Parent Coordination & Parent Coaching

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PARENTING COORDINATION

The families we serve deserve resolutions that are timely, in the best interest of their children, are respectful to all involved, and do not tear apart families or individuals. 

Parenting Coordination is an alternative dispute resolution process that is a non-confidential, child centered process; whereby the Parenting Coordinator works with parents (usually high conflict couples) in problem solving and creating a healthier co-parenting relationship. The Parenting Coordinator makes the decision when the parents are unwilling or unable to do so. This resolution process sometimes occurs by contract or Court Order.  

This child-centered program focuses on the family, giving children the opportunity to grow up in a reduced stress situation when parents are in high conflict. The goals of this process are: 

• Help parents understand the impact that their conflict has on their children
• Dispute resolution offered to high conflict parents where Mediation is inappropriate or ineffective due to high level of conflict
• Help parents move toward a healthier co-parenting relationship and develop methods of communication
• Help parents implement or stay in compliance with existing Court orders
• Support and mediate parental self-conflict resolution as parents resolve day to day issues that are frequently in conflict
• Help parents explore dispute resolution techniques, explore possibilities of compromise or collaboration; clarify priorities, clear up misunderstandings / communication problems
• With prior approval of Court or Parties, the Parenting Coordinator has the authority to make limited decisions when parents are unable or unwilling to make decisions on their own
• This non-confidential process may require documentation and reporting of concerns of parental behaviors to the Court associated with compliance or noncompliance with Court orders
• Reduce repeated re-litigation

Parenting Coordination process is a long process where parental decision making in intense conflict may be deferred to the Parent Coordinator; this is not Co-Parent Coaching, whereby in Co-Parent Coaching, the goal always remains to improve and strengthen the relationship and decision making of the two-household parents as they redefine and improve their parenting relationship to successfully co-parent their children.

PARENT COACHING

This process is for parents in conflict, but is also a process for parents, not necessary high conflict, but struggling to redefine raising their children in two separate households. The focus of Parent Coaching is always the Best Interest of the Children. 

Parent Coaching is available to all parents and can also be used within the Collaborative Divorce Process (in the Collaborative Divorce Process, the Parent Coach can be a part of the Collaborative team or a jointly selected facilitator to the Process). 

In Parent Coaching, parents meet individually, or preferably, together with the Neutral Coach to to improve and strengthen the relationship and decision making of the two-household parents as they redefine and improve their parenting relationship to successfully parent their children. The goals of this process are: 

• Redefine parenting roles
• Work on the separated parenting relationship
• Develop skills for post-separation/post-divorce co-parenting of their children
• Work on immediate/long term parenting issues
• Work on conflict resolution
• Redefine joint parenting goals and aspirations
• Explore raising their children in two separate households

Parent Coaching is the first step parents take so they control together the parenting of their children unlike the Parenting Coordination program where parents are frequently entrenched in long term conflict and parental “warfare.”  

If you are interested in Parent Coordination or Coaching services, please contact our office  (319) 363-5606