Collaborative Divorce Sets Stage for Healthy Co-Parenting
When parents of minor children divorce, they cannot completely sever ties between them. They remain members of a family through their children.
The goal of Collaborative Divorce is to help a divorcing couple define and implement the settlement that best meets the needs of their family, and learn new skills for more effective communication, conflict resolution and post-divorce co-parenting.
The Collaborative Divorce team including a family law attorney, financial professional and divorce coach helps the parties achieve a divorce settlement that minimizes the negative economic, social, and emotional consequences that often undermine families in the traditional adversarial divorce process. By maintaining a primary focus on the needs of children and the welfare of the family overall, the Collaborative approach helps parents provide their children with the emotional support and healthy co-parenting they need.
Following a divorce, each parent must take responsibility for maintaining a positive, cooperative co-parenting approach to their children. Establishing new routines can be challenging, perhaps frustrating. It can be tempting to sound off about the failings of your ex-spouse. But blowing off steam is not worth the long term damage done to the family unit, especially the children.
A recent Huffington Post column discusses three good reasons not to “trash talk” your ex-spouse after a divorce. This is good advice and worth sharing with our readers. But if you find yourself struggling with this issue after a Collaborative Divorce, seek out your original coach who can help you work through psychological and emotional issues that may be lingering from your divorce, or newly emerging. A licensed mental health professional can help provide the tools you need to cope in a healthier, more productive way.
