Self-Help Kits - co-parenting, mediation, coaching, child custody, self help, divorce, shared custody survivor training

Self Help Kits

Program A - The Amicable Separation or Divorce
Program B - The Conflicted Separation or Divorce
What topics are covered in the program?

What is a Self Help Kit
Parenting separately often requires more coordination and communication than when a couple is together. With that in mind, we have developed two Self-Help Kits for parents who are committed to successfully guiding their children through the separation or divorce process. The first kit (A) has been created for parents experiencing an amicable divorce, and the second kit (B) is for those having a more difficult time.

Because we know how busy parenting can be, we have compiled a definitive selection of the most useful strategies and tools for dealing with your situation. We then guide you through the material in a small, one-time group workshop. A licensed therapist who specializes in post-divorce adjustment will provide parents with a Self-Help Kit and introduce key adjustment strategies, followed by a question and answer session.

Research on the effectiveness of attending this kind of a program shows that:

Both you and your kids will adjust better – and faster,
You will spend less money on lawyers,
You will spend less time in court.

Should both parents attend?
Ideally yes. However, it is common for only one parent to attend, and it is infinitely preferable that you participate alone rather than not at all. To encourage both parents to participate, we offer a $20 rebate to both parties when they attend on the same day.

We also want you to know that you will not be called upon to share any of the details of your situation and that we do not permit Ex’s to air their “dirty laundry”; this is not the proper setting for that. We are focused exclusively in helping parents help their kids.

(A) Amicable separation or divorce

This is for you if…

Your kids are showing signs that they are struggling with your separation or divorce. (What signs should I look for?)
You are concerned that you and your Ex are not making a positive transition to parenting your child separately and you want to be proactive about preventing future problems,
You want to try and make this a positive learning and growing experience for your child.

What this Self-Help Kit consists of:
Participants will meet in a small-group format for 2.5 hours with a licensed therapist who specializes in children and divorce. You will take home a kit worth more than $100 in valuable goods and services, including:

What About the Children: A Guide for Divorced or Divorcing Parents - this 30 page reference package offers brief summaries of the key strategies and tools needed by parents.
The Family Circus – a workbook of games, activities and talking points for parents to use with their children.
Surviving Divorce – A Students Companion – a workbook focused on helping teens to understand and adjust to separation or divorce in a healthy way.
Does my child need counseling? – an effective screening tool.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Mothers or Fathers, by R. Carlson (pocket edition).
Resource Directory – this list contains important local and web-based resources for parents.
$50 worth of Co-Parenting Coaching – this credit can be applied to the coaching start-up costs or it can be banked and used when a co-parenting problem arises that you would like assistance with. If both parents attend our program, they each receive a $50 credit. Click for more info
Free Telephone Consultation– parents can use this 15 minute consultation to ask questions on anything discussed in the workshop, seek advice on an aspect of their Co-Parenting plan, ask for referrals, or troubleshoot a Co-Parenting problem they are struggling with.

Location, dates, times and cost
We offer this Self-Help program one Saturday a month from 8:45 -11:30am in Riverside, Indio, Hemet and Blythe. The cost for one parent to attend is $99.

Insurance
Insurance companies do not pay for Co-Parenting services. Please follow-up with your provider if you have further questions. This should count as a health-care related deduction for tax purposes – to confirm this please consult a tax expert.

(B) Dificult separation or divorce

This is for you if:

It sometimes feels like you and your Ex are at war and the kids are getting pulled into the battle,
The divorce or separation process is taking its toll on you in terms of stress-related exhaustion or illness, depleted finances, lost days of work, and general all around strain,
Your kids are showing obvious distress signs. (What signs should I look for?)
You want to try and make this situation a positive learning and growing experience for your child,
You are preparing for court-based mediation or your mediation process was unsuccessful,
You wish there was an alternative to expensive and time-consuming lawyers and the courts,
You want to find a way to bring this battle to an end without giving up or giving in.

What this Self-Help Kit consists of:
Participants will meet in a small-group format from 9am to 5pm on a Saturday with a licensed therapist who specializes in children and divorce. You will take home a kit worth more than $150 in valuable goods and services, including:

Mom’s House - Dad’s House by I. Ricci- this is the best book available for parents who are committed to successfully parenting their kids in two homes.
EZ to Build Co-Parenting Plan – this template guides you through the process of drafting a co-parenting plan that meets the unique needs of your family. You will then be prompted on how to present this document to the family law court.
What About the Children: A Guide for Divorced or Divorcing Parents – this 30 page reference package offers brief summaries of the key strategies and tools needed by parents. We recommend that parents review this guidebook monthly.
The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce by J. Wallenstein- authored by the leading researcher on the impact of divorce, this book will introduce you to the short, medium and long-term impact of divorce or separation on kids.
The Family Circus – a workbook of games, activities and talking points for parents to use with their children.
Surviving Divorce: A Student’s Companion – a workbook focused on helping teens to understand, process and adjust to separation or divorce in a healthy way.
Does my child need counseling? – an effective screening tool.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Mothers or Fathers by R. Carlson (pocket edition).
Resource Directory – this list contains important local and web based resources for parents.
$50 worth of Co-Parenting Coaching – this credit can be applied to the coaching start-up costs or it can be banked and used when a co-parenting problem arises that you would like assistance with. If both parents attend our program they each receive a $50 credit. Click for more info.
Free Telephone Consultation– parents can use this 15 minute consultation to ask questions on anything discussed in the workshop, seek advice on an aspect of their Co-Parenting plan, ask for referrals, or troubleshoot a Co-Parenting problem they are struggling with.

Location, dates, times and cost
We offer this self-help program one Saturday a month from 8:45am to 5pm in Riverside, Hemet and Blythe. The cost for one parent to attend is $225.

What topics are covered in the program?

Parents will learn effective skills and stratgeties in areas including:

Reducing the toxic impact of co-parenting conflict on kids,
Mastering the language of de-escalation,
Breaking free of the stress of co-parenting conflict,
Harnessing the power of compromise,
Negotiating effectively with difficult people, and
Building a co-parenting plan that will work.