Child Psychologist Consulting Services
A custody evaluation shapes what a judge believes about your child-and about you. When that evaluation relies on a child's stated preference alone, without testing for influence, coaching, or developmental context, the court can end up with a conclusion that sounds certain but isn't well supported.
I am Dr. Lynn Steinberg, and my Child Psychological Consulting Services exist to answer the question a judge actually needs answered: what is this child's behavior a response to, and is the record strong enough to support it? This is not psychotherapy for your child. It is objective, record-based, methodology-driven consulting-so that what the court hears about your child is accurate, not just loud.
What this service helps with
Child Psychological Consulting Services help attorneys, parents, and courts answer a specific psycho-legal question: What is this child's behavior a response to?
In my practice, this covers:
Assessment of influence vs. authentic fear: I differentiate a child who is afraid because of harsh parenting or exposure to domestic violence from a child who is repeating a borrowed narrative. That is the core of a proper child custody psychological evaluation, but many evaluations skip it.
Review of flawed evaluations: I am often retained when a 730 evaluation or brief family court psychological evaluation used no collateral data, confused unsubstantiated with false allegations, or relied solely on a child's stated preference without testing for coaching, adultification, or enmeshment. I review methodology, not subjective data.
Developmental formulation: A 7-year-old who says "my father is a narcissist who gaslights" is not using developmental language. A 14-year-old who shows zero ambivalence-one parent perfect, one parent dangerous-is showing a red flag for loyalty bind. My child psychological consulting explains those markers in plain language with citations.
Parenting capacity in context: I look at attachment history, trauma exposure, educational records, and parenting behaviors over time, not just the last incident. Census data shows that of 5.7 million custodial-parent families due support in 2013, only 45.6% received all payments due, a reminder that custodial stress is both economic and psychological, and children absorb it. My consultations place behavior in that broader context.
Recommendations courts can implement: Not "needs therapy," but what kind, with whom, with what boundaries, and with what monitoring. This is where Child Psychological Consulting Services move from description to usable plan.
Signs you need this service
You should consider Child Psychological Consulting Services if:
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A custody evaluation or therapist has taken your child's adamant rejection at face value without assessing for influence, and you are now facing a recommendation based on that rejection.
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Your child is therapy-resistant, refuses to attend, or attends therapy where the therapist has become aligned with one parent.
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There is a claim of alienation on one side and abuse on the other, and the current evaluator has no framework for coercive control. Research on U.S. custody outcomes from 2005–2014 found hundreds of published opinions involving both alienation and abuse cross-claims, and that cross-claims change outcomes in measurable ways. You need someone who can hold both possibilities.
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A prior family court psychological evaluation was brief, did not include standardized measures like BASC-3, MMPI-3 for parents, or Roberts-2 for children, and relied on self-report alone.
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You are an attorney who needs to understand whether a child's presentation reflects adjustment disorder, anxiety, enmeshment, or externally induced rejection-and you need a consultant who can explain base rates to the court, such as the research reviewed in PubMed noting that while most child sexual abuse allegations are true, false allegations do occur at a non-negligible rate and most adult-originated false claims occur in divorce and custody contexts.
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You have been told to get a letter from your child's therapist and you know that letter will be seen as advocacy, not objective data.
What actually changes when consultation is done correctly?
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Clarity instead of labels: My child psychological consulting does not start with a diagnosis. It starts with "what is this child's behavior functional for?" That often reframes a case from "child refuses" to "child is protecting a relationship with the favored parent by refusing the other."
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Methodology the court respects: Treating therapists are advocates for their patients. Courts need an objective lens. I use a forensic consultation framework-no therapy confidentiality, structured interviews, standardized testing where appropriate, and collateral review-which is the standard expected in a thorough child custody psychological evaluation.
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Prevention of common errors: Evaluators often confuse an unsubstantiated allegation with a false allegation, or assume that a detailed account equals an accurate account. I identify those errors with specific citations to peer-reviewed literature, so counsel can address them without personal attack.
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Child-centered safety: I screen for authentic fear rooted in domestic violence or harsh parenting first. If safety concerns are present, reunification is not recommended until they are addressed. This is why a proper family court psychological evaluation must include safety assessment before influence assessment.
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Time and cost efficiency: A focused consultation is faster than a second full evaluation. Typically 3–4 weeks from receipt of complete records to written formulation, which allows counsel to decide whether to settle, seek therapeutic intervention, or proceed to evidentiary hearing.
Why choose me
I have been doing this work since 1984. I hold a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I am a licensed LMFT and RCC, I have mediated for Superior Court, I conduct therapeutic reunification intensives, and I provide expert testimony. I am the author of You're Not Crazy: Overcoming Parent/Child Alienation, I was the first professional to successfully apply California's coercive control statutes to a parental alienation case in 2020, and I was named Mental Health Advocate of the Year in 2024.
When attorneys retain me for Child Psychological Consulting Services, they get someone who has been on both sides of this work-as a treating clinician, as a reunification specialist, and as a court-appointed mediator. I understand child development, I understand coercive control, and I understand how to write an opinion that survives cross-examination.
I am not a hired gun for mothers or fathers. Alienation is not gendered. I am retained by alienated parents of any gender when the data supports it, and I will also tell you when the data does not support alienation and instead points to estrangement or other factors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need My Assistance?
If this page describes your case, the next step is straightforward.
Send a one-page summary with current orders, child's age and date of last meaningful contact, and what evaluations or therapies have already been attempted. For attorneys, include the minute order and the documentation you want reviewed for your expert documentation report.