As a Child Specialist, I work with elementary age children as well as teens. I meet with the children individually in the minimum number of sessions necessary to provide the support and assessment as outlined below. Typically, this involves up to three sessions and does not involve counselling. The purpose of the sessions is to provide intermediary support for the children as well as information for the parents and the collaborative team. This information is relayed orally to parents during their four-way meetings with Divorce Coaches or to the team as deemed helpful in formulating a Parenting Plan in making decisions that affect the children.
I may also work with children in a counselling capacity. In this case, my involvement with the children and their parents may take place over an extended period of time and involve therapy including creative expression and play therapy. After the initial counselling sessions, I remain on hand to offer ongoing support to children and their family.
As a Child Specialist, I provide:
- Emotional support and an outlet so that the child may have a neutral person with whom they can express their feelings, worries, and experiences of loss
- The opportunity for the child to develop coping skills and strategies regarding the changes that take place during the re-structuring of the family
- An opportunity for the child to voice his or her concerns and wishes regarding the separation/divorce scheduling arrangement (in this respect I act as an advocate for the child)
- Parents with information and guidance to help their children through this process in ways that meet their developmental needs
- Information to the collaborative team that will support their work with the parents to develop a Parenting Plan and make decisions regarding the welfare of the child