Conflict is an inevitable part of life, but when it’s frequent, intense, or unresolved, it can profoundly impact children. Understanding these effects is crucial for parents, caregivers, and professionals working with families.
Here’s how conflict can shape a child’s development:

💔 Emotional Impact
Exposure to conflict can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, and challenges with emotional regulation, increasing the risk of mental health issues.
💔Cognitive Development
Children exposed to high conflict often struggle with focus, concentration, learning, and developing healthy problem-solving skills.
💔Social Development
These children may find it difficult to form and maintain relationships and are prone to imitating unhealthy conflict patterns.
💔Behavioural and Physical Consequences
High conflict can result in aggression, withdrawal, risky behaviours, and stress-related health issues such as headaches and sleep disturbances.
💔Long-Term Impacts
The effects may persist into adulthood, leading to repeated negative relationship dynamics and difficulty achieving long-term goals.

There are many great resources that further dive into the impact of conflict on children. Here are just a few:

📕The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk - Explores how trauma, including exposure to parental conflict, impacts a child’s brain and body.
📕How Parental Conflict Hurts Kids by the American Psychological Association - Discusses the psychological and emotional impacts of parental conflict on children.
📕The Effects of High-Conflict Divorce on Children by Psychology Today -Explains the long-term emotional and cognitive effects of parental conflict.

Conflict doesn’t just affect the here and now—it can influence a child’s future. As professionals, parents, and advocates, let’s work together to create environments where children can thrive, even in the face of challenges.

#riseupcounselling #highconflictcoparenting #coparenting #childrenofdivorce #children #separation #divorce #divorcesupport #parentingfromtwohomes #impactonchildren ...

Divorce can bring out unexpected conflicts, and sometimes those arguments aren’t about money or property—but something deeply personal, like Taylor Swift tickets.

At first glance, it may seem trivial. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find these fights are rarely just about the tickets. They can represent a longing for joy in the midst of upheaval, a need for control in a chaotic time, or a way to create a special connection with the kids. Imagine one parent hoping to take the children to the concert, seeing it as an opportunity to create cherished memories. For the other, this might feel like losing their chance to bond or, worse, being cast as the “less fun” parent. The emotions tied to such conflicts often run much deeper than the surface dispute.

Whether the solution is sharing the tickets, creating new memories elsewhere, or simply acknowledging the emotions behind the argument, it’s a chance to shift from conflict to connection—for the sake of everyone involved, especially the children.

#ConflictResolution #DivorceSupport #CoParenting #EmotionalWellbeing #taylorswift #childrenofdivorce #riseupcounselling #highconflict #divorcesupport ...

Divorce can feel like the closing of a significant chapter, bringing mixed emotions of grief, loss, and maybe even relief. It’s natural to feel as though everything has changed. But remember, while a chapter may end, the book of your life is far from over. This transition, while challenging, can be the beginning of a new story filled with growth, self-discovery, and the possibility of newfound happiness.

Every chapter has a purpose. Some teach hard lessons, others bring us joy, and many reveal our resilience. Divorce might be the end of one chapter, but it also sets the stage for the next one—a chapter where you have the power to rewrite, to heal, and to move forward as your authentic self. Trust that there are new experiences, new connections, and new moments of joy ahead.

This is not the end. It’s a fresh page waiting for you to write what comes next.

#DivorceHealing #NewBeginnings #RewriteYourStory #Resilience #riseupcounselling #highconflictdivorce #divorcesupport #separation #lifeafterdivorce ...

In every relationship there are three things that are important - love, trust and accountability. Words are powerful, but without action, they’re just empty promises.

❤️ Love Needs Action:
Love isn’t just about saying “I love you.” It requires actions that show care, commitment, and support to make it genuine and lasting. True love is demonstrated through consistent actions that express your feelings.
❤️ Trust Needs Proof:
Trust is built through consistent, reliable behaviour over time. If someone wants to earn trust, they need to provide proof through their actions, showing that they’re dependable and honest.
❤️ Sorry Means Change: Apologizing isn’t just about saying the words “I’m sorry.” A sincere apology involves a commitment to change and improve behaviour, showing that the person understands what went wrong and is willing to act differently.

Let’s make our actions speak louder than our words. ...

Divorce can sometimes feel like you’re left out of places you once belonged—family gatherings, old friend groups, or even the dreams you used to share. But here’s the thing: this is your chance to create something new, something completely yours.

Instead of focusing on who’s not inviting you in, shift your energy toward building a life that reflects you. Create new traditions, surround yourself with people who lift you up, and find joy in the freedom of moving forward on your terms.

Remember, you don’t need a seat at someone else’s table to feel valued. The best tables are the ones where everyone is welcome—and where you truly belong. ...

The end of daylight saving time can trigger adverse health impacts. Turning the clocks back today can affect your productivity and energy levels.

It can take your body several days to adjust to the time. Here are a few ways to adjust to the time change as we “fall back.”

⏰ Go outside and get some sun.
The end of daylight saving time marks the start of shorter days and earlier sunsets. Get outside and soak up some daylight.

⏰ Keep a regular sleep schedule.
Go to sleep around your usual time to maintain your regular sleep-wake cycle. After the time change, continue going to bed at the same time. Once you get into a consistent pattern, your body will align with your schedule.

⏰ Keep your dinner time consistent.
On the days around the time change, eat at the same time or even eat a little early. To ease the transition, shift your mealtime forward 15 minutes for a few days.

#riseupcounselling #daylightsavings #socialworker #separation #divorce #coparenting #lifeafterdivorce #childrenofdivorce #sundayfunday ...

