Parental
Coordinator
Family Constellation changes are impactful on children - always.
When a member of the immediate family goes through separation, divorce, or death, the children are left to grieve. It is a void that, even though not always permanent, requires the child to grieve how things used to be. All children have challenges that are part of growing up, but a Family Constellation change disrupts the foundations of their identity, familial position, and sense of groundedness. As a Parental Coordinator (PC), I take a neutral position between the parents to help them navigate co-parenting or parallel parenting with a Child-Centered focus. The best interests of the health and wellness of the child are at the fore.
Parenting Plans are often general enough to serve as general guidance for the parents. However, particular situations and applications of the court document can have gray areas. A Parental Coordinator makes decisions beyond the parameters of the Court Ordered Plan but works with parents to execute the Plan in the child's best interests. When the co-parenting relationship warrants a coordinator, it typically has residual conflict, communication difficulties, negative feelings, and other issues that blur the parents' vision regarding the child's best interests. That is where a Parenting Coordinator can facilitate bringing about agreement regarding plan execution.
Part of my role as a psychologist is to offer psychoeducation regarding parenting-relevant issues. The goal is to help co-/parallel parenting parents navigate the rough patches and hopefully become better at it. Overall, the sooner co-parenting is sustainable without PC assistance, the better it is for the new family constellation, especially the child. Therefore, the psychoeducation aspect can be helpful in getting both parents to a better place and creating a better environment for their child(ren).
To begin working with me, you will need a court order for a PC and contact me by email: drbroome@phenomenalmindpsychology.com
I will return your email within 24 hours to provide the next steps.