Viviane Wingerak

Registered Clinical Counsellor

Synergy Counselling Associates
605 Nicola St.
Kamloops, BC V2C 2R3

T: 250-314-0298
E: vivane@synergycounselling.ca
W: www.synergycounselling.ca

Fees: $1,050 for one child; $875 for each additional child from the same family

Viviane Wingerak is a registered member of the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology and has worked with adults, children and their families in different formats and capacities since 2000. While Viviane is trained to utilize a number of current research-based therapeutic modalities, her passion lies in helping clients explore their own unique paths to reaching their goals.

An experienced therapist, Viviane understands that conflict and grief can naturally occur during separation and divorce. Parents know that conflict impacts their children, but no matter how hard they try, animosity can be very costly and hard to manage without seeking help.

As a Divorce Coach and Child Specialist, she offers understanding and support, empowering clients to transcend stagnant conflict, allowing families to adjust to separation and divorce as smoothly and cooperatively as possible. Her background in theoretical and applied Psychology, as well as in child and youth counselling can help to generate solutions around what may be in the best interest of children, and consequently their families. In addition to her formal training as a Clinical Counsellor, Viviane has completed over half of the required training towards becoming Mediator and Parenting Coordinator, focusing on alternative methods of dispute resolution as well as current issues faced by families undergoing separation and divorce.

When not at work, Viviane enjoys being active and going where her family’s interests take her, from ball fields to dog walks, often ending the day with after dinner board games. She loves music, travelling and can be easily spotted carrying her knitting basket everywhere she goes when she is not at the office.

Wynona Elizabeth Cook

Lawyer

Morningside Law
31 – 258 Lower Ganges Road
Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 1S7

T: (778) 353-4466
F: (778) 353-4499
E: morningsidelaw@shaw.ca

Fees: $250 per hour plus travel expenses

Wynona has 40 years of experience working with families as a Probation Officer, Alcohol and Drug Counsellor, Psychotherapist and finally a Family Lawyer.

Wynona studied infant and early childhood development at Simon Fraser University. She has continued learning and working with children and youth throughout her career. Currently Wynona is the Family Duty Counsel for the Bella Bella, Bella Coola and Klemtu Circuit Courts. Located on Salt Spring Island, she is happy to travel anywhere in BC.

Wynona has a kind and friendly disposition and often kids think of her like a “kind Grandma”. Wynona will spend time getting to know her clients and fully respect their needs and wishes.

Nadine Mathews

Social Work Therapist

Synergy Counselling Associates
605 Nicola Street
Kamloops, BC V2C 2R3

T: 250-314-0298
F: 250-434-6242
E: nadine@synergycounselling.ca
W: www.synergycounselling.ca

Fees: $1,050 for one child, $875 for each additional child,

Nadine is a registered social worker with 17 years experience providing assessment and counselling services to diverse children and youth, adults and families in the Kamloops community.

This has included assisting families responding to family reorganization, separation, divorce, co parenting, blending, abuse, violence, oppression and mental wellness challenges. Nadine has a Masters Degree in Social Work and certificates in expressive play therapy, Aboriginal Family Systems, and collaborative family law.

Additionally, Nadine has experience bringing expressive therapy methods into non-evaluative meetings with children and builds rapport well. This is meant to increase a child’s comfort and maximize their opportunity to express their voice and have it heard.

Please contact the office for further information on the process respecting preparation of a Hear the Child Report, what you can expect, and accompanying office policies and procedures.

Sean Monaghan

Registered Clinical Counsellor

Synergy Counselling Associates
605 Nicola Stree,
Kamloops, BC, V2C 2R3

T: 250-314-0298
F: 250-434-6242
E: sean@synergycounselling.ca
W: synergycounselling.ca

Fees: $950 for one child and $1400 for two children

Sean is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (#5304), has a Masters Degree in Counselling, and is trained in various counselling approaches: Brief Systemic Family Therapy, Couples Therapy, Addiction Counselling, and General Mental Health Counselling. He has over 10 years of counselling experience with individuals, families and couples in the Kamloops area.

