MO-AFCC Spring Conference

The Missouri Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (MO-AFCC)

The Focus is on Children:
March 4, 1-5 p.m. via Zoom -
Family Court and Transgender/Gender-Expansive Children and
March 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. via Zoom -
Reducing Anxiety & Family Conflict through Structure 
CU/CLE credit applied, including Ethics and Elimination of Bias Credit

Featuring international speakers
​Dr. Phillip Stahl, Dr. Ben Garber, and Dr. Robert Simon 
This year's spring conference is a virtual two-day conference for the price of a one-day event! Enjoy informative sessions on the most pressing issues of the day, offered by leading experts in the field. View the full agenda below and scroll down to register for this event.

Agenda

Friday, March 4, 2022 (1 p.m. - 5 p.m.) - Family Court and Transgender/ Gender-Expansive Children ​

  • Transgender / Gender-Expansive Children and their Parents involved in Custody Disputes - How Do We Be Helpful? with Camellia M. Bellis, MEd, Katherine A. Kuvalanka, PhD, and Asaf Orr, JD - This webinar is designed for family court professionals engaging with transgender/gender-expansive children involved in divorce and child custody cases. Through presentations by experts in the field, case studies, and breakout room discussions, participants will learn about the experiences of affirming parents and their transgender/gender-expansive children involved in custody disputes, consider what affirming family courts look like, gain an understanding of the importance of affirmation of transgender/gender-expansive children, and consider implications for the "best interest" standard.
  • Provider Panel: The Standard of Care in Transgender/Gender- Expansive Children’s Services
    in St. Louis & Kansas City with Catherine Hasler, PhD, Christine Moser, PsyD, and Sharon Vermont, MD - Panel discussion by local medical experts on the services provided in Missouri to transgender and gender-expansive children and their families and recommendations on how family courts can better meet their needs. Learn about the Children's Mercy Hospital Gender Pathways Center in Kansas City and the Washington University Transgender Center in St. Louis.

March 11, 2022 (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) - Reducing Anxiety and Family Conflict through Structure 

  • Structure Reduces Anxiety: Creating Structures to Reduce Family Conflict with Benjamin D. Garber, PhD, Robert A. Simon, PhD, and Philip M. Stahl, PhD, ABPP - Structure means limits and associated consequences, boundaries that define space, routines that define time, and roles that define relationships. The presenters apply this conceptualization to (1) parenting, (2) parenting plans, (3) parent-child enmeshment, (4) co-parenting and parenting coordination, (5) professional guidelines and standards, and (6) court orders. Participants are encouraged to carefully review how they create and manage professional structures to improve child-centered outcomes and reduce risk of burn-out and vicarious trauma.
  • Understanding the Dynamics of Structure and Restructuring in Family Court Mediation and Parenting Coordination with Simone A. Haberstock, CPA, JD, LLM - This session will explore the benefits of the structure of mediation in helping parents solve problems and begin to restructure their co-parenting relationship. It will also look at ways to use mediation techniques for reframing, summarizing and paraphrasing to help clients see situations differently and overcome cognitive distortions. Practitioners will learn about adapting negotiation and communication strategies to help clients in mediation become more prepared and engaged in the mediation process. 
  • Parallel Parenting as a Form of Co-Parenting with Art Nissenbaum, JD, LPC - This session will help you identify high-conflict parents who will be best served with parallel parenting plans; develop parallel parenting plans; and take actions that support disengagement of the parents.​

Eleven Expert Presenters 

Click on any image below to view the presenter's name and credentials. 

Continuing Education Credit 

​AFCC maintains responsibility for the program and its content. Annual conferences provide CE credits for attorneys, social workers, and psychologists.  Approval pending.

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Cancellations

No refunds will be issued.