Practical solutions for those with impossible co-parents!

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Oct. 23, 2022

66. Benefit of the Doubt? You don’t know MY ex!

Diane and Rick respond to a listener review that takes issue with the idea of giving difficult parents the benefit of the doubt. She wonders if that is encouraging further emotional abuse. They respond by explaining the diffe...

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Oct. 16, 2022

65. Doctor Office Drama - Slaying the conflict DRAGON!

Thomas from Ontario shares his dilemma about attending his toddler’s doctors appointments, while having to endure his co-parent’s drama or failure to inform him. Diane and Rick use the process outlined in their new journal (D...

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Oct. 9, 2022

64. “Why does he turn everything positive into a negative?”: Distorted cognitions as a strategy

Tamika from Alabama wonders why her co-parent persists in finding the bad in her, especially since she is trying so hard to be a good co-parent. Diane & Rick break it down and discuss how grieving parents or high conflict peo...

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Oct. 2, 2022

63. 50/50 Pitfalls, Managing Clothing, and the BIG REVEAL!

Diane & Rick address a listener question about 50/50 custody and the nightmare of keeping track of clothing between houses, as well as how difficult the schedule can be for kids of high-conflict co-parents. They also talk abo...

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Sept. 25, 2022

62. Rage and Revenge: A mom’s campaign against stepmom

Rhonda asks for advice about how to deal with a mom who is falsely accusing stepmom of abuse and who goes to extremes to destroy her life. Diane and Rick discuss various roles in the family system and how they need to be clea...

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Sept. 18, 2022

61. The Double Bind: Damned if you do…or don’t

A listeners wonders if it’s healthy to spend family time with her co-parent and her son, even though she considers her ex her enemy! If she keeps pretending to be nice, is that an insurance policy to keep him from taking her ...

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Sept. 4, 2022

59: My Favorite Guardian: Do they really care about the best interests of children?

Diane & Rick pose a variety of questions, begging rational answers, about the role of Guardians ad litem in custody cases. Prompted by questions from a professional and a co-parent, they explore how professional delays and co...

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Aug. 27, 2022

58. Too Cool for School: The parenting style clash

Diane & Rick address Patrick’s question about his fear of having structure and rules in his home. He worries that after a couple of years of being the fun house, setting rules now might make his house unattractive to the kids...

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Aug. 21, 2022

57. “My Parents are Cozying Up to My Ex!”

Diane & Rick address Danielle’s dilemma about her co-parent trying to befriend her parents during the divorce process. She’s feeling stuck in the middle between her whining ex and her too-friendly parents. Also, discussed in ...

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Aug. 14, 2022

Daddy's Little Secret

One of the most difficult situations co-parents have to deal with is when there are secrets kept between them. Secrets are usually pretty important topics and should probably be disclosed to the other co-parent, and if the ch...

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July 31, 2022

54. When Do You Tell Your Date about Your Crazy Co-parent?

Aaron asks an interesting email question about when it is best to reveal to a new dating partner that you have a very difficult co-parent. Diane & Rick not only address Aaron’s concerns, but talk about dating with children in...

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July 24, 2022

53. The Revolving Door of Girlfriends (and other things Mom is not okay with)

Rachel emails about various things her children report about their father’s house that she is not okay with. Diane and Rick explore the definition of good enough parenting and the importance of discerning the children’s feeli...

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July 20, 2022

BONUS Episode: Stepfamily Mission Possible

This mid-week Bonus episode is an introduction to Bill and Jen Rogers’ podcast called Stepfamily Mission Possible . To listen to other episodes about blending families, find them on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. To g...

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July 17, 2022

52. Get Over It! Why so bitter after all these years?

Diane & Rick address Carolina’s email about her hateful ex-husband, who is remarried with a new baby five years after the divorce - but still has a major axe to grind with her even though she is trying to include him in major...

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July 10, 2022

51. Don’t Take the Bait: Avoiding the violence trap

Rodney has a two-year-old with his ex-girlfriend. He ended the relationship because she was constantly taunting him into a violent interchange, which he refused to do. Now, she won’t let him see the child unless he comes to h...

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July 3, 2022

50. Listener Mashup: Big questions, short answers

Diane & Rick tackle some big questions they’ve been asked on social media that are common, but don’t have simple solutions. They attempt to give their best foundational assessment of each one, and get personal while they’re ...

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June 26, 2022

49. Nothing Left to Give

Attorney, Lauren, emails about her client, who continually gives into his co-parent out of fear she will turn the kids against him. Lauren worries this is going to ruin his new marriage if he doesn’t stop catering to his ex. ...

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June 19, 2022

48. The Power of Boundaries with the Overcommunicator

Jake emails about how to get his co-parent to follow the weekly email protocol. He’s tired of answering her multiple texts each day and wants to have some peace. Diane & Rick discuss the importance of setting the boundary and...

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June 12, 2022

47. I’m Tired of Adjusting to My Co-Parent!

Diane & Rick answer Dena’s email questions about her alcoholic co-parent who tells their 9-year-old that the divorce is all mom’s fault. She is exhausted that he won’t listen to their co-parent counselor or take responsibilit...

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June 5, 2022

46. Summertime Blues with the Impossible Co-Parent

Colin writes that his co-parent’s purposeful resistance to anything he wants or suggests is driving him nuts. He wonders how he will stand to deal with her for the next 15 years! Diane & Rick discuss how to prioritize issues ...

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May 29, 2022

45. The Importance of Research and Trained Professionals

Diane and Rick talk about listener reviews and discuss what they learned in their trip to Chicago, attending the AFCC (Association for Family and Conciliation Courts ) annual conference. They report on themes learned at the c...

