Services
Consulting
Court Consultation: High-Conflict Custody and Child Welfare Cases
Family court and child welfare proceedings place parents under constant scrutiny, where behavior, communication, and engagement in services can directly influence case outcomes. Stress-driven reactions or fear of transparency are often interpreted as instability or resistance, shaping professional impressions and case direction.
Drawing on more than a decade of experience as a court-appointed forensic evaluator, Dr. Mirkin provides focused consultation on how courts and child welfare professionals assess parenting capacity, risk, and reunification readiness – factors that guide service planning and permanency decisions. Parents understand what is being evaluated, how progress is determined, and the specific behavioral changes required to demonstrate meaningful improvement and support case advancement.
Participation in services alone does not demonstrate progress. Barriers to case advancement are identified, with coordination alongside attorneys and service providers to ensure behavioral changes are observable, consistent, and aligned with court expectations. This includes demonstrating accountability, transparency, stability, consistent parenting behavior, and functional application of skills learned in services.
The focus is on strategic preparation, effective engagement, and sustained behavioral change across settings to promote favorable outcomes.
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Consultation Focus Areas
Service Engagement, Coordination, and Progress Monitoring
Clarifies the purpose of recommended services, defines expected progress, and explains how participation is evaluated in the case. Identifies barriers contributing to lack of case progression, strengthens behavioral consistency between sessions, and ensures skills learned in services are applied in everyday parenting. Coordinates with attorneys and providers to address factors limiting progress, align interventions with case expectations, and support observable behavioral change. Evaluates service effectiveness and identifies needed adjustments to promote case advancement and long-term parenting stability.
Psychological Evaluation Preparation
Prepares clients for court-ordered evaluations by outlining what evaluators assess, how child-focused determinations are made, and how to present personal history in a clear, organized, and consistent manner.
Professional Communication and Meeting Preparation
Prepares clients for professional interactions and case-related meetings. Emphasizes clear, organized communication, reduction of emotionally driven narratives, and avoidance of behaviors that can negatively impact professional impressions and case outcomes.
Case Documentation and Record Organization
Organize records, timelines, and supporting materials so important information is clear, accessible, and ready to share with attorneys, evaluators, or other professionals.
Consultation Process
What to Expect
Initial Case Review
Comprehensive review of case history, current concerns, and factors contributing to stalled progress. Clarifies how behavior and service participation are being interpreted by professionals. Identifies risk areas, misunderstandings, and priorities tied to upcoming legal or evaluative events.
Strategic Case Planning
Development of a targeted plan to improve functioning within the case. Focus includes strengthening communication, stabilizing service engagement, improving behavioral presentation, and aligning actions with standards used to assess parenting capacity and progress. Involves coordination with attorneys and service providers to clarify expectations and address barriers to advancement.
Ongoing Case Consultation
Ongoing review of case functioning to address concerns as they develop and support forward progress. Focus includes improving behavioral consistency, identifying factors limiting case advancement, and ensuring service participation results in observable change that supports continued case movement.
All services are confidential and tailored to the specific clinical, legal, and systemic demands of each case.
Who These Services Support
Parents involved in high-conflict custody matters, child welfare investigations, reunification processes, and court-ordered evaluations.
Attorneys and service providers seeking case-specific consultation to evaluate client functioning, address barriers to progress, service adjustment, and align interventions with court expectations.
Coaching
Parenting Capacity and Reunification Support
Drawing on her experience as a former court-appointed forensic evaluator, Dr. Mirkin provides perspective on the factors courts and evaluators often consider when assessing parenting capacity and readiness for reunification.
This service supports parents preparing for court-related evaluations or working to strengthen parenting skills in the context of custody, dependency, or reunification matters. Sessions focus on improving insight into a child’s developmental and emotional needs, strengthening judgment and decision-making, and developing parenting practices that support safe, stable, and developmentally appropriate care.
Dr. Mirkin help parents remain emotionally regulated, organized, and child-focused during high-stakes custody and child welfare proceedings, where interactions with professionals and parenting behaviors may be closely evaluated. Sessions focus on developing practical skills and behavioral consistency considered when determining a parent’s ability to safely care for and support their child.
Consultation may address areas such as:
Understanding What Courts and Evaluators Look For
Gain insight into what courts and psychologists prioritize when evaluating parenting capacity and fitness.
Parent–Child Interaction and Visitation Preparation
Prepare for supervised visits and understand expectations for successful interactions, particularly when rebuilding trust after periods of separation.
Emotional Regulation Under Stress
Develop strategies to manage strong emotions during evaluations, meetings, and case-related interactions so responses remain thoughtful rather than reactive.
Communication During Challenging Interactions
Learn to communicate clearly and prioritize key information so conversations with professionals remain focused and productive.
