Approved CE Provider for:Â
Have you ever felt unsure about whether you could—or should—release therapy records in response to a subpoena, or wondered how to handle consent when parents share joint custody?
Therapy with Court-Involved Families is a must-have training for therapists in private practice who want to feel more confident, prepared, and protected when clients become involved in legal proceedings. Whether you're working with children, couples, or families, this course helps you understand your legal and ethical boundaries, avoid common pitfalls, and navigate subpoenas, custody disputes, and court correspondence and appearances with clarity and professionalism.
You’ll learn how to strengthen your consent forms, clarify your role from the first session, and protect both your clients and yourself from unintentional missteps. With real-world insights from a therapist who is also an attorney, you’ll walk away with practical tools you can apply immediately—and a greater sense of confidence when legal issues arise.
ENROLL NOWProgram OverviewÂ
Therapy with Court-Involved Families is a continuing education program designed for licensed therapists in private practice who encounter clients involved in legal proceedings, particularly in family court. Drawing on both clinical and legal expertise, the program explores the complexities of providing ethical, competent therapy when legal systems become involved—whether anticipated or unexpected. Key topics include distinguishing between forensic and clinical roles, navigating consent and custody issues, drafting litigation-informed paperwork, setting appropriate fees for court-related services, and effectively and ethically responding to subpoenas and court orders. The program also highlights supervisory considerations and strategies for maintaining clear professional boundaries to protect both client welfare and therapist liability.
Program Learning Objectives
Differentiate between clinical and forensic roles in court-involved cases including roles such as court-appointed therapist, parenting coordinator, or custody evaluator and how crossing these roles can result in ethical violations or legal risk.
Identify key considerations in drafting informed consent, custody, and fee agreements that are tailored to clients involved in or at risk of becoming involved in litigation.
Understand appropriate procedures for responding to subpoenas, court orders, and other legal requests while maintaining compliance with confidentiality laws and ethical standards.
Identify the therapist's scope of competence needed for effectively working as a court-involved therapist.
About BrandiÂ
Brandi Morgan Matthews, LMFT-S, Attorney at Law
As an LMFT-S and Attorney in Oklahoma, I previously founded and owned a multi-location group therapy practice for more than a decade. During my 15 years of practice as a therapist, I specialized in working with children and families in the context of divorce and custody matters. Since 2010, I have practiced law focused exclusively on the areas of: (1) child advocacy, including serving as a court-appointed guardian ad litem and parenting coordinator; and (2) legal consultation and representation for mental health professionals.
Today, my law practice focuses exclusively on serving mental health professionals in Oklahoma. Consultations include all issues related to the practice of therapy such as responding to subpoenas, court orders, records requests, and licensing board complaints to complex legal issues including suicide and homicide assessment, child abuse reporting, and domestic violence.
Through my years of experience as an attorney and mental health professional, I have consistently seen the need for quality continuing education on legal and ethical issues to help therapists proactively address and avoid costly legal issues--especially for therapists in private practice. To fill that need, my continuing education programs are dedicated to helping therapists build legally sound, profitable, streamlined, and sustainable businesses that make a significant impact--without the overwhelm, exhaustion, and burnout that is all too common to our profession.