Abstract
Divorce, and the conflict that ensues, greatly impacts children. Intense conflict around the terms of settlement and custody presents major challenges for psychologists who work with these families. Co-parenting training can be a helpful intervention with such families. Co-parenting training differs from family therapy or couple therapy, because of a “best interests of the child’ perspective and a future (not past) orientation. Informed consent, establishment of parenting policies, facilitation of coparenting communication, and respect for boundaries are essential components.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Behrman, L. J., & Zimmerman, J. (2018). Loving Your Children More Than You Hate Each Other: Powerful Tools for Navigating a High-Conflict Divorce. New Harbinger Publications.
Cummings, E. M., & Davies, P. (2010). Marital conflict and children: An emotional security perspective. New York: Guilford Press.
Grall, T. S. (2013). Custodial mothers and fathers and their child support: 2011 (pp. 60–246). Washington, DC: US Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau.
Jordan, P. H. (2016). Individual Therapy With a Child of Divorced Parents. Journal of clinical psychology, 72(5), 430–443.
Kelly, J. B. (2000). Children’s adjustment in conflicted marriage and divorce: A decade review of research. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 39(8), 963–973.
Lamb, M. E. (2012). Mothers, fathers, families, and circumstances: Factors affecting children’s adjustment. Applied Developmental Science, 16(2), 98–111.
Thayer, E. S., & Zimmerman J. (2001). The co-parenting survival guide: Letting go of conflict after a difficult divorce. New Harbinger Publications.
Visser, M., Finkenauer, C., Schoemaker, K., Kluwer, E., van der Rijken, R., van Lawick J.,... & Lamers-Winkelman, F. (2017). NI never forgive you: High conflict divorce, social network, and co-parenting conflicts. Journal of child and family studies, 26(11), 3055–3066.
Zimmerman J., Hess, A. K., McGarrah, N. A., Benjamin, G. A. H., Ally, G. A., Gollan J. K., & Kaser-Boyd, N. (2009). Ethical and professional considerations in divorce and child custody cases. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(6), 539.
Additional information
Jeffrey Zimmerman, PhD, ABPP, is in independent practice and is a founding partner of The Practice Institute, LLC. He received his doctoral degree from the University of Mississippi. He is co-author of Loving Your Children More Than You Hate Each Other, The Co-Parenting Survival Guide, and Adult Children of Divorce. He frequently trains and mentors colleagues in co-parenting and other alternative dispute-resolution strategies. He has been providing co-parenting counseling since the 1990s and has worked with hundreds of sets of parents.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zimmerman, J. Co-Parenting Counseling With High-Conflict Divorced Parents: Challenges for Psychologists at All Levels of Experience. J Health Serv Psychol 45, 66–71 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03544682
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03544682