Co-parenting Counseling: Clinical Implications and Skill Building (4.5CME, 2 IPV, 1 DIV)

Specific new skills that will be taught include:

· Understand the principles of effective and functional co-parenting.

· Learn how to help clients and their families create a structure around effective communication.

· Learn conflict resolution skills and de-escalation strategies.

· Learn how to help parents who conflict and struggle with parental decision making.

· Help clients learn how to set healthy boundaries with both their children and the co-parent.

· Understanding the ethical issues involved in co-parenting counseling.

· How to work with one parent on co-parenting when the other parent isn’t cooperative.

· Learn how to integrate about the unique dynamics of blended families in co-parenting.

· Understand how the co-parenting process impact children.

· Understand the importance and implications of parenting plans for both parents and children.

· Understand the dynamics of parental alienation, how to recognize, respond and be proactive.

· Understand how to help clients manage their own anger and emotions during the co-parenting process.

· Understanding the complexities of the co-parenting process and the myriad of issues that relate to it.

· Learn how to implement techniques and interventions which address the many aspects of co-parenting counseling.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

· Identify all the aspects of the co-parenting process.

· Identify & assess how the specific components of co-parenting effect whole family system

· Learn conflict resolution, de-escalation and effective communication skills specific to the issues of co-parenting.

· Understand and learn how to apply specific skills and techniques in co-parenting counseling.

Teaching Methods:

This course will be taught with a combination of methods including didactic lecture and interactive activities which will:

· Offer participants the opportunity to practice the skills, techniques and strategies that prepare them for working with families who are in need of co-parenting counseling.

· Engage participants in experiencing the client perspective through hands on experiential exercises.

· Discussion of how to apply clinical issues of co-parenting to specific cases, as well as provide case examples throughout.