Eronilde ‘Nil’ Buckley and Vivus Counseling, Custody evaluator and DV expert offering trauma-informed, court-admissible evaluations in complex family law and criminal cases across Colorado.

Custody Evaluations in Colorado Springs

Expert evaluations that support families, courts, and the best interest of children.

Insight for the Court—With Integrity and Care

We provide trauma-informed, court-admissible custody and domestic violence evaluations grounded in forensic best practices. Backed by over a decade of experience in Colorado courts, our assessments are culturally responsive and designed to guide legal decisions with fairness, clinical precision, and compassion.

What Are Custody and DV-Related Evaluations?

They’re not about sides—they’re about truth, safety, and informed decision-making.

Our custody evaluations assess mental health, substance use, domestic violence, parenting capacity, and family dynamics. We help clarify risk, potential for change, and the impact of harmful behavior on children and adults.

We work with individuals navigating:

  • High-conflict custody cases involving abuse or coercion

  • Substance use or mental health concerns affecting parenting

  • Domestic violence allegations in criminal or family court

  • DHS or probation requirements around DV or parenting

  • Court needs for neutral, evidence-based evaluation

Eronilde ‘Nil’ Buckley and Vivus Counseling, Licensed forensic evaluator reading “The CARE Method,” an evidence-based domestic violence and custody assessment tool used in Colorado family court cases.

Custody & DV Evaluations at Vivus Counseling

Forensic clarity with trauma-informed care.

Each evaluation is tailored to the specifics of your legal case and grounded in research and professional ethics. We’re frequently retained for high-risk and complex cases where neutrality, objectivity, and clear clinical insight are essential.

Our process is comprehensive, ethical, and legally sound.

The evaluation process includes:

  • Free 15-minute consultation to clarify process and fit
  • Written procedure policy outlining clear expectations for clients and attorneys
  • Collateral review of texts, court documents, police reports, and transcripts
  • Clinical interviews with clients, witnesses, and the opposing party
  • Structured assessments including DV risk, parenting capacity, substance use, and more
  • Expedited services available when timelines are tight (additional fees apply)

We use research-backed tools such as:

  • DVRNA (Domestic Violence Risk and Needs Assessment)
  • ODARA (Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment)
  • HARE Psychopathy Checklist
  • IORNS (Inventory of Offender Risks, Needs, and Strengths)

We don’t just assess behavior—we understand it in context.

Every evaluation considers the whole person: their history, trauma, resilience, and risk. Our assessments are grounded in clinical ethics and adhere to state and federal legal standards. With extensive training in DV dynamics, child development, and risk assessment, we bring deep insight to every case—without bias or agenda.

We provide detailed evaluation reports and maintain close collaboration with attorneys, courts, and multidisciplinary teams. Our evaluator is also approved by the Colorado DV Offender Management Board (DVOMB) and has been retained across multiple counties for expert-level evaluations and testimony.

We’re here to support you—and the legal system—with clarity and professionalism.

Our evaluator has provided expert testimony in El Paso, Pueblo, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, and Alamosa counties. We are fully recognized by courts, DHS, and probation, and we provide:

  • Court-admissible evaluation reports
  • Regular progress updates and collaboration with attorneys
  • Expert testimony on DV impact, parenting, coercive control, trauma, and more

Legal credentials include:

  • DVOMB-Approved Pre- and Post-Sentence Evaluator
  • DVOMB Clinical Supervisor
  • Domestic Relations DV Evaluator
Group therapy participant raising hand in a sunlit session, symbolizing active participation and healing through group counseling in Colorado Springs

Frequently Asked Questions About Custody Evaluations

We know you have lots of questions. Hopefully here are a few answers.

Yes. Our evaluator is a DVOMB-approved provider and has been recognized as an expert witness in multiple Colorado counties for evaluations involving DV, mental health, and substance use.

Timelines vary based on the complexity of the case and volume of collateral. Standard timelines are discussed in your initial consultation, and expedited services are available.

Yes. Every evaluation includes a detailed, court-admissible report outlining findings and recommendations.

Since 2015, we have been providing expert testimony in Colorado courts and have been deemed an expert witness in El Paso, Alamosa, Pueblo, Douglas, Jefferson, and Denver counties in:

  • Substance Abuse Evaluations and Treatment
  • Domestic Violence Evaluations (Criminal and Domestic Relations Cases)
  • Domestic Violence Counseling
  • Mental Health Evaluations

We regularly testify in:

  • Domestic Relations Cases (custody matters)
  • Criminal DV cases (Including Felony and Misdemeanor cases)
  • Protection order hearings
  • Dependency & Neglect (D&N) cases

Areas We Have Testified On Include:

  • Impact of DV on adult survivors, child witnesses, and adolescents at risk for criminal behavior
  • Cycle of abuse in relationships and families
  • Coercive control and its legal/parenting implications
  • Spiritual abuse as a form of coercion
  • Female offenders & bidirectional violence
  • Parenting capacity in DV contexts
  • Attachment and child development in violent homes
  • TBI and military trauma in DV dynamics
  • Risk & lethality assessments and their weight in legal decisions
  • Best practices in offender treatment and survivor support
  • Domestic Violence Risk & Needs Assessment (DVRNA)
  • Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA)
  • HARE Psychopathy Checklist
  • IORNS – Inventory of Offender Risks, Needs, and Strengths
  • Colorado DVOMB Approved Pre- and Post-Sentence Evaluator
  • DVOMB Approved Treatment Provider & Clinical Supervisor
  • Domestic Relations DV Evaluator

Relevant Presentations / Judicial & Legal Training

  • State Judicial Conference (2024): “Coercive Control in Criminal and Civil Cases Involving
    Domestic Violence”
  • Family Law Institute (2024, Vail): “Protecting Futures: Navigating IPV and Children’s
    Well-Being in Divorce”
  • CLE – El Paso County Bar Association (2025): “Coercive Control or High-Conflict Divorce”
  • DV Summit (2023): “Breaking the Silence: Female Offenders and Distinguishing Predominant
    Abuse from Reactive Abuse”
  • Guest Lecturer – CSU Sacramento (2025): “Intersection of DV and Substance Use Disorders”
  • 10th Judicial Bench Presentation (Pueblo, 2025): “Understanding Female Offenders in DV
    Cases”
  • DVOMB/SOMB Conference (2023): “Evaluating Justice-Involved Members of the Armed
    Forces”
  • DVOMB/SOMB Conference (Breckenridge, 2025): “Advanced Female Offender Evaluation: Trauma-Informed Strategies for Ethical Evaluations & Recommendations”
  • Family Law Institute (Vail, 2025): “Words Matter: Clarifying Coercive Control as a Form of
    Domestic Violence”

Professional Leadership & Affiliations

  • Appointed Member, Colorado DV Offender Management Board (DVOMB) – Mental Health
    Professional/DV Provider seat (2020; reappointed 2024)
  • Founder & Chair, El Paso County Domestic Violence Task Force
  • Member, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
  • Member, Battering Intervention Services Coalition of Michigan (BISC-MI)
  • Over 10 years’ experience in DV evaluations, treatment, and testimony.
  • Recognized expert witness across multiple Colorado counties.
  • Trainer of judges, attorneys, and mental health professionals statewide.
  • Developer of The CARE Method – an evidence-based DV treatment curriculum with published
    workbooks and ongoing research validation.
  • Balanced approach: research-driven, trauma-informed, and ethically grounded.

Start With Confidence

Change begins with clarity. And clarity begins here.

Reach out today to schedule your free 15-minute consultation and learn how we can support your case with insight, integrity, and trauma-informed care.

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