Professional Licensure
Dr. Carolyna Smiley-Marquez is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), certified by the National Board for Professional Counselors and is affiliated with the Boulder Interdisciplinary Committee.

Certification
She holds child and family investigation, mediation, facilitation, cross-cultural and international mediation certifications from holds certifications from Colorado School for Family Therapy NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors), ACA (American Counseling Association), APA (American Psychological Association), The American Arbitration Association, and the Native Dispute Resolution Network.

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Child and Family Investigation Services
Dr. Carolyna Smiley-Marquez, LPC. provides inquiry and assessment services for families engaged in dispute regarding care and decision-making for their child or children. Her investigations are fair-minded, thorough and in the best interest of the children involved. She has expertise in working with families from multicultural and other national, immigrated and non-dominant religious backgrounds. She provides Spanish-language services and accepts state-rate cases.

Qualifications & Experience
Dr. Smiley-Marquez's qualifications are on file with the 20th Judicial District's Court Administrator. She has accomplished required training as set forth by CJD 04-08 and has specialized knowledge and experience in the following areas:

  • the effects of divorce, single parenting are remarriage for children and families;
  • dynamics of conflict in divorces;
  • child development, including cognitive, personality, emotional and psychological;
  • child and adult psychopathology;
  • family dynamics and dysfunction;
  • domestic violence
  • substance use and abuse;
  • child abuse, emotional, psychological and physical;
  • parenting capacity and failures;
  • diversity issues including language, culture and nationality;
  • GLBT families;
  • available services for children and families;
  • legal standards applicable in each case to which a CFI is appointed;
  • interview techniques for interviewing children and adults.

Parenting Coordination Services
As a parenting coordinator, Dr. Smiley-Marquez, on appointment by the Court, assists parents in making decisions that are in the best interest of their children when:

  • conflict between the parties is impairing communication between the parties;
  • parents are having difficulties making mutual decisions regarding their child or children;
  • parties are caught in a pattern of litigation;
  • parties need Court intervention repeatedly over the same or related issues;
  • personality disorders are present in one of more of the parties;
  • mental illness or unhelpful behavior patterns are issues; and
  • abuse is alleged or is a potential issue;
  • when cultural, religious or other values are in conflict between the parties.

About Dr. Smiley-Marquez
Carolyna has a multi-disciplinary master's and doctorate degree in the humanities, social sciences and education, passed the National Counselor Examination and has been licensed by the State of Colorado as a Professional Counselor since 2004. She has participated in specialized training as a Child and Family Investigator with the Colorado School of Family Therapy and have provided 22 investigations on the Front Range of Colorado. Additionally, she has worked as a legal investigator for over twenty years in a variety of fields and with diverse populations. She maintains her interdisciplinary skills by attending professional training programs, courses and conferences on a regular basis and through an active reading schedule of the literature related to the work. Most recently, she participated in 40 hour training program with the Nakwatsvewat Institute, Hopi Reservation. She has been an elementary school teacher, counselor, university faculty member, hospital administrator, mediator, peacemaker and consultant during her career.

She has five grown children and five grandchildren and understands the importance and significance of the work that she does. As a result of her work as a CFI, she has the opportunity to visit with parents, children, grandparents and extended families that are involved in separation and divorce. It is never easy for any of the parties. Her job is to provide a Judge or Magistrate with a thorough and fair assessment of the situation, the needs and interests of the children and the concerns of the families.

Forms
Parent Questionnaire
Parent Assessment
Child & Family Investigator Policies