CoMamas Assocation

Born in Paris , France , Michele Baldwin, L.C.S.W., Ph.D., first came to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar in 1956. She received her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Washington (1957), her Diplome from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris (1957), her M.S.S.W. from the Simmons College School of Social Work (1966), and her Ph.D. from the Union Graduate School (1976).She is a former Fellow of the Bunting Institute of Radcliffe College, has been certified by the Academy of Certified Social Workers and by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT), and is licensed in Illinois as a clinical social worker. She is an AAMFT approved supervisor and has written a number of articles for professional and lay journals. She has been a member of the faculty at the Family Institute at Northwestern University since 1986 and a Faculty Member of the Chicago Center for Family Health since 1999. She conducts a limited practice of marriage and family therapy.

Maggie Meinschein is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. She graduated Suma Cum Laude in 1995 from Pepperdine University and did her training in Los Angeles at The Maple Counseling Center, Airport Marina Counseling Service, Open Paths Counseling Center and Teen Line at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. She has worked extensively with families, couples and individuals for the past 8 years on collaborative parenting and relationship issues. A related area of interest for Maggie is helping families and individuals work through early loss and trauma and the impact that those additional stressors have had on their current relationships. Her private practice is located in Culver City, California.

Dr. Anita Jaskol has been a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist since 1979 and received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 1991. She also earned a certificate in Guided Imagery from the Academy of Guided Imagery, Mill Valley, California. For eighteen years Dr. Jaskol worked with injured workers with physical limitations and disabilities and suffering stress-related physical and medical symptoms and problems. Her practice includes individuals, couples, families, and groups. Although she was born, raised and lived in Los Angeles all of her life, she currently makes her home in Denver, Colorado. Her growing family includes two daughters, one son, and two grandchildren

Meet the Collaborative Divorce Consultants, Dr. Irene M. Schatz and Debra C. Baer, trained CoMamas Facilitators:

Dr. Irene M. Schatz received her Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work and is licensed in the State of Florida. She earned her Ph.D in Marriage and Family Therapy and is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator. Dr. Schatz has conducted extensive research on post-divorce co-parenting relationships and, in her 25 years of clinical practice, has helped numerous couples negotiate the transition from conflict to collaboration. She teaches graduate level family therapy courses and is a frequent lecturer on issues related to separation/divorce and collaborative parenting.

Debra C. Baer received her law degree from McGill University, and for 23 years has been a practicing attorney specializing in Family Law. As an adjunct to her practice, she has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses related to the legal and psychological aspects of marriage, separation and divorce. Most recently, she has dedicated herself full time to Family Mediation and has worked extensively with families in transition. She is a frequent lecturer on all issues related to separation/divorce and collaborative co-parenting.

As well as being in business together, Irene and Debra are CoMamas. Debra is engaged to Irene's ex-husband and was a CoMama with her ex-husband's wife, Erica. In addition, Irene is a CoMama and CoGrandma with her husband's ex-wife, Ellie.

Crispen is a registered Marriage and Family Therapy Intern with a private practice in West Los Angeles, California. Becoming a therapist is her second career; however, she has worked in the medical arena as a patient advocate for over twenty years. She has been both an ex-wife and a stepmom. Because of her experiences, she has a special interest in helping stepwives create a positive relationship with each other, which will lead to healthier and stronger bonds with the children and their blended families.

Meet Patty Oneal, MFT, a trained CoMamas facilitator:

Patty is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private practice in Carlsbad, California. She has worked extensively with families, couples and individuals for over 12 years addressing blended family and relationship issues. In addition, she is a professor of Sociology at California State University, San Marcos.

Caroline Conley is a licensed marriage, family, child therapist with an office in Studio City, California. She works with adults and children as individuals, couples and families in short and long term treatment. She is delighted now to be able to offer gorups, following the CoMamas program, to assist parents and stepparents to work together to provide the happiest, most productive and most loving environments for the children they are co-raising. Individual appointments are available as well. Caroline recieved her B.A. from Indiana University in psychology. She received her M.A. and C. Phil. degrees from UCLA specializing in clinical psychology. She is a diplomate with the America Psychotherapy Association as well as the American College of Forensic Examiners. She has cognitive-behavioral orientation and has been trained in EMDR to assist patients with trauma related problems. She brings to the job of therapist a great deal of experience and good humor. She respects the roles of being a parent and stepparent and looks forward to assisting parents and stepparents to identify the issues and deal with the behaviors that are harmful to their children and to the well being of their families.