Is there beauty in feeling broken?

This was posted a few years ago but so many clients have talked about feeling “broken” lately, so this might be a timely reminder.

I (Helen) was riding the Peloton bike the other day and I heard the instructor talking about how she related to Humpty Dumpty?? To be honest, it was one of those days that I was rather distracted and half listening, while responding to some emails. But I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the childhood nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty? You know the one…

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

It made me think how life throws some immense, life altering challenges at us. Sometimes, the challenges, conflicts, and stress make you fall; feeling broken. Despite all of our support systems it’s hard to be put back together. But we have the power to not let the story end there.

Embrace the brokenness in your life, don’t wallow in self-pity. Our life’s stories are sometimes filled with periods of brokenness. Don’t try to hide from those broken pieces. Rather, embrace them! Our cracks and our scars in life exhibit to others a life lived.

Those cracks and scars, DID NOT break you! They made you stronger!

There is beauty in brokenness!

#humptydumpty #beautyinfeelingbroken #riseupcounselling #highconflictdivorce #separation #divorce #sundaymood☀️ #peloton #pelotoninspiration
#robinarzon ...

The person you marry isn’t always the person you divorce. The journey from love to separation can reveal sides of people we didn’t expect. Divorce brings out a range of emotions—hurt, fear, or self-protection—and sometimes people act in ways that surprise us. Remember, this isn’t about who they ‘truly’ are but about the tough process they’re navigating. Divorce doesn’t define a person, but it can definitely bring new sides to light.

#divorce #separation #therapy #socialworkers #coparenting #divorcesupport #navigatingdivorce ...

Co-parenting counselling is a form of therapy that helps separated or divorced parents work together to raise their children in a healthy, supportive environment. It focuses on improving communication and resolving conflicts, while prioritizing the children`s well-being. The goal is to help parents collaborate more effectively, reduce tension, and maintain consistency in parenting decisions, even when they do not agree.

Several therapy goals may include, yet are not limited to:

✔️To assure that everyone is physically and emotionally safe;
✔️Foster overall healthy child adjustment;
✔️Facilitate the implementation of the previously agreed-to or court-ordered parenting time schedule;
✔️Assist parents in identifying, expressing and better managing anxiety;
✔️Restore, develop, or facilitate adequate parenting and co-parenting functioning and skills;
✔️Assist the parents in resolving relevant parent-child conflicts;
✔️Develop communication skills and effective approaches to problem-solving;
✔️Assist the parents in fully understanding the child(ren)’s needs for healthy relationships with both parents and the negative repercussions for the child(ren) of a severed or compromised relationship with a parent in their young lives and as adults;
✔️Assist the parents in identifying and separating each child’s needs and views from each parent’s needs and views;
✔️Work with each parent to establish more appropriate parent–parent and parent–child roles and boundaries;
✔️Assist each parent in distinguishing valid concerns from overly negative, critical, and generalized views relating to the other parent.

By working through these challenges in a structured and supportive setting, co-parenting counselling aims to create a stable, harmonious environment for the children involved, fostering their emotional and developmental growth. ...

Boundaries are essential in co-parenting because they provide stability for children, minimize conflict, and ensure both parents maintain respect and emotional well-being. Clear boundaries create consistency, helping children feel secure while allowing parents to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary tension. They foster respectful communication, protect personal space, and prevent co-parenting from intruding on each parent’s personal life. Boundaries also encourage accountability, promote healthy interactions, and keep the focus on the children’s well-being, making the co-parenting relationship more cooperative and less stressful.

#boundaries #coparenting #riseupcounselling #coparentingcourses #coparentingcounselling #therapyhelps #highconflict #lifeafterdivorce #lifeduringdivorce #childrenofdivorce ...

Co-parenting courses are designed to help parents navigate the challenges of raising children after separation or divorce. These courses offer tools and strategies that benefit both parents and children, including:

🎯Improved Communication: Courses teach effective communication techniques, helping parents to collaborate and discuss child-related matters respectfully and productively.
🎯Conflict Resolution: Parents learn strategies to manage disagreements and reduce conflict, fostering a more peaceful environment for the children.
🎯Focus on the Child’s Needs: These courses emphasize prioritizing the well-being and emotional needs of the child, encouraging parents to keep their child’s best interests at the forefront.
🎯Consistency in Parenting: Co-parenting courses encourage consistency in parenting styles, rules, and routines between both households, which provides stability for the children.
🎯Healthy Boundaries: Parents learn how to establish and maintain healthy boundaries with each other, which can minimize misunderstandings and create a more harmonious co-parenting relationship.
🎯Stress Reduction for Children: By reducing conflict and improving cooperation, children are likely to experience less stress, which is critical for their emotional development and well-being.
🎯Emotional Support for Parents: These courses often provide emotional support for parents as they navigate the transition to co-parenting, helping them process their own feelings and develop healthier coping mechanisms.

Rise Up Counselling has a great online course called Parenting From Two Homes. It is a course that helps parents focus on their children without putting them in the middle. Contact [email protected] to order your course today.

#coparenting #coparentingcourses #ConflictResolution #goodcoparenting #highconflictdivorce #separation #divorce #lifeafterdivorce #childrenofdivorce #riseupcounselling #socialwork ...

Growth is all about learning, evolving, and improving. As we gain new knowledge and insights, we get the chance to make better choices and take actions that align with who we’re becoming. Every day is a new opportunity to level up!

#GrowthMindset #LearningJourney #DoBetter
#lifeafterdivorce #riseupcounselling #coparenting #highconflictdivorce #socialworkersofinstagram #fridaymood #fridayvibes ...