Pre Conference Institute

NEW THIS YEAR!
Choose from three exciting Pre-Conference Institute options — attend in person or virtually!
For just $75, you’ll gain access to the Pre-Conference session of your choice.
Pay $150 to gain access to all three pre-conference institutes and attend one of them live.

Don’t miss this opportunity to dive deep into specialized topics before the main conference begins!

You can register for pre conference with your conference registration or you can register for just the pre conference institutes by using the below link.

Register for Pre Conference Institutes Here

Workshop Title:  Safety by Design: Preventing Escalation Before It Starts

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM 

Cost: $75

Presenters: Emilyn Wahl, Parenting Time Director at SomePlace Safe

Chrystal Fischer, Executive Director & Founder at Parenting with Grace


Non-Conference Attendees can register to attend virtually 


Conflict in supervised parenting time settings can escalate quickly, but it doesn't have to. This interactive workshop equips participants with tested tools to de-escalate situations before they spiral, grounded in trauma-informed and child-centered practice. Drawing on real-world cases, presenters will share the LEAPS framework (Listen, Empathize, Ask, Paraphrase, Summarize) alongside additional verbal, non-verbal, and environmental techniques staff can use to calm heightened emotions.


Participants will experience scenario-based practice with de-escalation scripts and problem-solve challenging situations in small groups. They also explore common pitfalls (tone, body language, unintentional triggers), adaptations that reduce stress, and clear documentation methods that protect both children and providers. Attendees will leave with a de-escalation toolkit including scripts, quick-reference prompts, and reflective practices for staff to use in the moment, as the body can't go where the brain hasn't been. This training gives professionals the rehearsal they need to stay calm, centered, and safe.

  • Emilyn Wahl

    Emilyn Wahl has dedicated over 21 years to the supervised visitation field, beginning as a Parenting Time Monitor and now serving as Director of Parenting Time Centers, overseeing five locations across West Central Minnesota.


    She studied at Minnesota State Community and Technical College and the University of Minnesota–Moorhead, earning her Paralegal Certification from Penn Foster. Emilyn is known for her innovative leadership and commitment to advancing trauma-informed, family-centered practices.


    She has presented locally and nationally on topics related to supervised visitation, safety, and family engagement, and teaches Parents Forever, a Minnesota court-mandated divorce education program.


    A long-time volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, Emilyn is passionate about affordable housing and community building. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her family, hiking Minnesota’s trails, and camping on its lakes.

  • Chrystal Fischer

    Chrystal has an extensive background in business management, human resources and team leadership. Since 2022 she has participated in numerous trainings in the field of Supervised Visitation Services Management. 


    A dynamic leader and advocate for families going through tough times. She has found her true calling as the Founder and Executive Director of Parenting with Grace. She is passionate about providing safety for all children - physically and emotionally - while nurturing their bond with parents and guardians. 


    She believes in access to relationship-based parenting education will help families build their skills and abilities to strengthen healthy familial relationships. 

Workshop Title:  Bridging the Gap: From Therapeutic Supervised Visitation to Reunification Therapy, A Continuum of Care Model

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM 

Cost: $75


Presenters:  Monique Harris-Whitt, LCSW,The Therapeutic Solution

Aiyyeimah Berry, CPCI, The Therapeutic Solution


Non-Conference Attendees can register to attend virtually


Families engaged in supervised visitation often struggle with unresolved trauma, fractured relationships, and court-driven timelines. While supervised visitation ensures safety, many agencies lack a clear framework for transitioning families into meaningful therapeutic interventions and reunification therapy. This session introduces a continuum-of-care model developed by The Therapeutic Solution (TTS) that integrates Therapeutic Supervised Visitation (TSV), trauma-informed treatment, and reunification planning.


Participants will learn how to identify transition readiness, implement therapeutic interventions during visits, and create structured reunification roadmaps that courts and families can follow. This model reduces family conflict, promotes child well-being, and shortens the time families spend entangled in the system.


By the end of this session, providers, attorneys, and court professionals will leave with practical strategies and a framework they can adopt within their own programs, while also understanding the long-term financial and relational benefits of therapeutic continuity.

  • Monique Harris-Whitt

    Monique Harris is a seasoned entrepreneur and strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in managing nonprofit and for-profit ventures. She has extensive experience in operating and oversee supervised visitation programs, therapeutic support services, workforce development initiatives, and government-funded contracts. Her expertise spans program development, fiscal management, compliance, and community-based service delivery.

  • Aiyyeimah Berry

    TBA

Workshop Title:  Custody Decision-Making When Coercive Control is An Issue

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM 

Cost: $75


Presenter:  The Honorable Victor Reyes (ret), Mahakaruna Holistic Foundations


Non-Conference Attendees can register to attend virtually


Visitation providers often find themselves questioning—sometimes silently—the decisions made by judicial officers in cases involving coercive control. This session explores how those judicial decisions are reached and what visitation providers can do to enhance the safety and resilience of victims and children. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of identifying coercive control in custody and visitation cases and addressing it through court processes and carefully prepared orders that safeguard families. 


The workshop will also examine strategies to recognize the presence and effects of coercive control using a broader definition of domestic violence—one that extends beyond physical abuse to encompass coercive and controlling behaviors that harm both children and parents. By understanding the judicial decision-making process when coercive control is at issue, providers will be better equipped to collaborate effectively with the courts and contribute to safer, more informed outcomes for families.

  • The Honorable Victor Reyes, (ret)

    Judge Victor Reyes served as a District Judge 1999-2014 in the 10th Judicial District in Pueblo, Colorado. He has presided over, Criminal, Civil, County Court Appeals, Probate, Domestic, Restraining Orders, Juvenile and Dependency, and Neglect matters. Judge Reyes was also appointed to serve as the judicial liaison on the Colorado Domestic Violence Offender Management Board and the Colorado Supreme Court Criminal Rules Committee. 


    From 2021 through 2023, he served as the Judge in Residence for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ). At NCJFCJ, he was involved with the Judicial Wellness Initiative, participated in nationwide training, developed a curriculum, and wrote on all aspects of the law that impact children, their families, and victims of domestic violence. Additionally, Judge Reyes conducts peer review of grants for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women, and has reviewed domestic violence legislation for countries complying with the United Nations Charter. 


    He currently leads classes in yoga, meditation, and ethics for several correctional facilities in Colorado and is certified in Life Coaching and Master Life Coaching.