PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE WITH IMPOSSIBLE CO-PARENTS!

Browse All Episodes

May 1, 2022

41. The Know-It-All Step-Mom

Diane & Rick address Gillia’s email about a complicated dilemma. Her ex-husband remarried a behavioral specialist, who now thinks she should take mom’s place with the special-needs daughter AND take dad’s place as mom’s co-pa...

Listen to the episode

April 24, 2022

40. Don’t Make Me Go There! Remarriage and visitation resistance

William emails to ask what to do when his 12-year-old consistently complains about having to go to mom’s house. Diane & Rick speculate on the many possibilities for the resistance, including the mother’s recent remarriage. Th...

Listen to the episode

April 17, 2022

39. Judge Me by What You Know about Me…

Diane & Rick address Anna’s voicemail questions regarding what her young daughter reports dad is saying about mom. Anna has chosen to journal the comments, rather than address them with her co-parent. Is there value in journa...

Listen to the episode

April 10, 2022

38. The Disengaged Parent: Is it narcissism or something else?

Diane & Rick tackle a difficult listener dilemma of a father refusing to engage with his two-year-old son. They discuss how to help a child when a parent is absent and what could be going on with a parent who is not intereste...

Listen to the episode

April 3, 2022

37. Know What You’re Going to Do When…

Sean writes in with a concern that his co-parent may flee to another country with his children. Diane & Rick discuss the importance of focusing on the present and what Sean can control. They offer tips on how to reduce anxiet...

Listen to the episode

March 24, 2022

36. The Two Faces of My Child

A second voicemail from Lydia illuminates a common issue -- a child who acts one way at home, but quite differently on a phone call while at the other parent's home. What is really going on here? Diane and Rick discuss the ph...

Listen to the episode

March 20, 2022

35. Does My Child Need Counseling?

Lydia from North Carolina calls in to ask what to do for her 10-year-old, who seems to be in distress about events happening at her other parent’s home. Diane & Rick unpack when it is appropriate to speak to the other parent ...

Listen to the episode

March 13, 2022

34. Don’t Expect in Divorce What You Didn’t Get in Marriage!

Diane & Rick address an email from listener, Anthony, who feels powerless to improve his co-parent relationship. They discuss the importance of taking care of his own emotions so he doesn’t use his child as a sounding board. ...

Listen to the episode

March 6, 2022

33. High-Conflict Litigation: An interview with Dr. Ben Garber

Diane & Rick talk to expert and researcher Dr. Ben Garber about the necessity of family law professionals approaching family law litigation from a systems perspective, using a Sherlock Holmes method of elimination to understa...

Listen to the episode

Feb. 27, 2022

32. When is the Cure More Destructive than the Disease?

Diane talks with Rick about her frustrations with how the court system often works against the high-conflict family in litigation. Too many cooks (professionals) in the kitchen (on the case) can prove to be a cure that is wor...

Listen to the episode

Feb. 20, 2022

31. “Disneyland Dad”: What really matters in parenting?

Tara emails a question about her co-parent, who she thinks spoils the children and is too permissive. What is the best parenting style in divorce? Will the kids reject you if they don’t like your style? Diane & Rick discuss ...

Listen to the episode

Feb. 13, 2022

30. Never Married vs. Divorced Co-Parenting: What’s the difference?

Travis writes in and asks about the nuances of co-parenting an infant when he and the other parent were never married. Is co-parenting after divorce different than if you were never married? What does the research say about s...

Listen to the episode

Feb. 6, 2022

29. Long-Distance Parenting: Can it Work?

Diane & Rick unpack the risks and benefits of using social media in long-distance parenting, as well as what details should be included in a long-distance parenting plan. RESOURCES discussed on this episode: https://cnfc.org/...

Listen to the episode

Jan. 30, 2022

28. The Passive-Aggressive Co-Parent

Tom emails a question about how to respond when his co-parent goes silent on a time-sensitive decision and how to react to the children, who seem to be using the same passive-aggressive techniques with him. Diane & Rick disc...

Listen to the episode

Jan. 23, 2022

27. Let’s Fight about Semantics! Defining parenting plan terms

In this episode, Diane & Rick answer a question from a parenting coordinator about how to define a medical expense and an extracurricular activity, especially as it pertains to financial reimbursement from one co-parent to th...

Listen to the episode

Jan. 16, 2022

26. Kids Protecting an Alienating Parent

David asks if he should ask the court for more time with his kids because of alienating behaviors he suspects their mom is encouraging. Diane & Rick discuss the risks of making an already insecure parent more insecure by furt...

Listen to the episode

Jan. 9, 2022

25. Infidelity & Identity

Diane & Rick help a mom with a daughter who is angry at her because she had an affair on her dad. How much detail do kids need about their parents’ breakup? What value is the “truth” in these situations? Listen to a discussio...

Listen to the episode

Jan. 2, 2022

24. Life Ain’t Fair

Emma from Atlanta thinks one of her her co-parent’s decisions isn’t fair to their child, who is experiencing anxiety and nightmares. How much of it is connected to the dad’s decision, and what part does the co-parent conflict...

Listen to the episode

Dec. 26, 2021

23. What is a “Good” Co-Parent? Defining the NON-Impossible

Diane & Rick respond to an email from Janelle who struggles to please her co-parent without being walked on, and at the same time is afraid to set boundaries for fear her ex and the court will see her as a "bad" co-parent. Th...

Listen to the episode

Dec. 19, 2021

22. Co-Parent Holiday Blues

This time of year presents unique challenges for co-parents that those who don't understand (like extended family members) struggle to grasp. Diane and Rick talk about how to manage the many issues and emotions co-parents fac...

Listen to the episode

Dec. 12, 2021

21. “She’s keeping the kids from me!”

Mark from Georgia emails that his co-parent refuses to allow him to have time with their two sons. Diane & Rick discuss practical solutions to help Mark work through this issue, but they also provide important emotional consi...

Listen to the episode

Dec. 5, 2021

20. The Dangers of Narcissism

In this episode, Diane talks candidly with Rick about the distinction between narcissitic personality disorder and narcissitic tendencies that we all may struggle with. They discuss how narcisstic abuse affects co-parents and...

Listen to the episode

Nov. 28, 2021

19. What’s in a Name?

A listener in Vancouver shares a concern about his 4-year-old being encouraged to call his step-father "Dad" and wants to know if he should correct this or talk to his co-parent about teaching their child that he only has on...

Listen to the episode

Nov. 21, 2021

18. “I’m 14, and I can do what I want!”

Diane & Rick join Leh Meriwether and Todd Orston of Divorce Team Radio in a discussion about the benefits and risks of a 14-year-old making a custody decision. Although they specifically discuss a Georgia law regarding when a...

Listen to the episode