NOTE: This piece first appeared on TheFamilyCourtCircus.com.
By Richard Luthmann
A Meeting of Minds
In a landmark session of the Family Court Fraud Warrior Project (FCFWP), founder Dave Weigel recently welcomed Marla Owens and Donna Lalwani of the Amen Clinics to teach warriors how to visualize trauma—literally.
The mission: to empower victims of family court corruption by using brain science to prove lasting damage.
“We’re not just talking about emotional pain,” Weigel said. “This is physical, neurological trauma. It shows up in your brain. And that makes it real in a way the courts can’t ignore.”
Owens, Legal and Forensics Manager at Amen Clinics, opened by thanking the national team attending the meeting.
“We’re here to educate and equip,” she said. “Because trauma—whether physical, chemical, or emotional—changes your brain. And we can see it.”
Amen Clinics, founded by psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, has conducted over 250,000 SPECT brain scans in its 35-year history. Their work has proven that trauma leaves a physical footprint—damage indistinguishable in some cases from a physical assault.
“We’ve seen patterns in the brain of abuse victims that look just like the brains of rape victims or soldiers with PTSD,” Owens said.
Brain Scans Broken Systems: Technology Meets Justice
The technology behind the evidence is called SPECT—Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography. It shows areas of overactivity or underactivity in the brain.
The scans are used to diagnose and treat conditions like PTSD, depression, anxiety, and ADHD.
“Psychiatry is the only field where we diagnose an organ we don’t look at,” Owens said. “You wouldn’t guess what’s wrong with someone’s liver—you’d scan it. Why not the brain?”
Amen Clinics does just that. And increasingly, they’re using those images in court.
“We’ve had cases where our scans helped protect children from going back to their abusers,” Owens told the group. “This isn’t theory. This is evidence.”
When asked if the clinic works with children, Owens was direct: “Yes. We scan kids as young as four. And we’ve done it in high-conflict custody cases when the child’s voice is being ignored. That scan can change everything.”
Brain Scans Broken Systems: Warriors on a Mission
Dave Weigel formed FCFWP to expose systemic abuse in the family court system.
“It’s not broken,” he said. “It’s designed to hurt people—and it’s working exactly as intended.”
But through blockchain-style verification and support networks, his group has grown to thousands of members worldwide.
“We use our Facebook group like a public ledger. It’s a truth machine. We verify real victims,” he explained. “Now we’re adding science to that record. That’s where Amen Clinics comes in.”
Weigel, a fiduciary asset manager, is no stranger to data.
“When I learned that the trauma we’ve experienced can be measured—can be seen—it blew my mind,” he said. “We’re talking about PTSD at a neurological level. And almost everyone in our group has it.”
He shared his own story of trauma and recovery.
“Even after I got my kids back, I still had triggers. I still do. It’s a long road. But Amen Clinics is giving us a map.”
Brain Scans Broken Systems: Healing Through Imaging
Donna Lalwani, a clinical expert from Amen Clinics, added that SPECT scans are just the beginning.
“Our job isn’t just to show damage,” she said. “It’s to build recovery plans. We look at how each part of the brain is functioning. The prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, anterior cingulate—we assess it all.”
Her key message: healing is possible.
“Even after brain injury, the brain has ‘reserve.’ That means it can heal,” she said. “But you need the right treatment, and it starts with looking at what’s actually going on.”
Lalwani explained that perpetrators often don’t seek help.
“It’s usually the victims who show up,” she said. “But we can still learn a lot from their scans. It tells us where they’re stuck, what needs calming, and what needs rewiring.”
Amen’s system includes therapy, supplements, lifestyle changes, and techniques like EMDR—eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.
“We treat the person, not the diagnosis,” Lalwani said. “And we don’t just rely on labels like ‘depression’ or ‘anxiety.’ We look deeper.”
Brain Scans Broken Systems: The Road Ahead
Weigel called the clinic a “strategic partner” in the Warriors’ mission to expose and heal the damage caused by corrupt courts.
“We’re building a new ecosystem,” he said. “And Amen Clinics is a pillar in that system.”
He emphasized that the FCFWP never charges victims.
“We fundraise to pay for these scans, these treatments, this research. We’ve got 25 volunteers and a network growing every day. What we’re building is hope.”
Owens closed with a powerful reminder:
“Your trauma is real. It’s visible. And with the right tools, it’s treatable.”
The Family Court Fraud Warrior Project plans to continue its work with Amen Clinics, aiming to build a future where trauma is no longer invisible—and where healing is backed by science.
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