For more than twenty-five years, Theresa has specialized in custody evaluations, bringing advanced training in areas such as parental alienation, estrangement, pathological enmeshment, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and mental health concerns — all grounded in evidence-based practice. She is recognized as a specialist in parental alienation both at the assessment level and in family therapy interventions.
Theresa has received significant and ongoing training in the field of parental alienation through a specialized study group and has trained directly with internationally renowned experts since 2013. She continues to collaborate with international experts in parental alienation research and practice. The majority of her practice involves supporting families impacted by parental alienation, particularly in the context of custody evaluations and family therapy. Her expertise is highly respected within the legal system and family law courts, where she has been qualified as an expert in parental alienation and related issues.
Theresa’s work reflects clinical depth and extensive experience in forensic settings and courtroom environments. She possesses significant expertise in custody evaluations, particularly in cases involving personality disorders such as Borderline, Narcissistic, and Sociopathic traits—knowledge that is crucial in high-conflict custody matters, especially those related to parental alienation.
Additionally, she is a Trained Team Leader with Family Bridges: A Workshop for Troubled and Alienated Parent-Child Relationships.
What sets Theresa apart is her unique ability to blend compassion with clinical precision, utilizing advancements in clinical practice and empirical science to address issues of parental alienation.
Families, legal professionals, and the court trust her balanced, non-judgmental approach, always focusing on the best interests of the child. With decades of experience, specialized training in family therapy, and a reputation for fairness and thoroughness, Theresa Barker is recognized across Canada and internationally as a highly respected and trusted authority in custody evaluations and high-conflict family matters.
Virgil
Graduated with academic and clinical distinction with an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Winnipeg (1998), with a focus on family therapy practices addressing issues such as custody evaluations and parental alienation.
Dr. Steven Miller MD
*Note: Parental alienation and related family dynamics are complex conditions requiring extensive experience. Theresa’s success as an expert in court and as a clinical professional is the result of decades of specialized training, hands-on practice, and collaboration with leading scholars in the field.
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