Separation and divorce is a painful thing for adults, and it is painful and confusing for kids as well. When separation or divorce happens, it is important for parents to understand the needs of their children, and to work cooperatively to minimize the effects of their difficulties on their kids.
The purpose of co-parenting counseling is to help parents who are separated or divorced be the best parents they can be for their kids. This is not relationship counseling or couples therapy. The focus is not reconciliation or rebuilding the relationship, but on helping parents understand their children’s practical, emotional, and developmental needs, and to learn what it means to place their children first. It is about becoming aware of some of the pitfalls and traps that parents can unwittingly fall into, which can do great damage to their kids. Some of the topics have to do with understanding how kids are impacted by divorce or separation, learning how to keep from “putting a child in the middle” and learning how to work collaboratively as parents, for the sake of the kids.
Co-parenting counseling does follow a fairly structured curriculum, and is typically eight to ten sessions in length. It is not covered by insurance; therefore, each parent typically pays one half of the hourly rate.