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Are you able to Co-parent?
Are you able to Co-Parent effectively?
Experts suggest that co-parenting is the ideal framework and ultimately in the child’s best interests, but they also recognise that it takes a lot of energy and commitment from both parents to make it work and it may take both parties a while after separation has occurred to emotionally and practically work out how this may be achieved.
It requires both parents to work cooperatively together in a consistent way to:
• provide consistent rules, routines, boundaries and behavioural guidelines in both households
• commit to talking positively about the other parent in front of the children
• actively encouraging the children’s relationship with the other parent
• ensuring drop off and pick up arrangements are largely conflict free
• engage in some form of communication with one another.
Working with a coach or counsellor can often assist to work out strategies to deal with the emotions, triggers, communication requirements and commitment that Co-Parenting will often create.
When Co-parenting is proving too hard
When there is a high level of conflict or both parties have very different personalities and parenting styles, it may prove too difficult for the parties to have a sufficiently cooperative relationship to effectively co-parent. Parallel parenting may be the viable option as it allows the parents to disengage emotionally from the other and with less conflict.
Parallel parenting is where you parent your children side by side and focus on your own individual relationship with the children, adopting your own parenting style independent of the other.
However, for parallel parenting to be successful, it requires the parents to let go of the parenting style issues they may have with the other parent while the children are in the other parents care and to instead only focus on their own parenting, in their own household (unless it obviously relates to a child’s genuine concern for their health and safety):
• the differences between the households and how it is run
• their parenting choices
• their lifestyle choices
• their behaviour in general.
We understand that finding the right way to parent with your former partner can be a very trying and can take a period of time to evolve and get right for you all. We can assist you with parenting and communication strategies to make it work in the short and long term.
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You will also go into the monthly draw to attend a webinar of your choice.
Questions about our online
Counselling Services?
Do I need separation counselling or coaching?
It is a Counsellor’s role to help people identify and resolve difficulties stemming from their past which currently impact their marriage, parenting, family relationships and overall life satisfaction. We use a process-oriented approach to help identify patterns of thought and behaviour that hold individuals back.
All of our clients are encouraged and supported to work towards improved emotional resilience and to be better prepared to face the emotional impact of navigating a divorce and its ripple effects on all aspects of life, work and family. The main focus is on feelings within a framework of psychological and emotional issues.
The goal of Separation and Divorce Coaching is to walk clients through the legal, financial and parenting practicalities of separation and divorce and to educate and empower them to take the steps necessary to move forward to achieve affordable, fair and less stressful outcomes.
Our goal is to guide clients through the practical steps of the dissolution of a marriage efficiently and with the least amount of emotional interference in their decision-making especially where children and their custodial needs and care are involved.
Medicare rebate or private medical insurance claim for psychological services?
Most clients prefer to book directly with with our counsellors. No referral is required to access this counselling service.
During the first session, you can discuss the benefits of seeking a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP should you wish to pursue this path moving forward and you are booking with a registered psychologist. If you require a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) you will need to make a long appointment with your GP and they will make an assessment about whether you are eligible.
All of our registered psychologists are registered with Medicare and you will need a referral from a GP if you wish to claim Medicare rebates. Under the Better Access program you can receive a partial rebate for up to 10 individual sessions in a calendar year.
All our psychologists are registered with private health insurance providers in Australia. If you have private health insurance, you may be eligible to claim rebates for psychological sessions. The level of cover and any applicable waiting periods vary between providers and depends on your extras cover policy.
To find out if you are eligible and/or how much funding you are entitled to claim for psychological sessions, please contact your private health insurance.
Where applicable, some of our psychologists also see clients who are self-managed or plan-managed through NDIS at the current rate for NDIS.
Cancellation or missed sessions policy
Given the nature of our support services, last minute cancellations are costly, and it means that other clients may miss out on receiving the required support. For cancellations within 48 hours of the scheduled appointment there is a $65 part fee payment. For less than 24 hours cancellation notice or a non-show, the full session fee will need to be charged. These fees are refunded however if the session can be filled at the last minute.
How are your counselling and coaching sessions held?
We know our clients are time poor. For your convenience, all our counselling or coaching sessions are now available online via Zoom.
You can book your appointment online via this website.
Zoom allows us to connect with you via video and audio. It just requires you to click on a link to join. You can sign up to Zoom to create a FREE account and download the Zoom Client for Meetings. Zoom does require internet connections.
After you book you will be sent a reminder about the booking and emailed a link to connect at the booked time. You are also likely to be sent a client information form to complete prior to your initial consultation to enable our Counsellors and Coaches to be better prepared for your first meeting.
If you are unable to make any of the dates available, please email us to see if we can accommodate an alternate time for you: [email protected]
Are your workshops in person or online?
Our regular workshops, book club and events are offered offered online and in person at various venues.
You are very welcome to sign up to receive more information about upcoming workshops and events on offer and all the fabulous book club information . CLICK HERE
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DISCLAIMER: The material contained on this website is for general educational and information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, medical or psychological advice or care. While every care has been taken in the information provided, no legal responsibility or liability is accepted, warranted or implied by the authors or Family Counselling Support Network and any liability is hereby expressly disclaimed. For specific advice please contact us at [email protected]. All information contained on the website remains the intellectual property of Family Counselling Support Network and is for your personal educational use only. The information must not be reproduced or distributed without the express permission of Family Counselling Support Network.
Family Counselling Support Network acknowledges and respects the First Nations Custodians of the land where our offices stand, and where we work to help Australians. We pay respects to their Elders, past present and emerging, lore, customs and creation spirits. We recognise that these lands have always been places of ceremony, teaching, research and learning, and we acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples play in our community.
We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment where people and communities of all identities and backgrounds are accepted, safe and celebrated.
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