Perspectives on Parent-Child Contact Problems: Theories, Voices, and Interventions

Perspectives on Parent-Child Contact Problems: Theories, Voices, and Interventions
Co-sponsored with the Family Law Section

This CLE offers a comprehensive exploration of Parent-Child Contact Problems (PCCP) through the lens of leading experts in the field. Dr. Michael Saini will begin with an overview of single, dominant, and multifactor theories of PCCP, followed by Dr. April Harris-Britt, who will discuss the importance of giving weight to children’s voices in these cases. The program concludes with Dr. Kathleen McNamara addressing effective legal and mental health interventions for navigating PCCP matters. Each presentation will include opportunities for Q&A, providing attendees with both theoretical understanding and practical guidance for their work with families.

Faculty:

Michael A. Saini, Ph.D.

University of Toronto, Faculty of Law

Michael A. Saini is a Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, where he holds the endowed Factor-Inwentash Chair in Law and Social Work and co-directs the Combined J.D./M.S.W. program. His research focuses on the intersections of law and social work, with particular attention to co-parenting, strained parent-child relationships, interparental conflict, technology in family dynamics, and child protection–custody crossover cases. For nearly two decades, he conducted parenting plan evaluations and supported children’s counsel for Ontario’s Office of the Children’s Lawyer. Currently, he serves as co-PI on multiple grants addressing co-parenting, family justice, and interdisciplinary legal-social work education, while also holding leadership roles with AFCC, APCO, FMC, and CCRC. Widely published with over 200 works, Dr. Saini has received numerous honors, including the AFCC’s Stanley Cohen Distinguished Research Award, and contributes extensively as a board member, editor, and reviewer in the field of family law and social work.

April Harris-Britt, Ph.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Dr. April Harris-Britt is a licensed psychologist in North Carolina and Virginia, where she has maintained a private practice in Durham since 2003. She provides therapy across the lifespan and specializes in comprehensive psychological, forensic, custody, guardian ad litem, and parental competency evaluations. Her expertise includes trauma, adoption, attachment, divorce transitions, learning and developmental challenges, autism spectrum disorders, and multicultural issues. Trained in evidence-based models such as Trauma-Focused CBT, EMDR, and Motivational Interviewing, she often works with families, attorneys, and courts in high-conflict custody matters, including co-parenting and reunification therapy, and also serves as a Parent Coordinator. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Harris-Britt holds faculty appointments at UNC-Chapel Hill and Fielding Graduate University, and her expertise has been featured nationally by CNN, Newsweek, and NurtureShock. She serves on multiple professional boards and committees, including the Center for Cooperative Parenting, the APA Advocacy Coordinating Committee, and AFCC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and is a founding member of the North Carolina AFCC Chapter.

Kathleen McNamara

Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Kathleen McNamara is a licensed psychologist in Fort Collins, Colorado, specializing in evaluation and intervention services for separating and divorcing families, as well as individuals and children facing conflict, loss, and life transitions. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Penn State, with prior degrees from The Ohio State University and a doctoral internship at the University of Texas at Austin. With extensive experience conducting parenting evaluations and serving as an expert witness in family law cases, she also consults with attorneys, parents, and mental health professionals on complex custody matters. A former tenured Associate Professor at Colorado State University, Dr. McNamara taught, supervised, and published widely before transitioning to full-time private practice. She is an active leader in professional organizations, serving on the AFCC Board of Directors, as past president of the Colorado Chapter of AFCC, and as a member of committees for the American Psychological Association, Colorado Psychological Association, and the Colorado Supreme Court Standing Committee on Family Issues.