Valerie Houghton
Campbell, California 95008
United States
Profession(s)
Mediator, Mental Health Professional, Other, Lawyerwww.valeriehoughton.com
T: 408.293.5853 E: VALERIE@VALERIEHOUGHTON.COM F: 408.293.0458
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/valeriehoughton LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriehoughton BLOGS: http://valerierhoughton.blogspot.com & http://california-mediation.blogspot.com
GOOGLE +: https://plus.google.com/+ValerieHoughton SLIDESHARE: www.slideshare.net/valeriehoughton FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Counselors-Consultants-Inc
Valerie Houghton has been working with children and families since 1976 as a student nurse in south Texas, while earning a B.S. in Nursing from University of Texas (1977). She received her M.A. in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from Santa Clara University (1980) and began a private psychotherapy practice in 1983.
She subsequently returned to law school at SCU and completed a J.D. in 1988. While at SCU, Ms. Houghton completed her certificate in Public Interest Law, concentrating on disability civil rights and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). She holds three licenses in the applicable fields.
Derived from her early work experience in critical care, hospice and public health, she has continued to be a student of restorative justice and therapeutic jurisprudence, particularly as applied to advocacy and multigenerational family healing. Conducting family mediations since 1983, Ms. Houghton maintains a private psychotherapy practice in San Jose, CA working with families, couples and individuals, in addition to a limited forensic practice focused on evaluations, consultations and family mediation.
Professional Activities
Psychotherapeutic practice: family, individual (teens and adults), couple and group psychotherapy, using evidence based, psychodynamic approaches, Milan-method interventions, mind-body therapeutic techniques (since 1983) Mediation, Family Mediation, Co-parent Counseling, Reconnection Therapy and other dispute resolution interventions (since 1983 * Conduct client/family interviews, perform Section 730 Emergency Screenings, Child Custody Evaluations and Brief Focused Assessments (BFA’s); conduct trainings and mentoring for interdisciplinary sets of colleagues (since 1990) * Serve, by appointment, as Parenting Coordinator and Special Master in high conflict child custody cases by the Santa Clara County Superior Court (since 1983) * Consult as “subject matter expert” in family/child issues, child development, medical health, custody and civil rights of the “differently-abled,” disabled, intimate partner violence (IPV), family violence/risk assessment and malpractice legal/ethical issues (since 1985)* Qualified as an “expert witness”, for pre-trial, deposition and trial testimony, by numerous judges in dozens of cases (since 1985)* Consult re: workplace violence prevention, cyber-safety and anti-bullying strategies with parents, teens, schools with schools and corporate groups (since 1985)* Co-Chair of Forensic Committee, Santa Clara County Psychological Association, “Voice of the Child” Interdisciplinary Training Series (founder and co-creator) designed for attorneys, judges and mental health professionals; lead researcher and designer of programs (since 2010) * Formulate evaluative and litigation strategy in legal cases (family law, elder law disability rights, criminal law) regarding intimate partner violence (IPV), family violence, child maltreatment, and high conflict Family Court in family courts in Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County (since 1985) * Member, Young Children’s Settlement Team Project (YCST) for the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, Family Division, Department 83, under the leadership and auspices of the Honorable Mary Ann Grilli; Original Team Member (since 2012)Undergraduate Education
University of Texas at Austin
Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, 1977, Graduated with Honors President,
University of Texas Student Nurses' Association
San Jose State University
Bachelor of Science Degree Candidate B.S. Biochemistry, 1987
Dean's List
Postgraduate Education
University of Santa Clara
Master of Arts Degree, 1980
Marriage, Family and Child Counseling, Graduated with High Honors
Professional Education
Harvard Law School
Master Mediation: Advanced Negotiation and Advanced Mediation Certificate Five Day Training Intensive/ 18 CEU’s, 2007
Harvard Negotiation Insight Initiative Autumn Institute Training Program
La Trobe University
“Advanced Five Day Intensive Training: Interviewing Children” in Melbourne, Australia
with Dr. Jennifer McIntosh, Ph.D., Family Transitions, 2011
Santa Clara University School of Law
Juris Doctor, 1988
Public Interest Law Certificate, The Public Interest Law Consortium,
Boalt Hall, SCU, and UC Davis, Admitted to The State Bar of California, 1989
San Jose State University
University of Santa Clara
Master of Arts Degree, 1980
Marriage, Family and Child Counseling, Graduated with High Honors