Forensic Services

Sometimes, marriages aren’t successful and a divorce happens. When parents can’t agree on how to structure the custody of the children, or other matters related to the children, a judge can order a psychologist with specific training and expertise to become involved with the family in order to serve the best interests of the children.

Since 2004, Dr. Alvarez has regularly been appointed in complex and high conflict family law matters, including forensic psychological evaluations, high conflict parenting work, and reunification relationship work for children and parents for whom the parent/child relationship has been damaged.  Dr. Alvarez conducts all forensic psychological evaluations and all clinical services in an unbiased manner.

Dr. Alvarez understands the legal processes involved in family law concerning divorce and modification proceedings, the accepted protocol for conducting forensic psychological evaluations, as well as the clinical and legal issues involved in evaluating one of the most difficult allegations involved in some divorce or modification cases: allegations of parental alienation. Dr. Alvarez specializes in assessment and treatment for families for which parental alienation is a factor.  Dr. Alvarez is involved in education professionals about the science and research of parental alienation, and she is involved in several parental alienation research projects with colleagues around the country.

Dr. Alvarez has presented many times over the years at state and international conferences in the area of parental alienation, including research findings, clinical treatment approaches.

Conference Presentations Include:

  • The Texas Psychological Association
  • The Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
  • The Galveston County Bar Association
  • The Juvenile Law Section of the Harris County Bar Association
  • Various family law sections of the Texas Bar Association
  • Parental Alienation Study Group, an international group of professionals

Dr. Alvarez currrently practices in and around the Austin, Texas area.