Supporting children and adolescents through parental divorce requires a nuanced understanding of post-divorce adjustment processes. This workshop will analyze Mavis Hetherington’s research on the two-year post-divorce adjustment period, assess its implications for child and adolescent well-being, and apply evidence-based interventions to support families navigating this transition. Participants will evaluate co-parenting dynamics, including the “Five Categories” of co-parenting, to differentiate their impact on children’s emotional and psychological development. Additionally, an interactive family sculpt exercise will illustrate the competing attachments children experience in divided families, providing a clinical framework for intervention. Through this process, mental health professionals, coaches, and ministry leaders will develop strategies to help children establish stability and resilience across two homes.
708 | One Heart, Two Homes: Understanding the Impact of Divorce on Children and Youth
PRESENTERS
Tammy Daughtry, MFT., Jay Daughtry
CE CREDITS
1.25
Approved For CE
ASWB, NBCC, NAADAC, IBCC, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling
Approved For CME/CEU
LEVEL
Intermediate
Summary
Learning Objectives
1 Analyze Mavis Hetherington’s two-year post-divorce adjustment research to assess its clinical relevance in child and adolescent therapy.
2 Apply evidence-based strategies to support children and parents during custody transitions and co-parenting exchanges.
3 Evaluate the "Five Categories" of co-parenting to differentiate their impact on children’s emotional and relational well-being.