When 39-year-old Perth woman Beth and her husband separated in November 2021 due to his emotional affair with another woman, the impact and repercussions of the split were also experienced by their two children, aged nine and six. “The kids got really clingy and teary at handovers, and our daughter’s teacher called us in to discuss his concerns [about how her daughter was coping],” says Beth, who chooses not to share her surname for privacy reasons. After seeking professional help for her daughter, Beth was told by a psychologist that the “tension” between Beth and her ex-husband was exacerbating her daughter’s difficulty coping.
The psychologist recommended a type of counselling for Beth and her ex-husband that she wasn’t familiar with, one that provides support for parents and their children as they navigate the separation: co-parenting therapy. Co-parenting therapy helps former couples communicate and work together. Credit: iStock “Co-parenting therapy teaches parents to work together even if they are no longer partners.
It’s more about practical co-parenting skills than relationship dynamics. This is where it differs from other therapies,” says Sharyn Green-Arndt, therapist and family expert at The Co-parenting Institute. While initially reluctant, the co-parents were committed to finding a positive way forward and underwent their first sessions about 13 months after they separated – beginning with a one-on-one appointment with the therapist.
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