Solutions for negotiating one of life's most difficult events Healthy Divorce is a very valuable book, containing practicalanswers to difficult questions. --Dan Kiley, author of The Peter Pan Syndrome and The WAndyDilemma The authors have devoted their careers to counseling divorcingfamilies. In this encouraging book, they outline the fourteenstages of divorces and offer families practical advice andsolutions for negotiating one of life's most difficult events. Withsensitivity and sensibility they explain how to recognize thedifferent stages of the divorce; what to expect during each phase;and how to deal with the predictable patterns of the divorceprocess. Healthy Divorce explores ways of confronting such tough issues ashow to tell your children you're getting a divorce; how to plan aseparation; and how to cope with your feelings of anger, grief, andabandonment. The authors offer practical advice on using mediationas an alternative to the adversarial court battle; co-parenting tomaintain stability for the children after the divorce; andorganizing and structuring a happy blAnded family.

What Can You Do As A Parent To Minimize The Impact of Divorce On Your Children? -Do you worry that your divorce will have a negative impact on your child's life? -Are you and your child's other parent locked in a cycle of resentment and dysfunction? -Do you want to do everything in your power to create a healthy future life for you and your child? This book will provide you with all of these answers and more. It is easy-to-read and includes actionable steps to ensure the best outcome for your children. The simple, yet life-changing ten-step process this book outlines will help you to: -Make the best choices for your children to ensure their long-term health -Partner with your co-parent for the sake of your children -Take actions that will protect your children during this time -Communicate productively with your co-parent -Release the past so you can create a love-filled future with your children Praise for the author's best-selling book The 7 Fatal Mistakes Divorced and Separated Parents Make: Strategies for Raising Healthy Children of Divorce and Conflict: "This book is a must-read for parents contemplating divorce, those already in the divorce process, and those who have a parenting plan in place... - Albert V. Evans, Family Law Attorney "This wonderful book should be required reading and writing for every divorced or never-married parent." - Dr. Shirley Thomas, counsellor and author

The ultimate guide on how to divorce for women and men in a positive, peaceful way. While divorce can be filled with anger, frustration, and bitterness, most divorcing couples want to end their marriage in a manner that preserves their dignity and emotional health, especially if there are children in the picture. They want to prevent irreparable damage to themselves and their children from a long, drawn-out, ugly battle. The Healthy Divorce provides them with the tools to more peacefully negotiate the difficult process of divorce. Filled with checklists, exercises, and rituals—as well as case histories of couples who have successfully used this positive approach—The Healthy Divorce is your essential guide to getting through your divorce without ruining your life or permanently harming your children. The Healthy Divorce empowers couples to negotiate, handle sensitive issues, and resolve conflicts in a way that allows them to emerge from divorce with their emotional well-being intact. The Healthy Divorce includes: The seven keys to a healthy divorce How to separate yourself from the marriage emotionally How to best defuse a dispute before it escalates The best way to handle an uncooperative ex Praise for The Healthy Divorce: "Required reading for anyone contemplating divorce." —Publishers Weekly "This is an achievable model of what divorcing parents can do that's positive for themselves, their spouse, and their children." —Jay Folberg, Professor Emeritus and Former Dean of the University of San Francisco Law School "A wonderful book, immensely readable, very human, quite moving...Will help couples divorce in a more civilized way." —Joan B. Kelly, PhD, co-author of Surviving the Break-Up "Fascinating and informative... This book should prove valuable to those who are contemplating divorce or going through divorce, as well as to mental health professionals from all specialties who treat divorcing adults and children of divorce." —Florence Kaslow, PhD, Past President, International Family Therapy Association

When conducting parenting plan evaluations, mental health professionals need to be aware of a myriad of different factors. More so than in any other form of forensic evaluation, they must have an understanding of the most current findings in developmental research, behavioral psychology, attachment theory, and legal issues to substantiate their opinions. With a number of publications on child custody available, there is an essential need for a text focused on translating the research associated with the most important topics within the family court. This book addresses this gap in the literature by presenting an organized and in-depth analysis of the current research and offering specific recommendations for applying these findings to the evaluation process. Written by experts in the child custody arena, chapters cover issues associated with the most important and complex issues that arise in family court, such as attachment and overnight timesharing with very young children, dynamics between divorced parents and children's potential for resiliency, co-parenting children with chronic medical conditions and developmental disorders, domestic violence during separation and divorce, gay and lesbian co-parents, and relocation, among others. The scientific information provided in these chapters assists forensic mental health professionals to proffer empirically-based opinions, conclusions and recommendations. Parenting Plan Evaluations is a must-read for legal practitioners, family law judges and attorneys, and other professionals seeking to understand more about the science behind child custody evaluations.

Seventy now-adult children of divorce give their candid and often heart-wrenching answers to eight questions (arranged in eight chapters, by question), including: What were the main effects of your parents' divorce on your life? What do you say to those who claim that "children are resilient" and "children are happy when their parents are happy"? What would you like to tell your parents then and now? What do you want adults in our culture to know about divorce? What role has your faith played in your healing? Their simple and poignant responses are difficult to read and yet not without hope. Most of the contributors--women and men, young and old, single and married--have never spoken of the pain and consequences of their parents' divorce until now. They have often never been asked, and they believe that no one really wants to know. Despite vastly different circumstances and details, the similarities in their testimonies are striking; as the reader will discover, the death of a child's family impacts the human heart in universal ways.

Expert advice for discussing divorce with your children Written by Dr. Samantha Rodman, founder of DrPsychMom.com, How to Talk to Your Kids about Your Divorce teaches you how to raise a happy, thriving family in a changing environment. Each page offers expert advice for discussing your decision in healthy and effective ways, including breaking the initial news, fostering an open dialogue, and ensuring that your children's emotional needs are met throughout your separation. With Dr. Rodman's proven communication techniques, you will: Initiate honest conversations where your children can express their thoughts Discuss divorce-related topics and answer questions in age-appropriate ways Validate your children's feelings, making them feel acknowledged and secure Strengthen and deepen your relationship with your kids Whether you're raising toddlers, school-aged children, or young adults, How to Talk to Your Kids About Your Divorce will help your kids feel heard, valued, and loved during this difficult time.

After dealing with more than a thousand clients whose marriages have dissolved, Sexton knows all of the what-not-to-dos for couples who want to build-- and consistently work to preserve-- a lasting, fulfilling relationship. He dives straight into the most common marital problems, and shows how these usually derive from dishonest-- or nonexistent-- communication. Though he deals constantly with the heartbreak of others, he still believes in romance and the transformative power of love.