Institute for Advanced Professional Learning
Kids First was established with the goal of uniting professionals from various fields—especially legal and mental health—to collaborate towards a shared objective: enhancing the lives of children by reducing their exposure to conflict during their parents' divorce and separation.
The Kids First Center is excited to introduce the Kids First Institute for Professional Learning. Throughout the year, the Institute will explore important topics for professionals supporting families with children raised by separated parents. This initiative includes four 2-hour webinars and a culminating in-person conference in Fall 2025, gathering experts to enhance co-parenting practices across various disciplines.
2026 Institute: The Court Says Go, but the Kids say NO!
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Resist/Refuse Dynamics
Come join Kids First Institute for Advanced Professional Learning as we embark on our
2026 Year of Learning:
- Webinar #1: Tues. February 10th 2pm – 4pm, “Parent Child Contact Problems: From Research to the Bench”
- Webinar #2: Tues. April 14th 2pm – 4pm, “The Push and Pull Between Parental Alienation and Valid Estrangement”
- Webinar #3 Tues. July 21st 2pm – 4pm, “Healing Parent-Child Relationships: Interventions Across Disciplines”
- October 2026, full day conference featuring keynote speaker, Dr. Marsha Kline Pruett, Ph.D., M.S.L., M.S. (This will likely be Friday the 2nd and location TBD)
Cases involving children who resist or refuse parent contact are among the most
challenging in the family court system. These complex cases touch on issues of
alienation, estrangement, domestic violence, and trauma informed reunification, and
often require collaboration among legal, mental health, medical, and school
professionals. Leading scholars now address these “Parent–Child Contact Problems”
through a multidisciplinary, multi-factor team approach.
Come be part of OUR team as we explore these challenging issues and discuss best
practices for helping kids in Maine and beyond!
Moderators
Nick Galanin
Nick's diverse work experience prior to law from running a theatre camp to working in the credit industry, and his extensive foreign language studies, have given him a well-rounded and community focused approach to family law.
Prior to opening his own firm, Nick worked as an associate attorney at MillerAsen, P.A. representing individuals in divorces, separations, parental rights actions, protection orders, and modifications of established court orders.
Nick is a graduate of Colgate University and earned his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law. Nick also holds a Certificate in Mediation from the University of Southern Maine. During law school, he served as a volunteer translator and interpreter for the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic. Nick also worked as a trial assistant at a criminal defense firm in Portland coordinating extensively with clients, courts, mental health professionals, and substance use recovery programs.
More about Nick Galanin is found at Galanin Family Law.
Terri DeCoster
I’m Terri Decoster, MS, CPC; a divorced mother and a child of divorce, and I understand what you’re going through! For me, separation, divorce, and stepparenting are personal.
I have devoted my career to helping families overcome obstacles and tackle the complicated challenges that come with navigating divorce and stepparenting.
More about Terri Decoster at terridecoster.com.
