Lisa Rothfus

If I Am Considering Divorce, How Can You Help?

If you are considering divorce, I offer a confidential and supportive space to explore next steps, discuss ways to protect yourself and your children, receive referrals to qualified family law attorneys, and learn how to navigate the court system if needed. I also provide individual counseling to help you manage the stress and emotional impact of divorce.

Have You Worked with Many Children or Adolescents?

I began my career in education, working as a teacher in school districts in both Massachusetts and Texas. In my clinical practice, I have worked extensively with children and adolescents and have received extensive training in anxiety disorders, depression, self-harming behaviors, EMDR training for treating trauma, treatment in eating disorders, ADD and ADHD, and the unique needs of gifted and talented youth. I also have experience working with autistic children in both individual and family therapy.

How Do I Get Started With Reunification Therapy?

Reunification therapy requires a court order. Once the order has been issued—or once the attorneys or judge have agreed that I will serve as the reunification therapist—please contact me. I will email you the required contracts and intake forms to complete.

Do you provide all services yourself, or do you farm-out work to other people?

All services in my practice are provided directly by me. Divorce cases can be complex, and it is imperative that an experienced therapist handle the process from beginning to end.

Why Choose A Therapist Specializing in Reunification
Rather Than a Therapist On My Insurance Plan?

Due to changes to the Texas Family Code in 2025, therapists must now meet specific qualifications to serve as a reunification therapist. In Texas, a reunification therapist must be a licensed mental health professional with a master’s degree, substantial experience in family therapy, specialized training in parental alienation, trauma, and domestic violence, and demonstrate familiarity with the Texas Family Code and the family court system. This role requires a strong focus on high-conflict cases and the clinical expertise needed to support the restoration of healthy parent–child relationships. Interns and therapists without this specialized training can inadvertently cause significant harm in these cases, increase the likelihood of families returning to court, and prolong both the emotional and financial costs associated with repairing the effects of inexperienced intervention.

How Does Reunification Work?

Reunification therapy requires the participation of all family members living with the child. The process begins with individual intake sessions with each parent and each child. After completing these meetings, I develop a structured plan for joint sessions. Reunification therapy does not require both parents to be present in sessions; most sessions involve one parent and the child or children.

Do You Incorporate Parenting and Co-Parenting Education
into Reunification Therapy?

As part of my reunification services, I incorporate a required on-line co-parenting class and request a certification of completion. I also integrate evidence-based parenting approaches, including Love & Logic and relational neurobiological strategies informed by the work of Dr. Dan Siegel. Parenting styles are evaluated during the intake process, and recommendations for adjustments in parenting strategies are an integral component of therapy. The impact of these strategies on the family system is consistently addressed throughout the reunification process.

I’ve Heard There Have Been Changes to Texas Law.
Is Reunification Therapy Still Available?

Licensed professionals such as Licensed Clinical Social Workers remain fully empowered to offer Reunification Therapy and contact-repair interventions. Advocates for banning reunification therapy contributed to a storm of misinformation. Headlines and social media posts proclaimed that the new law “banned” or “outlawed” Reunification Therapy. These assertions are inaccurate and have caused confusion among parents, attorneys, therapists, and even judges. However, the bill neither bans reunification therapy nor restricts available treatment options, including intensive, trauma-focused family reunification therapy for severe cases of alienation when ordered by the court.

A professional in this field, Loretta Maase, has written a great article examining the new Texas law. Click here to be taken to it (on a different web site).

Do You offer Parent-Coordination & Co-Parent Counseling Services?

Yes, I offer both in my practice. Both Parent Coordination and co-parent counseling can be court ordered.

What Trainings Have You Received in Family Therapy,
Parent Child Contact Problems, & Resist-Refuse Dynamics?

I began my clinical training as a family therapist at McLean Hospital, a Harvard-affiliated teaching hospital in Massachusetts, in 1987. In 1988, I completed post-graduate training at the Cambridge Family Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. I have since worked for 30+ years with children and Families, and have completed 11 years of specialized training in parent–child contact problems and reunification therapy, including advanced training with leading professionals in the field including:

• Amy Baker, PhD – Restoring Families Connection
• Bill Eddie – High Conflict Institute
• Dr. Wiliam Burnet – Doctor & Researcher on Parental Alienation
• Ashish Joshi – Lawyer for High Conflict litigation in US, Canada and the United Kingdom
• Alyson Jones, LPC – Moving Families Forward Training- Canada
• Dr. Steve Miller & Linda Gottlieb, LCSW – 30-hour training on Parental Alienation
• Turning Points for Families, NY – 40-hour – Intensive Family Therapy Reunification for Severe Alienation
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) – 25-hour training on Parent Child Contact Problems

More information regarding my credentials can be found on this web site.