Forensic therapy 101:
Therapy recommendations, evidence-based resources, & best practices (2015)
Subtitle: “How to not fumble the therapy ball”
PowerPoint Presentation and Handouts:
La_Paloma_2015
Brunner_Forensic_Therapy_101_2015
Ten Differences Chart_111715
Resilience_Hand_Divorce ST 1 25
“Better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football. ”
–John Heisman
The wisdom of (fictitious) Los Angeles attorney Mickey Haller:
“You know what my father said about innocent clients?… He said the scariest client a lawyer will ever have is an innocent client. Because if you mess up and he goes to prison, it’ll scar you for life… He said there is no in between with an innocent client. No negotiation, no plea bargain, no middle ground. There’s only one verdict. You have to put an NG up on the scoreboard. There’s no other verdict but not guilty”
Levin nodded thoughtfully.
“The bottom line was my old man was a damn good lawyer and he didn’t like having innocent clients, I said. “I’m not sure I do, either”
–Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer
Presenter: Thomas M. Brunner, PhD
Thomas M. Brunner is President of Dr. Brunner and Associates, a forensic and clinical healthcare and consulting firm serving those in southern Arizona and beyond. Dr. Brunner has been in practice since 2005, and is a recognized expert in forensic, child/adolescent, and assessment issues. Dr. Brunner is the author of numerous book chapters and peer reviewed scientific journal articles, has been a keynote speaker, and is senior author of a psychological measure now adapted into 10 languages. He has received awards for his research and professional contributions, including from the Arizona Psychological Foundation. Dr. Brunner regularly works with court systems and private attorneys to provide defensible forensic assessment involving high conflict legal decision-making/parenting time, fitness for duty, disability, and general mental health evaluations.
Dr. Brunner has provided Tucson area psychology services for over 20 years.
Topic Index:
What is forensic therapy and who does it?
Who does forensic therapy well?
The scientific status of psychotherapy treatment research – psychologist perspective
What are the “gold standard” psychological references for what is evidence-based?
One gap in the forensic assessment-to-therapy referral road
Best practice “close the gap” principles – forensic therapy recommendations
Two examples of actual forensic therapy recommendations:
Example of an adult therapy hand-off minimizing chance for fumble:
Example of adult therapy directive for therapist regarding lingering issues that are outside the scope of the evaluation:
Bibliography:
AAFC-Guidelines for Court-Involved Therapy (2010):
How to interview a therapist – Tips:
Philosophy underlying Treatment Selection:
–Edited by Catonguay, Louis & Beutler, Larry (2005). Principles of Therapeutic Change that Work (Oxford Series in Clinical Psychology).
–Beutler, Larry (2000). Prescriptive Psychotherapy: A Practical Guide to Systematic Treatment Selection.
List of Most Evidence-Based Treatments
–Adults:
–Official List of Empirically Supported Treatments (adults):
https://www.div12.org/psychological-treatments/
You may search by Disorder or by Treatment. You should read the “Treatment Home” section first.
Examples of Credible Evidence-based Resources:
https://www.div12.org/psychological-treatments/related-links/
Links from aforementioned website listing some best practices books.