“Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired. My heart is sad. From where the sun now stands now, I will fight no more. Forever!”
DOES CHIEF JOSEPH’S STATEMENT RESONATE WITH YOU?
What brought Chief Joseph to this way of thinking?
Are you fighting?
What are you fighting for?
How will you know when you can stop fighting?
CUSTODY CHILDREN’S BILL OF RIGHTS
The right to have two homes where he/she is cherished and supported in their own growth and development.
Each child has a right to a meaningful relationship with each parent.
Each parent and child have the right to call themselves a family regardless of how the children’s time is divided.
Each parent has the responsibility and right to contribute to the raising of his/her child.
Each child has the right to have competent parents and to be free from hearing, observing, or being a part of their parents’ arguments or problems with one another.
Each parent has the right to his or her own private life and territory and to raise the children without unreasonable interference from the other parent.
The children have a right to have a “home” with each parent.
A family exists with mother, father, and children even though the mother and father live in different homes. This “invisible” family connection is felt within each member of the family, an internal connection that supports growth and development of the children.
While mother and father are always 100% parent, the best interests of children are to experience uninterrupted time with each parent. The parents are custodial parents during their court ordered or agreed upon parenting time.
Children have a right to love each parent, have a relationship with each parent and members of their extended family.
Children have a right to have their needs met in such a manner to feel safe and nourished with each parent.
The parents have the responsibility to abide by these Rights
Co-Parenting Contract
CO-PARENTING COACHING WILL COVER THE FOLLOWING:
How parental conflict affects your children
Manage volatile feelings which interfere with effective communication
Form new working relationship with the child/ren’s other parent
Improve communication so that co-parenting is possible
Understand different parenting styles and their effectiveness
Understand pitfalls that prevent cooperative co-parenting
Understand each child’s particular needs
EXPECTATIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN THIS CO-PARENTING THERAPY:
Commitment to the process by showing up at the given time
Accountability for own behavior
Participate with respect and good social manners
Complete the “homework” and practice skills during the week
Keep what goes on in co-parenting confidential and do not involve the children in what is said during co-parenting
All communication between parties and co-parenting therapist will be via email and each parent will be cc: on the email
FINANCIAL EXPECTATIONS
Honor the financial arrangement that is agreed upon
Co-Parenting coaching is billed at $150.00 per hour. The financial arrangements of who pays what must be decided prior to the sessions.
I work off a retainer fee of $750, giving you five sessions.
Each parent must schedule their own individual intake and pay for that separately from the $750 retainer. This intake may be one or two hours.
All time spent on coaching is billable at $150.00 such as memos, arranging meetings, communication outside of the sessions, and writing up new agreements, etc.
If a meeting must be canceled, notify the other parent and therapist at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting to avoid the session fee. Cancellation less that 48 hours will be billed at regular fee.
If one parent fails to show, that parent is responsible for payment.
All fees will be paid prior to scheduling the next meeting.
The co-parenting session will be a 50-minute session and will be conducted on zoom
Co-parenting is not the place to change a custody order and the therapist will not make recommendations to do so. If parents reach an agreement, they must contact their attorneys or petition the court to make these agreements an order of the court.
If you are participating in co-parent through a court order, the court may ask for a report about your participation and level of cooperation. By agreeing to participate in co-parenting coaching, you agree to such a court report. In this regard, co-parenting is not confidential.
You may ask for other persons to participate in the co-parenting process, but both must agree to include others in the process or a session.
PROCESS:
This therapist will meet individually with each parent prior to conjoint sessions
If a custody evaluation or mediation report has been conducted, it is helpful to be able to review this document, but both parties must agree. The court may order that this evaluation be considered in co-parenting.
Co-parenting guidelines will be discussed; what will and will not be discussed
Co-parenting communication will be discussed: what will and will not be accepted as appropriate communication
Forming a co-parent, businesslike relationship will be expected
Setting an Agenda
Homework: exercises of good parenting concepts, positive ways to communicate, ways to manage anger, etc. will be offered each week. Time will be spent on discusses these concepts.
Goals of co-parenting will be self-measured.
Non-compliance will be grounds for termination. If this is court ordered, a non-compliance report will be made.
Parenting techniques for co-parenting will be discussed:
Parenting over the fence, long distance parenting, special needs of children, cooperative parenting, parallel parenting, child centered parenting, parenting goals, (what is it you want for your children)
ALL MEETINGS WILL BE ON ZOOM. IT IS USUAL TO PARTICIPATE IN 10 SESSIONS. MORE SESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE. SET TIME AND DAY WILL BE AGREED UPON. FIVE SESSIONS ARE SCHEDULED AT A TIME.
Or you may download a Word or PDF version of the intake form below