Sean has worked as a Psychiatric Social Worker with Youth Forensic Psychiatric Services, a Clinical Practice Lead with the Phoenix Centre, and a Family Support Worker with Interior Community Services. He has considerable experience working with high conflict families and has completed several Hear the Child Interviews. His approach to counselling emphasizes compassionate engagement, collaboration, and confidentiality. His warm, respectful, and genuine therapeutic style creates the necessary safety and trust for developing rapport with children, enabling them to feel comfortable in their sharing. He prides himself on taking a neutral position in both his interviewing and writing.

Fiona Beveridge

Lawyer
Fiona Beveridge Family Law
300 – 1275 West 6th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6H 1A6

T: 604 684-5859
E: fiona@beveridgefamilylaw.com
W: www.beveridgefamilylaw.com

Fee: Variable

Fiona is a Lawyer at Fiona Beveridge Family Law. Fiona carries on a full family law practice and is accredited by the Law Society of BC to act as a Parenting Coordinator, Family Law Mediator and Family Law Arbitrator. She also practices as a collaborative lawyer.

Fiona has a strong interest in children and the justice system and is the Secretary for the Children’s Law Section of the CBABC. She also acts as counsel for children in the care of the MCFD.

Fiona’s practice is focused on finding practical and child centred solutions for the families she works with, in whatever role she finds herself acting, and is of the strong view that children’s voices should be heard in any family law process.

R.D.M. v. X.M.M., 2017 BCSC 1674

The father sought interim changes to parenting time of the parties’ four children, pending a trial. The children, ages 17,15,13 and 11, lived primarily with their mother. The children made allegations of family violence and sexual misconduct against the mother’s new spouse. An order was made that a Hear the Child report be done, and that the report preparer specifically ask each child whether there had been sexual misconduct. Based on the report and other evidence, an interim order was made placing 3 of the children with their father and giving the fourth child the option to live with him if she wished. The judge had no criticism of the report preparer, but took the view that testing of the children’s evidence was necessary and ordered that a s. 211 report be prepared.

Read the full case

Children’s Views: Why they Matter in Court and Mediations. October 2017

In June of 2014, we wrote a feature for BarTalk called “Children’s Voices in Family Law Disputes.” That article spoke to the legislative requirement that parents, the courts and others “consider the child’s views, unless it would be inappropriate to consider them” (section 37(2)(b) of the Family Law Act [“FLA”]).

There has been a steady increase in the number of Hear the Child (“HTC”) reports being requested province-wide. These reports are effective tools for parents, mediators, lawyers and judges to use when making decisions on parenting plans for children.

Counsel, mindful of their responsibilities under sections 8(3), 37(1) and 37(2)(b) of the FLA, should ensure that evidence as to the child’s views is always before the courts.

Read the full article

Children’s Participation in Justice Processes: Finding the Best Ways Forward

December, 2017 Children’s Participation in Justice Processes: Finding the Best Ways Forward was a two-day national symposium that brought together a multidisciplinary spectrum of leading stakeholders to share information and dialogue about how the voices of children and youth are heard, how their interests are protected and how their evidence is received in justice processes. The symposium, which was held in Calgary in September 2017, was organized by the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family and the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, and gave the Institute a unique opportunity to survey an informed and involved pool of participants regarding their perceptions and experiences with children’s participation in justice processes. This report presents the final results of our survey of symposium participants. The findings from the results are discussed, and recommendations are made for moving forward.

Read full Report on Survey Results

T.J.G. v. A.D.G., 2017 BCSC 1511

Madam Justice Young referred to the M.P.D. decision and found that a Hear the Child report can be ordered pursuant to s. 202 of the Family Law Act. Madam Justice Young held that the threshold for ordering that a report under s. 211 was low, by implication indicating that the threshold for ordering a Hear the Child report was even lower. She addressed briefly why a Hear the Child report was sufficient in this case, i.e., the children were coping fairly well and had no mental health issues.

Read the full case (see specific discussion at paras 21-27)

Child Inclusive Mediation: Research on Views of the Child Reports in Ontario

February 2017 There is a growing awareness of the importance of offering children an opportunity to participate in family dispute resolution processes, including mediation. There are several different ways to involve children in mediation . . . While there is no single “best way” to include the child in mediation, we conclude that Views of the Child Reports can be a useful tool. These Reports can provide parents with more reliable information than their own conversations with their children, and they can facilitate settlement. While they provide less information than a full custody evaluation, they are much less expensive and time-consuming to prepare.

Read More