Co-Parenting & Parallel Parenting Coaching

What is Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching?
Co-Parenting and/or Parallel Parenting Coaching is a psychoeducational skill building process designed to assist high-conflict former couples manage negative emotions, communicate, and put the best interest of the child or children first.

Oftentimes, this service has been Court-ordered for both parents. Sometimes, one parent will enter into Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching to benefit from the personal growth and skills improvement, even when the other parent refuses to do so.  

Coaching is Not Therapy. 
If you or your family requires therapy, and all parties are in California, please go to our Co-Parenting Therapy page.
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What is the Difference Between  Co-Parenting and Parallel Parenting?
With Co-Parenting, parents are basically able to be in the same room together, communicate, and share custody in a manner that benefits the child or children. They may not have warm, fuzzy feelings for one another, but they are able to put their feelings aside for the greater purpose of raising happy, healthy children.

With Parallel Parenting, Co-Parenting is not possible at this time. Sometimes, there has been domestic violence, a betrayal, or another event that caused an intense emotional reaction. Other times, the current conflict is a build up of negative interactions over time. For whatever reason, the parents are not able to communicate without argument.  Each parent is a parent, separate and distinct from the other parent.  There is no communication, no discussions, no cooperation.  Usually, in this type of parenting, the Court has decided every single detail for the parents, and no alterations may be made without a change in the Court Order.

In either event, Coaching will work toward a healthier, happier existence for all involved. 

De-escalating Conflict
If you and your child's other parent have a difficult time agreeing upon parenting styles, schedules, school, extra-curricular activities, and/or custody time, Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching may help decrease stressful conflict, increase positive communication, and facilitate healthy cooperation.

When is Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching Helpful?
Here are some situations when Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching can be helpful:
- individuals do not have a mental health diagnosis
- individuals already have a therapist and are working on personal goals
- parents are having difficulty agreeing on issues related to parenting, custody, and/or custodial time
- parents and children live in different states and cannot find a therapist who is licensed in both states

How can Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching help?
Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching can help parents, and by proxy, the children by:

- learning and using coping skills
- learning and using communication skills
- planning realistic goals
- identifying and taking responsibility for one's own emotional reactions 
- learning and using effective, positive parenting techniques
- improving the parent- child relationship
- facilitating safe and secure interactions​

How is Co-Parenting and Parallel Parenting Coaching different from Therapy?
Coaching is more future-focused and goal-directed than Therapy.  In Co-Parenting and Parallel Parenting Coaching, we help parents via the use of psychoeducation and targeted activities that help manage difficult emotions, increase the ability to function within a difficult life circumstance, and communicate more effectively, for the benefit of the shared child or children.

Additional Services
Additional services may include communication with social workers, attorneys, school personnel and/or other individuals involved with the process, and preparation of a Summary of Service for Court.

If you would like to know more about Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting Coaching, please call.

​Back to the Coaching main page.
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