Narrative-Invitational Approaches to Working with Men who use Violence
Clients:
For Practitioners:
FOR CLIENTS WHO ARE SEPARATING
Information about Counselling in Relation to Family Separation
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"If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people."
Please email us for questions:
FAMILY LAW MATTERS:
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So you have been referred to Adelaide Narrative by a lawyer, agency or Family Court?
Your lawyer or the Family Court of Australia has referred you to counselling for ‘anger management’, 'behaviour change' or co-parenting conflict at Adelaide Narrative.
Both men/dads and women/mums are referred to us to address their parenting, co-parenting relationship and hopes for giving their kids the best shared-home environment.
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Referrals are made to Adelaide Narrative from Lawyers, Agencies and the Family Court for people going through separation.
What to expect:
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Counselling sessions. A minimum of 6-8 sessions are reportable to the court, you may opt for more.
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Therapeutic focus. Counsellors invite you into an ethical and accountable change process for your parenting hopes. We care about men's and women's mental health and safety of children.
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Legal focus. Counsellors take a detailed focus on legal matters to help you make sense and context of separation.
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Letters and Reports can be requested
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Fees are discussed with your counsellor.
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Private health insurance rebates are available, but not Medicare rebates for Family Law Counselling
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All counsellors at Adelaide Narrative do all of this work. We reduce gender bias by offering a mixed gender team that can speak to all aspects, including allegations of violence and abuse, anger management, parenting, children.
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Relationships are messy, separation can be tough.
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​We support efforts for constructive and kind co-parenting that is an antidote to destructive, stressful relationships and confused kids. Reports can be provided.
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For comprehensive information about the separation process (preferably before you talk with a lawyer), and referrals to community counsellors see Family Relationships Government Website.
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For more information see: Children and Family Law information on the Australian Attorney General Website
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Family Law Counselling Services - General Information
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Family Law Counselling is offered in two different contexts:
a. Community Service Agencies
b. Private Counselling Services
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a. Family & Relationship Centres | Community Service Agencies
Family and Relationship Centres are located at not-for-profit community service agencies such as Relationships Australia, Uniting Communities, Anglicare, Centacare and many other similar organisations around Australia.
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Family Law Counselling at one of these services is Not Court Reportable. The Family Law Act (1975) Division 2 Section 10 A - E stipulates the the role of family counsellors and restrictions on disclosure and inadmissibility of disclosures by clients to the Family Court of Australia, including in reports.
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However: ​
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b. Private Counselling Services
P​rivate counselling sessions, such as at Adelaide Narrative Therapy, are not bound by the inadmissibility section of the Family Law Act (1975). Therefore counselling sessions can be court-reportable in the form of expert witness reports, subpoena and cross-examination.
Adelaide Narrative Therapy offers counselling in a private capacity - paid by the client. Private counselling and psychological services offer sessions that are 'general' or that focus specifically on relationships, parenting and separation.
Application of private counselling and psychological services in the Family Law, Mediation and Family Separation occur according to the specific training and experience of the counsellor.
Counsellors are responsible and accountable to clients, others who depend and are influenced by clients such as children, as well as professionally accountable to their accrediting professional body. Practitioners are also guided by legal requirements for expert witnesses to inform the court
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Adelaide Narrative Therapists are counsellors trained and experienced in Family Law Counselling, Specialised Family Violence Counselling as well as experienced in writing reports for family law court as expert witnesses.
As we are a private organisation, we do NOT receive funding via the Family Law Act (AGs department). Therefore, your communication with us can be subject to disclosure to the Family Court. Counselling with us may be directed by a Court Order and a report may be requested.
Regarding Reports
Both letters and reports can be requested. In some cases a letter that states the dates of your attendance to counselling, some brief information about the context of the counselling provided, is less expensive and may suffice.
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Reports from Adelaide Narrative are substantial and as detailed as possible from the discussions in counselling sessions.
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​For more general information:
Contact the Family Relationship Advice Line on 1800 050 321
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Note on Counsellors and Psychologists:
​The experience and training of counsellors, psychologists and social workers in Adelaide, in family law counselling and domestic, family and intimate partner violence. anger management/behaviour change, emotional regulation psychology in parenting is somewhat equivalent, in that there is no formal degree or training. However specialist best practice in domestic violence and trauma counselling comes from years of work on specialist community agency teams around Australia. These teams and some private counsellors are rigorous in their attention to skill development and researching the latest fact-based evidence on relationships, families and parenting in Australia. Adelaide Narrative counsellors are trained through collective apprenticeship to the work and to progressive ideas about restorative justice and restitution after harm done (after Adelaide narrative therapist Michael White, psychologist Alan Jenkins and social worker Rob Hall).
We uphold the following five principles as active themes in our work with people: fairness, safety, responsibility, accountability and respect. We undertake regular professional development and have decades of experience in dedicated Family Law Counselling and Specialised Family Violence Counselling roles at Community Service Agencies and State Corrections services. We are registered with respective industry bodies.
Choosing to work with a practitioner is about what is recommended by the courts/legal practitioners, but it is also about who you feel comfortable to work with about your particular situation and family separation. Look for a good fit.​​​​
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