What Does a Therapist Mean When They Ask About “Legal Concerns?”

Anytime I do an intake session with parents of a new client I ask them if their family has any legal concerns. When parents stare at me blankly and ask me what I’m talking about, I tell them if they aren’t sure if they have any legal concerns, they probably don’t have any.

What am I talking about? Anything having to do with the legal system that potentially affects the child: an impending or ongoing divorce, a custody battle or anticipated custody battle, a DUI that prevents one parent or another adult from driving the kids, criminal charges that prevent any adult rom being around children, criminal charges that may mean one parent will be servicing time in jail, juvenile charges against the child or sibling, or potential for adoption all fall under this category.

Your therapist is not judging you or your family for any of these potential situations, we just want to understand the full picture of what the child is going through or may be going through in the future. Part of my job is to help you brainstorm ways to support your child through whatever they’re going through, including language to talk about difficult topics.