Court-Ordered Therapy offers structured, professional support mandated by family or juvenile courts. Whether it’s to address high-conflict co-parenting, reunification needs, or child-focused emotional concerns, our clinicians provide a safe and impartial setting for progress—and healing.
Who Is It For—and Why It Matters
Court-Ordered Therapy is meant for families dealing with legal requirements, such as custody disputes, visitation issues, or other court-mandated family interventions. This type of therapy is not couples counseling; rather, it is a structured, goal-focused approach that addresses specific legal and family concerns.
It is designed for parents, children, or entire families who need help managing conflict, improving communication, and creating a healthier family environment while following court orders. The therapy focuses on the child's well-being, helping parents make decisions and take actions that promote stability, safety, and emotional growth. By providing clear structure, professional guidance, and proven strategies, court-ordered therapy assists families in meeting legal obligations, reducing conflict, and encouraging more cooperative parenting.
How It Works
Client Intake & Assessment
We begin with individual sessions for each parent to gather history, understand dynamics, and identify communication challenges. If there are attorneys involved in the case, we meet with both attorneys to make sure the legal goals of the Court are aligned with therapeutic goals. This assessment establishes a clear starting point for therapeutic work. After initial goals are established, we meet with the parties and attorneys regularly to ensure that treatment goals remain appropriate and any barriers to treatment are addressed.
Frequently Asked Questions
SD Family Services, Inc. is a unique group practice with a multidisciplinary approach to clinical and forensic services.
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Client Testimonials
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for providing the Guide to Aligning Professionals that you recently offered in the latest AFCC newsletter.
I am a therapist and my husband is a family law attorney, and we have lamented for years on how difficult it is to get professionals to collaborate for the good of children and families in these types of cases. he guide is well-written and quite comprehensive. The summary tables, definitions of terms and roles, and sample language for court orders were great pieces to include. I also appreciated the acknowledgement that many cases do not present with adequate resources to include the multiple professionals that would make everyone’s roles easier to clarify. That is the situation nearly all of the time here in outstate Nebraska, where my husband and I live and practice. We often struggle with the silo approach and with dual roles that muddy the waters. I plan to keep this guide handy and use it to illustrate points, as needed along the way, with parents and fellow therapists.
I printed your guide just now and plan to read it at home tonight and share it with my husband. Here’s the guide.
Melissa Adams, LICSW
On behalf of the Society of Clinical & Child Adolescent Psychology (SCCAP) leadership, one of the goals for our organization was to make SCCAP more relevant and valuable for our members – a reason to stay engaged with us beyond the student years. Our vision centered around offering impactful education, featuring content with real-world applicability, and inviting credible subject matter experts who not only share their expertise but also have A++ delivery. Dr. Deck’s presentation on therapeutic work with children and families of divorce embodied everything we had hoped for—and truly exceeded our expectations for the webinar program. The way you commanded the audience and delivered such practical, insightful content was exactly what our webinar program needed and I think is a huge boost for our members.
Dr. Adam Lewin
I had the great pleasure of working with Premela in her new clinical mediation program. Not only is Premela an excellent mediator, she is also kind enough to devote her time and energy into developing new programming to support families and children in high conflict situations. Her ability to organize the thoughts and conflicting energies of her clients is very impactful and I am exceedingly grateful to have had the chance to learn from her techniques. I would recommend Premela and her practice for any matters of family law and/or clinical work. She knows what she’s doing, that’s for sure.
Columbia University Teachers College
Premela is amazing. Do not hesitate to use them. Thank you Premela for everything
Mike P.
Premela’s team is knowledgeable, professional, and respectful. 10 out of 10.
Matt W.
We are so lucky to have SD Family services in our community! The services and support they provide to families are unmatched.
Nora M.
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