Hearing and Testimony Preparation
Practice responding to questions during hearings or other formal proceedings while maintaining composure under pressure.
Co-Parent Communication
Develop strategies for communicating effectively with the other parent despite conflict while keeping the focus on the child’s needs.
Maintaining a Child-Centered Focus
Strengthen the ability to keep the child’s wellbeing at the center of decisions and conversations, even during stressful interactions.
Organization and Case Follow-Through
Develop practical systems for tracking services, appointments, and requirements while demonstrating consistent follow-through throughout the case.
Understanding Child Development and Emotional Needs
Strengthen insight into a child’s developmental and emotional needs to support safe, stable, and developmentally appropriate parenting.
Career, Academic, and Life Direction Coaching
Dr. Mirkin provides coaching for adolescents and adults navigating important educational, professional, and life decisions. Drawing on her expertise in counseling, school counseling, and psychoeducational assessment, she helps individuals step back from immediate pressures to thoughtfully consider their strengths, priorities, and next steps while gaining insight into how their thinking patterns, strengths, and decision-making styles shape choices and experiences over time. This may include managing academic demands, exploring college or career pathways, or gaining direction during periods of transition.
Coaching sessions provide structure and perspective amid uncertainty. Individuals develop practical strategies for organizing priorities, approaching decisions thoughtfully, and creating systems that support follow-through and sustained progress.
Areas of focus may include academic planning and college preparation, career direction and professional development, executive functioning and organizational strategies, communication and decision-making skills, and navigating transitions that require additional support.
Schedule a Consultation
Services are available nationwide, virtually or in person. [Inquire or Schedule Consultation]
Professional Disclaimer: Consultation and coaching services are educational and consultative in nature and do not constitute psychotherapy, mental health treatment, legal advice, or forensic evaluation services. These services do not guarantee court outcomes. Consultation and coaching do not establish a psychotherapy or treatment relationship. Dr. Mirkin does not serve as a treating therapist or evaluator in matters related to a client’s legal case through these services.
Evaluations
Psychological Evaluation & Testing
Court-Ordered Psychological Evaluations
Sometimes the court requests a psychological evaluation to better understand complex family dynamics or mental health concerns. In California, these are often referred to as Evidence Code §730 evaluations. They are used in family, juvenile, and dependency matters to provide the court with an objective and well-informed understanding of the situation.
Dr. Shalaby conducts these evaluations using a combination of clinical interviews, psychological testing, collateral information, and comprehensive records review. This structured process draws from multiple sources to ensure accuracy and to distinguish between perceptions, allegations, and verifiable facts. The goal is to provide clear, evidence-based findings that support informed, child-centered court decisions.
Parental Capacity and Fitness Evaluations
Parental Capacity (or Fitness) Evaluations examine a parent’s psychological functioning, parenting strengths, and ability to provide a safe, stable, and developmentally appropriate environment for a child. Courts may request these evaluations when concerns arise regarding a parent’s mental health, judgment, emotional stability, or ability to meet a child’s needs.
Typical Referrals Include:
- Assess child safety and caregiving capacity in Child Protective Services cases
- Evaluation of parenting capacity in custody disputes involving mental health concerns, alienation, abuse or neglect, domestic violence, or substance use
- Determination of readiness for adoption or guardianship
- Evaluation of long-term caregiving capacity in termination of parental rights proceedings
- Assessment of parental stability and readiness for reunification
Psychological and Neuropsychological Evaluations
Psychological and neuropsychological evaluations assess cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning, including brain-based processes related to thinking, learning, attention, memory, and emotional regulation. Evaluations clarify diagnostic questions, identify neurodevelopmental or psychological conditions, and inform treatment planning, educational decisions, or accommodations. Common referral concerns include trauma, anxiety, depression, mood instability, intellectual and learning disabilities, and behavioral difficulties.
The process includes clinical interviews, standardized testing, and record review. When appropriate, collateral information from parents, educators, or other professionals is incorporated. Findings are summarized in a comprehensive written report with diagnostic impressions and individualized recommendations. A feedback consultation is provided to review results and discuss next steps.
Areas Of Evaluation
Cognitive And Academic Functioning
- Intellectual And Cognitive Assessment
- Learning Disability Assessment
Neuropsychological Functioning
- Comprehensive Neuropsychological Evaluation
- ADHD Evaluation
- Attention And Memory Assessment
- Executive Function Assessment
Diagnostic And Personality Evaluation
- Diagnostic Evaluation Of Trauma, Mood, Anxiety, And Behavioral Conditions
- Personality And Emotional Functioning Assessment
Service Availability and Insurance
In-person services are available in Los Angeles and Orange County. Telehealth services are available statewide.
Dr. Shalaby accepts select insurance plans for clinical psychological and neuropsychological evaluations; coverage should be verified with the office. Court-ordered and forensic evaluations are private pay only.
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