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Lynne’s approach to mediation is both therapeutic and solution focused. Having studied with the creators of the solution focused approach in North America, Lynne’s skilled questioning assists parents to identify what needs to be different for their post separation relationship to improve and prevent the negative impact of any adult issues upon their children.
Her therapeutic approach incorporates a psychoeducational component where parents are provided with a clear structure in how to co-parent that highlights the developmental needs of children. This is an important component that essentially promotes child focused solutions. Parents are supported in identifying how to communicate and co-parent using a clearly defined structure that is designed to limit conflict and aid parent to parent communication. When parents know how to develop their structure, it removes much of their distress and conflict. This model assumes that parents have both the innate ability and the need to co-parent their children co-operatively.
At the end of usually no more than a three-hour process, including intake sessions, parents are provided with a written document outlining the agreement reached during mediation. When skilled solution and future focused models are applied, this negates the need for lengthy and costly mediation or dispute resolution. (In saying this, parent issues are heard and acknowledged.) Agreements reached can be either filed in the Federal Circuit Court, or prepared as Consent Orders by their legal representatives.
Lynne has developed a child focused model to assist in the reunification of a parent and child/children. This model assists parents in assuming self-responsibility for their child/children rather than handing this to a legal representative or Judge. Parents and children are seen individually and in varying combinations, with the content of the particular issues defining Lynne’s approach to reunification. Having a model that allows the skilled flexibility to fit whatever the issues may be, generates a more successful outcome.
On some occasions, matters can resolve more easily when parents are made aware of how their child/children think and feel about their parent’s separation, both to inform the dispute resolution process and permit a child to have a voice.
Child inclusive mediation or dispute resolution is normally recommended for older children.
With Lynne’s clinical expertise including a systemic understanding of family functioning, she is well placed to provide this service to separating couples. This is only offered when attempts to resolve issues will be assisted by having a direct understanding of a child’s experiences and/or expressed views. While children’s views are both identified and acknowledged, they are confidential, and together with Lynne they will select and know clearly what information is conveyed to their parents. They are also informed they will not be responsible for the outcome, as this is a parent responsibility.
Lynne is an accredited Regulation 7 Family Consultant with the Family Court and Federal Circuit Courts of Australia. This requires her to provide comprehensive forensic assessments of children’s needs, along with the capacity of the parents or significant adults to meet these. They are legal documents, prepared to assist both parents, legal representatives and Judges to either agree to, or order developmentally appropriate and child-focused parenting schedules. Formerly Senior Family Consultant for the Family Court of Australia - Gold Coast sub-Registry, she has supervised Family Consultants report preparation to ensure they are of a high standard prior to these being released to the Court.
Lynne also offers family therapy to families experiencing distress. This is a non- judgmental, specialized model of psychotherapy that focuses on the interactional and contextual determinants of human behavior as well as intrapsychic and developmental processes.
It assumes that clients have the innate ability to overcome the difficulties in which they find themselves. It also assists them to identify and understand patterns in relationships, being mindful of issues of power and gender and how these socially constructed beliefs can influence their lives and relationships. Lynne has supervised and trained therapists in their therapeutic work for more than twenty years.