About the role

A Guardian ad Litem serves as a court-appointed advocate for children in matters involving custody, parenting time, co-parenting disputes, high conflict families, or other legal proceedings affecting children’s well-being. My role is to gather information about the child’s needs, experiences, and environment; communicate with caregivers, professionals, and relevant parties; and provide impartial recommendations that reflect the best interests of the child(ren).

Scope of services

Guardian ad Litem services may include:

• Interviewing children, parents, and other involved caregivers

• Reviewing educational, medical, and mental health records

• Observing parent-child and family interactions (when appropriate)

• Communicating with professionals (schools, counselors, providers

• Preparing written reports for the court

• Submitting recommendations that reflect children’s needs and priorities

• Testifying or appearing in court as required

supporting children through the process

My approach to Guardian ad Litem work is grounded in neutrality, professionalism, and a child-centered perspective. I am especially attentive to how unresolved parental conflict and communication patterns can affect a child’s emotional safety, sense of stability, and long-term well-being. While adult relationships may change or end, co-parenting continues, and decisions made during family court proceedings can have lasting emotional, relational, and developmental impact on children.

Drawing from my clinical experience, I bring an understanding of family systems, trauma, attachment, and developmental needs to each case, while maintaining clear and appropriate boundaries between evaluative responsibilities and therapeutic support. My goal is to approach families with care and respect while providing the court with balanced, thoughtful insight focused on the child’s best interests.

About me (my Bio)

I serve as a Guardian ad Litem with over 23 years of professional experience working with children, adolescents, parents, and family systems across clinical, educational, and community settings. My background as a licensed mental health professional provides a strong foundation in child development, trauma, attachment, and the emotional impact of family conflict on children.

I earned my Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Grace College and have spent much of my career working with families navigating separation, divorce, co-parenting challenges, and high conflict dynamics. I bring particular insight into how unresolved relational pain between parents can unintentionally place children in the middle, creating emotional distress, loyalty conflicts, and long-term developmental impact.

As a Guardian ad Litem, my role is to advocate for the best interests of the child by providing the court with objective, thoughtful, and well supported recommendations. I approach each case with neutrality, professionalism, and a trauma-informed lens, carefully considering the child’s emotional, developmental, relational, and environmental needs. My work includes gathering information through interviews, observation, record review, and collaboration with schools, mental health providers, attorneys, and other professionals involved in the child’s life.

My advanced clinical training in trauma-informed care, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) informs my ability to understand how trauma, emotional reactivity, and unresolved conflict influence family dynamics while maintaining clear and appropriate boundaries between therapeutic and evaluative roles. I am especially attentive to how parental communication patterns, co-parenting conflict, and decision making affect a child’s sense of safety, stability, and emotional well-being.

I value collaboration with legal professionals and strive to provide clear, timely, and balanced reports that assist the court in making informed decisions that prioritize children’s long-term safety, stability, and healthy development.