We want our children to be successful, happy and healthy. We help them overcome obstacles, teach them right from wrong, offer them encouragement, protection and support. However, it is common for children of divorce to experience occasional problems.

 

It is not the event of divorce itself that has the greatest impact on a child.

It is the actions parents take during and after the divorce that make the difference

between a child who is unscathed and the one who is scarred for life.

 

The choices you make will significantly impact your child's adjustment to their family separation. To help your child navigate divorce successfully demands that you keep a vigilant eye out for obstacles that can harm your child. You have the power to create a family story that fulfills your vision for both you and your child. The key is a commitment to ensure the safe passage of your child through this significant life change. This is our goal at The Clinic.

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Dr. Carroll, Clinical Director of The Clinic @ The Montgomery, is a Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator and a Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator.

 

WHAT IS PARENTING COORDINATION?
 

Parenting coordination is a non-adversarial dispute resolution process often court-ordered or mutually agreed on by divorced or separated parents who have an ongoing pattern of high conflict and/or litigation regarding issues having to do with their children. Parenting coordination is designed to help parents implement and comply with court orders or parenting plans, to make timely decisions in a manner consistent with children’s developmental and psychological needs, to reduce the amount of damaging conflict between care-giving adults to which children are exposed, and to diminish the pattern of unnecessary re-litigation about child-related issues.

 

WHAT IS A PARENTING COORDINATOR?

 

A Parenting Coordinator (PC) is a trained mental health professional with advanced education and experience working with high conflict separated and/or divorced parents. The coordinator assists parents to implement their parenting plan and make the necessary changes needed to establish a collaborative parenting partnership. The Parenting Coordinator facilitates resolution of disputes, educates parents about children’s needs, monitors parental behavior and, with prior approval of the parties and/or the court, makes temporary decisions within the scope of the court order or appointment contract.

 

There are two levels of PCs. Under a level II, a PC may only make recommendations. In cases where there is more acrimony, a level III PC may be appointed by the court. A level III PC has the ability to make a binding decision on a given issue unless it is objected to by a party and filed with the court. If this occurs, the court decides the given issue under these “guidelines.”

 

 

WHO IS THE PARENTING COORDINATOR AT THE CLINIC @ THE MONTGOMERY?

 

Dr. Jonathan Eric Carroll, the Director of The Clinic @ The Montgomery, is a Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator (NCPC), as designated by the Professional Academy of Custody Evaluators (PACE). Dr. Carroll is certified to serve as either a level II or a level III Parenting Coordinator.

 

THE BENEFITS OF THE PARENTING COORDINATION SERVICES OF THE CLINIC @ THE MONTGOMERY
 

Parenting Coordination Benefits Children by:

• Enhancing the child's confidence and self-esteem by creating an optimal environment for growth.

• Reducing the child's symptoms of stress as parental conflict decreases.

• Diminishing the child's sense of loyalty binds.

• Increasing the likelihood of keeping two active parents in the child's life.

• Creating a more relaxed home atmosphere allowing the child to adjust more effectively.

 

Parenting Coordination Benefits Co-Parents by:

• Educating parents regarding the impact of parental conflict on the child's development.

• Teaching parents anger management, communication and conflict resolution skills, and children's issues

  in divorce.

• Working with parents in developing a detailed parenting plan.

 

Parent Coordination Benefits Families by:

• Reducing the number of litigated cases.

• Communicating to parents that the child comes first.

• Offering families a valuable resource.

• Providing prompt resolution to daily child-rearing issues.

• Monitoring parental compliance with the court orders.

• Providing the Court a comprehensive picture of the family “in action” by way of court testimony.

 

Parenting Coordination Benefits the Legal Community by:

• Decreasing the number of client calls and micromanagement of the difficult case.

• Providing prompt and consistent resolution. 

 

We are often faced with painful and challenging periods in our lives. Separation and divorce are among them. We experience anger, sadness, hurt, and deep loss. This is true for our children, too. Your divorce does not have to be marked by high conflict and anxiety. Although you suffer, your children suffer more so when their parents refuse to co-parent well for the sake of what is in their best interest.

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The goal of the Parenting Coordination Services offered by The Clinic @ The Montgomery is to assist divorced or divorcing parents in establishing and maintaining a healthy co- parenting relationship by reducing parental conflict and the risk factors that influence a child’s post-divorce adjustment. The overall emphasis is to offer children the opportunity to grow in a home environment free from the devastating stress of being caught in the middle of parental conflict. 

 

More than 1 million children are affected by divorce and family separation each year. Half of those children will be exposed to the harmful effects of parents who remain in high conflict. Children raised in such an environment are four to five times more likely than others to develop serious emotional and behavioral difficulties later in life.

 

Decide now to do something different for the sake your children. Contact us for help with your co-parenting needs. 

 

 

 

(Click on the icon to view the The Clinic's Parenting Coordination Brochure)