Re: Counseling at Kaiser
It has never been my client's impression or suggestion that counseling afforded through Kaiser is ineffective. It can hardly be expected that substantive progress would take only a few weeks. Yet, {Daughter}, specifically, showed steady improvement during the short time she had counseling at Kaiser. My client went to considerable efforts to meet personally with the counselors at Kaiser and to take his children to their therapy. He was pleased and impressed with both counselors who, within a few short sessions, had a good grasp of the problems the children were facing. In meeting with Mr. Perrin, the counselor for both boys, it became apparent that Ms. Karaiskos had painted a very untruthful picture of Mr. Karaiskos. This information was offered by Mr. Perrin to my client without having been asked - and after meeting with Mr. Karaiskos, Mr. Perrin even commented that he thought something "smelled fishy" in Ms. Karaiskos' story. Mr. Perrin indicated that he would contact {Daughter}'s counselor to let her know his impressions of Mr. Karaiskos. When Mr. Karaiskos met with Ms. Flynn, {Daughter}'s counselor, she too seemed surprised at how different Mr. Karaiskos was compared to the picture painted by Ms. Karaiskos. Ms. Karaiskos' constant criticism of Mr. Karaiskos in front of the children and to others is in large part the reason the children are in therapy in the first place. Short of removing the children from her custody, providing counselors who are in a position to understand the nature of the problem fully would benefit these children most. Both of the counselors at Kaiser are now aware of how Ms. Karaiskos distorts the truth and disparages the children's father. I would suggest that these are the "other reasons" Ms. Karaiskos has elected to pursue other counseling at great expense despite the availability of counselors who the children are comfortable with and that are familiar with the children and the situation. Nonetheless, this valuable insight that the counselors at Kaiser are now privy to puts them in a far better position to help the Karaiskos children. My client has seen progress in even the short time the children were in counseling and would be in favor of keeping the children in counseling at Kaiser as long as it is available to them.
My client was also never under the impression that therapy through Kaiser was no longer available. At his last meeting with her, Ms. Flynn indicated that, while the group sessions had ended, she would be willing to treat {Daughter} on an individual basis even though {Daughter} had not attained the age requirement at the time - as of Friday, {Daughter} will have attained that age anyway. Mr. Perrin left it up to {Son} as to whether he would like to continue and suggested that {Son} might be brought back after a month. None of the three children had their benefits terminated. My client was under the impression that Mr. Abramson had contacted both therapists and had arrived at a different understanding about the availability of services through Kaiser.
With regard to {Son}'s counseling, Mr. Karaiskos feels that there are many deep-seated issues affecting {Son}'s outward attitude to his school assignments. While choosing not to do his homework is certainly an important symptom of his problems, there are issues of lack of self-esteem and self-worth that need to be addressed in counseling and elsewhere. Mr. Karaiskos has tried to address these issues independently to some degree by offering {Son} work and by paying him handsomely for the work he does. {Son}'s rebellion is directed toward the school he is in. His lack of respect for his teachers and lack of respect for the assignments he is given all underlies the main problem which is that {Son} is an extremely intelligent young man who has had to endure a sub-standard education his whole life. And he knows it. He is rebelling because he feels he has been denied the benefits of an education that would have recognized his intelligence and rewarded it instead of making every attempt to subdue it - as Waldorf schools do. {Son} feels that it is too late for him to get the education he has deserved his whole life. He doesn't really want a change at this point - he wants to finish this year and next and be done with it. Mr. Karaiskos does not agree that it is too late and feels that any counseling for {Son} should explore issues with the overall education {Son} has received at his school and his attitude toward his teachers and his education in general as much as his attitude toward doing homework.
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Attorney at Law
JUNE ADLER
CERTIFIED SPECIALIST - FAMILY LAW
CALIFORNIA BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALIZATION
OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA Bruce Abramson, Attorney at Law
Lenske and Abramson
Re: Marriage of Karaiskos
Dear Mr. Abramson:
This is intended as a response to the January 26, 2005 letter from Mr. Sobel. I regret that he is so concerned about the fact that the issue of therapy is taking so much time. My client, Mr. Karaiskos, has authorized me to take whatever time necessary to represent his position. It may seem like a waste of time to Mr. Sobel, but simply stating that my client does not reverse his position on counseling for the children and not explaining why would not fully relate what my client has asked me to convey.
Nobody is more concerned about the expenses involved in this case than my client, especially as it appears Ms. Karaiskos has exhausted for the most part her share of the proceeds from the sale of the home, through payment of attorney fees and other costs as ordered by the court. My client is concerned that he will be saddled with the cost of therapy for the children in addition to his regular child support payments, while at the same time therapy through Kaiser is available immediately and should be exhausted before other therapists are sought.
Ms. Karaiskos has apparently reversed her decision to allow the children to continue therapy at Kaiser because she now believes the counselors have been “poisoned” by having experienced her true nature. I would suggest the following:
1. If Ms. Karaiskos did not make the statements Mr. Karaiskos claims she made to the therapist, then no “poisoning” has occurred and she should have no objection to allowing the same counselors to see the children.
2. If Ms. Karaiskos did, indeed, make statements disparaging Mr. Karaiskos as described in my previous letter, it is unlikely she will make the same mistake with a new therapist. Therefore the Kaiser therapists are better suited to know the situation the children live under when at their mother’s home. It is my client’s position that Ms. Karaiskos’ abhorrence toward my client and her constant representation to the children that she is fearful of Mr. Karaiskos represent the bulk of reason the children require treatment in the first place.
3. In the event that you believe the therapists at Kaiser that the children are familiar with are unsuitable, it is unlikely that Kaiser does not employ other therapists that may be utilized.
In summary, Kaiser is available and should be utilized immediately. Mr. Karaiskos related to me that he has noticed, especially in {Daughter}, serious despair. She has become withdrawn for the most part and while Mr. Karaiskos has been able to work with her to help her, he feels she requires professional attention immediately. He feels that she has already established a trust relationship with Ms. Flynn at Kaiser and that Ms. Flynn would be able to help her immediately. My client feels there is no reason to delay this process and Ms. Flynn could be utilized while Mr. Sobel and his client pursue court intervention and whatever delays that would entail.
It is my opinion that this matter is of utmost importance. If you, as minors’ counsel, feel that this issue needs court intervention, please inform me immediately so that no further time can be lost in arranging for therapy for the Karaiskos children.
Sincerely,
June Adler
