Overcoming the Co-Parenting Trap

Overcoming the Co-Parenting Trap helps parents understand the reasons why some children resist a parent during divorce—a reality that touches many families. Combining years of experience in intensive work with families struggling with parent-child estrangement, Overcoming Barriers’ first publication offers practical insight on two central questions: • Why does a child resist contact with a parent? • How can I best support my child to have healthy relationships with both parents? This guide details practical strategies for working through the significant challenges both parents may experience with a resisting child. Common scenarios and concrete solutions are presented both for preferred parents and resisted parents.

Overcoming the Co-Parenting Trap helps parents understand the reasons why some children resist a parent during divorce—a reality that touches many families. Combining years of experience in intensive work with families struggling with parent-child estrangement, Overcoming Barriers’ first publication offers practical insight on two central questions: • Why does a child resist contact with a parent? • How can I best support my child to have healthy relationships with both parents? This guide details practical strategies for working through the significant challenges both parents may experience with a resisting child. Common scenarios and concrete solutions are presented both for preferred parents and resisted parents.

Matt Sullivan is a psychologist who has written articles, presented and done trainings at numerous national and international venues on topics such as high-conflict divorce, Parent Coordination and child alienation and mental health consultation in family law cases.