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Psychotherapy and co-parenting by Krishan Smith from Custody X Change

06/25/2019, 22:02:00 –

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Psychotherapy and co-parenting

 

Psychotherapy and co-parenting are two areas that are heavily intertwined. Psychological mental health issues such as depression and anxiety present their own challenges if you are dealing with these as a parent, or indeed if your child struggles with these afflictions. In these situations, you are not alone and there is help available.

After divorce, the transition to a new form of parenting presents further challenges that are also related to psychotherapy. A transition itself has a psychological effect on everyone involved and there may be traces of trauma depending on individual circumstance. Separation anxiety is not uncommon at this stage in life neither are behavioral issues but shared parenting can be a valuable and utilizable tool to combat and reduce the risk of both.

 

Recognizing and accepting help

After divorce becoming a co-parent is the next big step. It’s an unstable and vulnerable time in your life and you definitely shouldn’t be afraid or embarrassed to seek help. You need people to confide in and vent to. Friends, family, and forums are all useful resources but don’t shy away from mediation, therapy and counseling. Being proactive and assertive enough to reach out for help and advice when you need it can be a difficult but ultimately life-changing decision.

Psychotherapy is most necessary at the hardest and most psychologically testing times of your life divorce and life after divorce falls into this category!

 

Parenting and the Brain

Not surprisingly our brains are designed for raising children. However, stress in parents can affect their brain and subsequently their actions and parenting style. The consequences of this can mean the difference between chemical reactions in the brain that result in behavior that creates a warm loving parent-child relationship and behavior that results in a strained and high conflict one.

Stress and trauma can seriously affect a child’s brain development and it goes without saying that traumatized children will generally grow up to have issues in later life. This emphasizes the importance of a positive co-parenting situation where the parents manage their emotional and stress responses effectively so that a child does not feel rejected. A child that experiences trauma can be very difficult to manage, it is important to accept help if you cannot remain calm or if their behavior is severely affecting your relationship with them.

 

In summary

 

Psychologically speaking co-parenting is in the best interests of your child. Enhancing the quality of your child-parent relationship can never be a bad move. Having both parents involved in their lives in a low conflict situation has been proven to help maintain their mental well-being and healthy development. Without mitigating, factors such as high aggression, abuse, and addiction studies have shown that when possible children prefer to retain a relationship with both parents. Even in extreme cases you shouldn’t discount supervised visitation as a last resort.

This article was authored by Krishan Smith: senior editor and content specialist at Custody X Change, a custody software solution.  Custody X Change provides software for developing and managing custody agreements, parenting plans and schedules whilst additionally providing free co-parenting resources and a scholarship program for single parents.

 

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