The term “family coaching” refers to various types of services aimed at developing an in-depth understanding of the relationship between family members. It seeks to give you and your family the tools they need to co-exist despite the challenging circumstances that may arise.
If you’re currently experiencing a high-conflict separation or divorce, it can be challenging to know where to turn for guidance. There may be potential barriers to traditional family coaching models, or you may not be sure if the investment will have the desired outcomes for yourself and your children.
Here, we’ll be taking a look at what typical family coaching services entail, as well as the alternatives Pathways offers to empower you to manage conflict during family separation.
Who is Family Coaching For?
Typical family coaching services can be useful in numerous situations, including:
- New parents.
- Troubled children.
- Anger management.
- Poor family communication.
- Marriage challenges, including separation and divorce.
When seeking help during family separation, it’s essential to have guidance explicitly tailored to your needs. Because so many family coaching services deal with such a broad range of issues, it can be challenging to find the right support for separation’s unique obstacles. Not only that, but many strategies and tactics recommended by these services are simply not applicable to your new family dynamic. High-conflict separation is complicated enough on its own; positioning yourself and your children to receive the best possible care and support is vital to moving forward.
What Does Family Coaching Do?
No matter why you choose to pursue family coaching, the broad objectives remain largely the same. Most professionals focus on developing one or more of the following skills in their approach:
- Conflict Resolution. A hugely important skill in all aspects of life, solid conflict resolution practices are at the heart of maintaining a successful co-parenting relationship and… solving every type of family issue.
- Emotional Self-Regulation. Though the feelings of yourself and others must be acknowledged and respected, they must also be regulated and compartmentalized so as not to impact relationships negatively.Especially in high-conflict situations such as separation or divorce, the ability to self-regulate and control your thoughts and actions is critical in remaining in control of the situation.
- Resiliency. The ability to keep moving forward is crucial in traumatic family situations. While things may not always work out the way we had hoped, the drive to continue onward is essential to work towards healthy relationships with the ones we love.
While these broad goals are universal across all types of family coaching, they will take on different importance and meaning depending on the situation.
For example, in the context of a high-conflict separation or divorce, conflict resolution becomes absolutely critical in navigating the situation. Similarly, the concept of “resiliency” takes on a whole new meaning in the context of family separation. Family coaching of any kind should cater specifically to the unique needs of yourself, your ex-partner (should they choose to participate), and your children during this difficult transition.
The Limitations of Family Coaching
It’s important to note that “family coaching” is a broad term, denoting numerous different services tailored to a wide variety of family situations. Any service or professional offering general family coaching will inevitably have specific areas of expertise that may or may not be relevant to you and your children. It can be difficult to choose the best family coach for your family dynamic, or to know whether coaching will be useful before investing a fortune on sessions.
In the context of separation or divorce, getting all parties involved to meet for traditional family coaching can be a near-impossible task. Unfortunately, group counselling of any kind cannot be effective without willing participants. Getting everybody in the same room to work on meaningful solutions can be difficult at best, and traumatic (if not potentially dangerous) at worst. In situations like this, parents and children need solutions and resources that empower them to move forward without putting their physical and emotional wellbeing at-risk.
Alternatives with Pathways Family Coaching
If traditional family coaching isn’t feasible, Pathways Family Coaching offers solutions that meet you where you are and give you the tools you need to lead your family effectively. Our library of online courses and resources is here to empower you to handle conflict and alienation within your family in a healthy, constructive way.
Our Pathways Through Conflict online course focuses on building essential skills designed to help you (and your ex-partner, if they choose to participate) navigate the rough waters of separation and divorce. Through one-on-one online coaching sessions and guided coursework, Pathways Through Conflict guides you towards forming a productive co-parenting relationship with your ex-partner, benefitting the entire family, including (most importantly) your children. Pathways Through Conflict’s eight online modules empower you to resolve conflict, manage the emotions of yourself and your children, and develop your ability to practice self-regulation and resiliency in all areas of your life.
Ready to Learn More?
Request a free consultation today, contact us to learn about Pathways Family Coaching’s conflict management solutions.
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