Court-ordered counseling is therapeutic or behavioral health counseling required by a court order for a parent, a child, the family as a unit, or as part of a reunification process. Courts order counseling to address substance abuse, anger management, parenting skills, domestic violence intervention, and other issues affecting the child's wellbeing.

Court-ordered counseling must meet specific requirements if it is intended to support modification of a court order. A treatment program ordered to address domestic violence must meet the standards in the Alec and Lydia Act — relevant and proportionate, privilege waived, demonstrated genuine insight.

Under the Alec and Lydia Act courts cannot order a victim to participate in any counseling or therapeutic process jointly with the abusive parent.