Co-parenting Counseling

What do you talk about in co-parenting counseling/therapy?

• Parenting plan: This includes regular parenting time, breaks, birthdays, and holiday timeshares.

• Transition. Discuss how your kids will move from one home to another or to and from after-school activities. How do kids talk to the other parent when being away from them?

• Any applicable education, health, or faith-related topics. This includes homework, IEP, 504 plans, doctors' appointments or health conditions, and religious practices.

• Financial responsibilities. Talk about how to share childcare costs like insurance, extracurricular activities, and child tax credit/head of household status.

• Guardianship agreements. Who cares for the child/children, when one or both parents die?

• Emergencies. Discuss a plan or protocol for communicating and handling emergencies involving your child.

• Rules. Set guidelines for activities and routines that will be enforced consistently within both households, such as bed, bath, meal, or homework times.

• Peer relationships. Discuss allowances and boundaries when it comes to friends and social activities, such as deciding when a child is old enough to date.

• Parental life changes. Communicate about any major changes to either parent’s living situation or a new significant other being introduced into the picture.

What are the three types of co-parenting?

• Parallel co-parenting

Parallel parenting means parents operate their households independently without much communication. This approach is often recommended or ordered by the Family Court for high-conflict parents who failed to co-parent after some trials.

• Conflicted co-parenting

Conflicted co-parenting involves constant fighting, poor interactions, and a lack of cooperation between parents. This style can be particularly harmful to children. Family conflict contributes to anxiety and depression in children.

• Cooperative co-parenting

Cooperative co-parenting is the highest standard of co-parenting relationships. Parents work together to plan and coordinate their children’s lives. They also offer support to each other while avoiding unnecessary conflicts. This approach allows children to recover better from divorce. It also promotes a more positive outcome for all parties involved.

Among the three types of co-parenting practices, cooperative co-parenting calls for the most effort and maturity. It is a worthy investment in your children’s emotional resiliency and mental health.

What are the goals of co-parenting counseling/therapy?

The primary goals of co-parenting counseling are to help separated or divorced parents develop a cooperative and effective co-parenting relationship and to prioritize the well-being of their children. Here are some specific goals that may be addressed in co-parenting counseling:

• Improve communication: The goal is to help parents learn to communicate respectfully, clearly, and openly with each other regarding their children's needs, schedules, and important decisions.

• Reduce conflict: The goal is to create a peaceful and stable co-parenting environment for the children.

• Establish a parenting plan: The aim is to create clarity, consistency, and predictability for both parents and children.

• Promote co-parenting cooperation: It focuses on fostering collaboration, shared decision-making, and mutual respect to ensure that both parents are actively involved in their children's lives.

• Support the emotional well-being of children: Co-parenting counselor may provide guidance on how to address children's needs, promote positive parent-child relationships, and create a supportive and nurturing co-parenting environment.

• Provide tools for conflict resolution: Co-parenting counselor or mediator teaches effective problem-solving techniques, conflict management skills, and negotiation strategies to resolve disputes in a respectful and constructive manner.