[TN]- Court ordered Supervised visits thru Play Therapist for 1 hour a week - is this normal?
TN - Court ordered Supervised visits thru Play Therapist for 1 hour a week - is this normal?
I was just wondering if some people out there have gone thru what I am currently going thru.
Just some backstory, I just got done with my 4th day of trail in my custody battle that has been going on for over 3 years. (Unmarried father still fighting for my rights), with possibly 2 court dates left. My ex, who is a narcissist, decided to not let me see the kids (7 & 5) for 9 months (thru no fault of my own, she just decided to out of spite). My ex had a play therapist my kids are seeing as a witness during trial, and my lawyer asked her about reunification therapy as a means to see my kids (didn't know he was going to do that). The therapist said reunification therapy can definitely be an option for a parent who hasn't seen their kids. After the day ended, the judge decided to grant me this reunification therapy thru the child's play therapist in an order, stating this therapy is at her direction. I thought perhaps I would get a couple days, 2-8 hours a week, unsupervised before my lawyer asked for that.
So, when this started, the therapist said I can get 1 hour a week with each kid, nothing more. I follow a guideline and somewhat strict rules there, she monitors my time with the kids, can't take pictures of my kids, etc. But my ex at least can't be a part of these sessions. I asked her for more time with the kids, maybe she can suggest to my ex, time outside of these therapy sessions, but she said this is as much as I can get. I just finished my 6th week of this, and it feels like this isn't going anywhere, even though I am grateful to at least see the kids until my next court date.
My ex has been manipulating the kids for years to not talk to me or tell me about what is going on with the kids' lives, telling them to not answer any of my questions, and don't say hi to me in public (even threaten me thru text that if I say hi to my kids in public events, she will call the cops). I am pretty sure she "suggests" to the kids as well they don't have to talk to me in these sessions if they don't want too, that's just her MO. I told the play therapist my ex is doing all these things this week and how's she has been in the past, hoping she could somehow address this in the future. I know my ex doing things like this would really hamper my sessions with my kids to build a relationship with them and could even hurt me in my next trial days. All she said was my play therapy sessions should hopefully trump what she is doing at home, and she can't help what happens outside of these sessions, and I was a little stunned. I don't know if she just doesn't want to ask or try to find out what I am saying is true, or just thinks she can't do anything, but I figured claiming manipulation abuse would be takin a little serious, especially with what is going on with my sessions.
Is this just something most people go thru and just have to take the licks until you get a parenting plan and rights? 1 hour a week just isn't enough time with the kids I feel to establish something while you have an external factor like my ex influencing the kids. I would love people's thoughts on this, thanks.