Inside Family Court Psychology

You see a custody evaluator’s name on a court order and suddenly it feels like your entire future rides on one person’s opinion. We get that. So we pulled Dr. Robert DiCarlo, a licensed psychologist in Arizona and Split Up co-founder, into the hot seat to unpack who he is, how he’s trained, and what actually happens inside family court psychology when the facts are messy and emotions are louder than logic. Robert shares his winding path from psychology and criminology to sociology, community mental health, and a doctoral degree in counseling psychology with research and clinical depth. From there, he explains why family court forensics grabbed him: the complexity, the high stakes, and the painful reality that two parents can tell totally plausible stories that point in opposite directions. We talk about how evaluators manage bias, why a single “bad first impression” should not decide a case, and how a child’s voice can be both crucial and complicated when kids resist or refuse parenting time. We also break down the different roles psychologists play: custody evaluations and comprehensive family evaluations, co-parenting coaching, reunification therapy, and court-appointed interventions. You’ll hear why collaborative divorce can feel lighter than litigation, what it’s like to testify as an expert witness, and why evaluators often cannot defend themselves publicly when criticism turns into social media campaigns or board complaints. We close with a real-world warning about domestic violence, coercive control, and how “small” choices like physical contact, snooping, or social posts can become damaging evidence. If this helped you think more clearly about divorce, custody, co-parenting, or family court, subscribe, share the episode with someone who’s overwhelmed, and leave a review so more parents can find practical, grounded support.