Dr. Kushner has published numerous journal articles pertaining to children, families and the Canadian legal system. She is currently writing a book pertaining to "Child Custody Planning". She has numerous other professional publications.

Kushner, M. (2008) Courtextual slippage: A detriment to child custody planning. Journal of Child Custody (in press).

Kushner, M. (2008) Social Work: A profession lacking self esteem? NASW, Social Work Journal (in press).

Kushner, M. (2006) Is best interests a solution to filling potholes in child custody planning? Journal of Child Custody, 3(2), 71-89

Kushner, M. (2006) Best interests and child custody planning. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 44(3/4), 17-29

Kushner, M. (2005) The child custody expert: Legitimizing one's moral and legal self. Canadian Family Law Quarterly, 23(1), 94-99

Kushner, M. (2005) Child custody experts: An identity crisis. Canadian Family Law Quarterly, 22(3), 297-317

Specialties:

Clinical Work pertaining to Individuals, Couples and Families

Provides Expert Court Testimony involving Child Custody and Guardianship

Appointment Year:

2006

Institutions Attended:

BA Cultural Anthropology The University of Toronto, Toronto, CA

BSW York University

MSW University of Calgary, Calgary, CA

Ph.D. University of Calgary, Calgary, CA

Recent Experience:

Dr. Kushner's career involves 30 years of experience as a social worker. Her experiences include numerous child welfare programs including, investigations, adoptions, daycare licensing and probation. Her 10 years experience in the child welfare system ranged from direct practice to management positions. Dr. Kushner was involved in writing the Adoptions regulations in Alberta, CA, pertaining to the family assessment portion of the current Adoptions Act. She was also instrumental in designing and implementing the first aboriginal child welfare office in Canada. Her experiences range from working in remote Canadian locations with Aboriginal peoples to large urban centers. For the last 20 years, Dr. Kushner owned and operated a private practice in Calgary, Alberta. As a clinical social worker and marriage and family therapist, she provided marriage and family therapy, divorce mediation, as well as individual counseling to both the private and public sectors. Her clinical expertise is in the area of completing child custody evaluations as a court-appointed expert. To date, she has completed over 300 expert opinions in numerous Canadian jurisdictions. Dr. Kushner has also been appointed by the Canadian Court system as an expert pertaining to adoption and child sexual abuse. Dr. Kushner has a private practice specializing in the area of divorce, marital and family therapy.

Research/Practice Interests:

Family Law
Children's Rights
Mediation
Child Custody
Access Matters

Dr. Kushner's Ph.D. dissertation pertained to the "helpfulness" of child custody experts. Her participants were Canadian judges and child custody evaluators. Prior to this study, Canadian judges had not engaged in scholarly research.

Dr. Kushner is continuing to research her interest in procedural justice with judges in the State of Maryland.

Teaching Experience:

Dr. Kushner has taught in the Canadian college and university systems since 1990. Courses taught include field, practice methods at the BSW and MSW levels, substance abuse, advanced family practice, family assessment, and group work. She teaches traditional face-to-face classes as well as blended classes in the SU Satellite Program.

Awards/Scholarships:

* Nominated for excellence in teaching award at the University of Calgary 2003
* Recipient of the Women Helping Women Scholarship provided by the Psychology Association in Alberta, CA 2002, 2003
* Centennial Year Scholarship, Gilbey, CA 1973. Full tuition scholarship towards an undergraduate university degree

Professional Affiliations:

* Clinical registration with the Canadian Social Work Association
* Clinical license with the State of Maryland Social Work Association
* AAMFT - American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists - Clinical membership since 1991. Reviewer for AAMFT scholarly works/workshop submissions.
* AFCC - Association of Family and Conciliation Courts - Membership since 1990.
* SSPS - Society for the Study of Social Problems - Membership since 2004.

Service:

* Salisbury University Sailing Advisor
* Social Work Club

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