualized plan focused on the specific issues that have been impacting the parent-child relationships. The professionals involved will work together with each family member to establish individual goals, as well as working to protect the children from the impact of further conflict.

The program typically utilizes an “Overcoming Barriers” approach. This is a practical and nuanced alternative to on-going, expensive, and sometimes frustrating litigation, or counselling that may become “stuck” without a practical resolution.

The Overcoming Barriers approach is a means for families working with professionals to address the issues that arise in families where a child is resisting or refusing to see a parent. The Overcoming Barriers program is a “best practices” choice for post-divorce/separation families caught in intractable parental conflict cycle which is negatively impacting the parent child relationships. The program brings together the entire family in a positive, clinically supported, and natural environment, to learn and practice skills as a rebalanced family.

Virtually anyone could attempt to offer this service, despite lack of training/experience, likely with mixed results, which may or may not be harmful to the children, the parents, or both.

Those professionals successfully offering family reunification counselling are Registered Clinical Counsellors, Registered Social Workers, or Registered Psychologists who are specifically trained in child development, family systems therapy, family mediation, family law, and quite often, are also Parent Coordinator trained or qualified.

Professionals who identify this type of service within their clinical practices, have typically dedicated significant time to becoming trained with the knowledge, skills, and tools for working with this type of family situation. A professional currently working in the field would have been mentored by others who are actively practicing and will have taken training courses and participated in team accountability sessions with a trained team leader.

These professionals offering Family Reunification would also typically be knowledgeable about family law, mediation, and other nuances that are very specific to family reunification situations. Training in working with high conflict and litigated cases is also an asset. There is a significant amount of research literature available, and a growing volume of books have been written on the subject by authors who are well-respected in the profession.

The following steps would typically be involved in a family reunification program:

1. Review of the case for suitability to the program and Intake:
1. History of the case;
2. Review of documents, evaluations, and court orders;
3. Identify previous strategies tried, and previous recommendations;
4. Identify primary concerns and specific objectives for the family, and each of the children (what needs to be different for the program to be successful).
2. Assessment of the functioning of the parents, stepparents, and the child(ren):
1. What are the current parenting skills and abilities;
2. What are the relationship dynamics in the family now;
3. Is the child experiencing any significant problems or identified symptoms in the areas of school performance, social, emotional, and physical functioning;
4. Does the child have any identified special needs that need to be considered in planning a successful intervention for the family;

5. Are there alienation or estrangement patterns identified that are negatively impacting the parent-child relationships which need to be resolved?

   The following are commonly identified concerns and issues that are identified:

• Badmouthing or negative attitudes/statements about the other parent;
• Limiting contact with the other parent;
• Interfering with communication between the other parent and the child;
• Withholding love and approval;
• Advising the child about the love or dysfunctions of the targeted parent;
• Allowing or forcing the child to choose between parents;
• Creating the impression that the other parent is dangerous; viii. Confiding adult issues with the child;
• Forcing the children to actively or passively reject the targeted parent;
• Asking for information from the child about the parenting of the targeted parent;
• Asking the child to keep secrets from the targeted parent;
• Withholding medical, social, or academic information from the targeted parent;
• Undermining the authority of the targeted parent;
• Estrangement or alienation by the child as a result of inappropriate, or negative parental actions or issues.
3. Talk with legal counsel for both parties and identify any legal issues and concerns (if applicable).
4. Develop a treatment plan and schedule for the parents and caregivers regarding the process of family reunification.
5. The parents are provided with an agreement for services that they can review with their lawyers and then sign, prior to beginning the program. Sometimes, the parents have been court ordered to participate, in which case the courts may have ordered specifics, which must be written into the agreement.
6. Assign a Team Leader, Parent Counsellors, and Counsellor(s) for the child(ren), as required for the case.
7. Implementation of plan. Typically including:
1. Individual counselling with each parent and caregiver;
2. Depending on age and maturity of child, individual sessions with each child and each child accompanied separately by each parent;
3. As part of the planned program, parents may also receive education/training on healthy parenting and how their current parenting style and behaviours are impacting the child(ren). This can involve a referral to an outside agency;
4. Intensive sessions that can involve the entire family and may be scheduled for as short as a few hours, half day, or as long as a three-day weekend.
8. After goals and treatment plans are mostly achieved, regular maintenance appointments or “as needed” appointments are available as required to both parents and children. Copies of progress reports may be generated and provided to lawyers/mediators, or the courts, as needed.

1. The Overcoming Barriers Family Reunification program is a focused, professional and team-based approach, where the conflicts within a divorced/separated family are negatively impacting children or causing estrangement. Family counselling is typically led by one counsellor and is for families who are still together, experiencing more minor conflicts and is typically for a very limited time;
2. Family reunification programs in general, focus more on the needs of the child(ren), and their relationship to each parent;
3. Because of the goal-orientation and flexibility of a team approach with the Overcoming Barriers program, the program could be utilized for child(ren) to reconnect with a parent due to circumstances other than divorce, or with high-conflict, separated co-parents;
4. The Overcoming Barriers program often includes “on site” support in multiple settings depending on the needs of the children and the families. Clinical sessions could be held in:
1. Family homes;
2. Recreation centers;
3. Nature parks or preserves;
4. In clinical offices.