Is Co-Parenting Counseling Right for You?

This work is for parents who are no longer in a relationship but remain connected through shared parenting responsibilities and an ongoing need to coordinate and communicate over time for the benefit for their children.

This work becomes especially important when communication has become strained, when consistency between households is difficult to maintain, or when ongoing coordination is needed around schedules, decisions, or transitions.

This process is designed for parents who are willing to engage in a respectful, cooperative way, with a focus on the well-being of their children.  This process is designed for couples who are able to engage in a respectful, cooperative way. It is not appropriate for adversarial or highly escalated situations, and it does not replace legal guidance or produce legally binding outcomes. 

What to Expect

This process focuses on strengthening communication, reducing conflict, and creating more consistent and predictable co-parenting practices across households.

The goal is to support a more stable and reliable environment for children, while helping parents navigate ongoing interactions and decisions with greater ease and effectiveness over time.

The purpose is not to revisit or resolve past relationship issues, but to establish a more functional and sustainable working relationship as co-parents.

Each parent is supported in maintaining their role while learning to engage more constructively with the other, with an emphasis on consistency, communication, and the needs of the children.

How It Works

Sessions typically involve both parents working together to address communication, coordination, and shared responsibilities.

This provides space to navigate challenging conversations, clarify expectations, and develop more consistent approaches to co-parenting.

The emphasis is to help each parent focus on their role moving forward, while building practical strategies that support stability for their children.

Structure of Sessions

Co-Parenting Counseling is typically a short- to medium-term process and can later be used intermittently as an ongoing resource, depending on your needs and circumstances.

The first session is extended and lasts 2–3 hours. It begins with both parents meeting together to review the history of the marriage, what has led to the decision to separate or divorce, and goals for co-parenting. The remaining time is spent meeting individually with each parent to gather additional background, including family and relationship history, as well as each parent’s personal experience of parenting and their parenting style. This is the only time individual meetings are used; providing space for each parent to speak openly and without filter, with the understanding that what is shared will not be disclosed to the other.

Following the initial session, sessions are generally longer at the outset and may become shorter as a more consistent co-parenting approach is established. Scheduling is flexible and can range from regular meetings to sessions held as needed. Some parents meet consistently for a period, while others return for additional sessions as new situations arise or circumstances change. The frequency and duration will vary depending on your needs and the evolving nature of co-parenting.

No Secrets Policy

I use a “no secrets” policy in this work. The co-parenting relationship is the client, and both parents are an essential and equal part of that process. After the initial session, I do not meet, speak, or communicate by email with either parent individually.

Information shared with me by one parent is not kept from the other. Communication is conducted with full transparency; phone conversations and email correspondence will involve all of us. If one parent reaches out to me, I will respond to both.

This approach supports trust, accountability, and a more balanced process,  helping ensure the work remains focused on communication between partners rather than outside of it.

In Person or Telehealth

Co-Parenting Counseling is typically conducted in person, with both parents present together. Because the work focuses on communication, coordination, and shared parenting, being in the same space allows for more direct interaction, greater accountability, and the ability to stay aligned as situations arise.

For this to be effective, both parents need to be able to engage in a stable, respectful manner, as it can be more difficult to manage the structure of the session remotely. When these conditions are met, telehealth can provide a workable alternative while preserving the focus and consistency of the work. This helps ensure that conversations remain productive and focused on the needs of the children.

When Co-Parenting Counseling May Not Be Appropriate

• When one or both parents are not able to engage in a calm, respectful, and cooperative manner, or are unable to maintain a consistent focus on the needs of their children
• There are situations involving concerns about safety, including potential harm to either parent or children
• One or both parents are seeking legally binding decisions or outcomes, rather than a structured process to support communication and coordination for the betterment of the children
• There is an expectation that the process will be used to revisit past relationship issues, assign blame, or gain leverage in legal proceedings