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May 22, 2022

44. Teen Heartbreak: An estranged father’s dilemma

Andy writes in about his alienated 16-year-old daughter and the hurt and pain of not having a relationship with her. He wonders if she is becoming a narcissist like her mom and if it would simply be better to give up on her. ...

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May 15, 2022

43. Narcissists and the Court: A conversation with Judge Warren Davis

Judge Warren Davis, a Georgia County Superior Court judge, visits the show to discuss how he views narcissistic co-parents and the tactics he uses to sanction them when their controlling behavior is out of control. Diane & Ri...

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May 8, 2022

42. How Long Will It Hurt?

Diane & Rick answer a listener’s question about co-parenting with someone she can’t stand. Is it possible to be a “good” co-parent when you have such negative feelings, or are the feelings simply part of the natural grief pro...

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May 1, 2022

41. The Know-It-All Step-Mom

Diane & Rick address Gillia’s email about a complicated dilemma. Her ex-husband remarried a behavioral specialist, who now thinks she should take mom’s place with the special-needs daughter AND take dad’s place as mom’s co-pa...

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April 24, 2022

40. Don’t Make Me Go There! Remarriage and visitation resistance

William emails to ask what to do when his 12-year-old consistently complains about having to go to mom’s house. Diane & Rick speculate on the many possibilities for the resistance, including the mother’s recent remarriage. Th...

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April 17, 2022

39. Judge Me by What You Know about Me…

Diane & Rick address Anna’s voicemail questions regarding what her young daughter reports dad is saying about mom. Anna has chosen to journal the comments, rather than address them with her co-parent. Is there value in journa...

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April 10, 2022

38. The Disengaged Parent: Is it narcissism or something else?

Diane & Rick tackle a difficult listener dilemma of a father refusing to engage with his two-year-old son. They discuss how to help a child when a parent is absent and what could be going on with a parent who is not intereste...

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April 3, 2022

37. Know What You’re Going to Do When…

Sean writes in with a concern that his co-parent may flee to another country with his children. Diane & Rick discuss the importance of focusing on the present and what Sean can control. They offer tips on how to reduce anxiet...

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March 24, 2022

36. The Two Faces of My Child

A second voicemail from Lydia illuminates a common issue -- a child who acts one way at home, but quite differently on a phone call while at the other parent's home. What is really going on here? Diane and Rick discuss the ph...

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March 20, 2022

35. Does My Child Need Counseling?

Lydia from North Carolina calls in to ask what to do for her 10-year-old, who seems to be in distress about events happening at her other parent’s home. Diane & Rick unpack when it is appropriate to speak to the other parent ...

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March 13, 2022

34. Don’t Expect in Divorce What You Didn’t Get in Marriage!

Diane & Rick address an email from listener, Anthony, who feels powerless to improve his co-parent relationship. They discuss the importance of taking care of his own emotions so he doesn’t use his child as a sounding board. ...

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March 6, 2022

33. High-Conflict Litigation: An interview with Dr. Ben Garber

Diane & Rick talk to expert and researcher Dr. Ben Garber about the necessity of family law professionals approaching family law litigation from a systems perspective, using a Sherlock Holmes method of elimination to understa...

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Feb. 27, 2022

32. When is the Cure More Destructive than the Disease?

Diane talks with Rick about her frustrations with how the court system often works against the high-conflict family in litigation. Too many cooks (professionals) in the kitchen (on the case) can prove to be a cure that is wor...

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Feb. 20, 2022

31. “Disneyland Dad”: What really matters in parenting?

Tara emails a question about her co-parent, who she thinks spoils the children and is too permissive. What is the best parenting style in divorce? Will the kids reject you if they don’t like your style? Diane & Rick discuss ...

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Feb. 13, 2022

30. Never Married vs. Divorced Co-Parenting: What’s the difference?

Travis writes in and asks about the nuances of co-parenting an infant when he and the other parent were never married. Is co-parenting after divorce different than if you were never married? What does the research say about s...

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Feb. 6, 2022

29. Long-Distance Parenting: Can it Work?

Diane & Rick unpack the risks and benefits of using social media in long-distance parenting, as well as what details should be included in a long-distance parenting plan. RESOURCES discussed on this episode: https://cnfc.org/...

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Jan. 30, 2022

28. The Passive-Aggressive Co-Parent

Tom emails a question about how to respond when his co-parent goes silent on a time-sensitive decision and how to react to the children, who seem to be using the same passive-aggressive techniques with him. Diane & Rick disc...

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Jan. 23, 2022

27. Let’s Fight about Semantics! Defining parenting plan terms

In this episode, Diane & Rick answer a question from a parenting coordinator about how to define a medical expense and an extracurricular activity, especially as it pertains to financial reimbursement from one co-parent to th...

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Jan. 16, 2022

26. Kids Protecting an Alienating Parent

David asks if he should ask the court for more time with his kids because of alienating behaviors he suspects their mom is encouraging. Diane & Rick discuss the risks of making an already insecure parent more insecure by furt...

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Jan. 9, 2022

25. Infidelity & Identity

Diane & Rick help a mom with a daughter who is angry at her because she had an affair on her dad. How much detail do kids need about their parents’ breakup? What value is the “truth” in these situations? Listen to a discussio...

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Jan. 2, 2022

24. Life Ain’t Fair

Emma from Atlanta thinks one of her her co-parent’s decisions isn’t fair to their child, who is experiencing anxiety and nightmares. How much of it is connected to the dad’s decision, and what part does the co-parent conflict...

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Dec. 26, 2021

23. What is a “Good” Co-Parent? Defining the NON-Impossible

Diane & Rick respond to an email from Janelle who struggles to please her co-parent without being walked on, and at the same time is afraid to set boundaries for fear her ex and the court will see her as a "bad" co-parent. Th...

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Dec. 19, 2021

22. Co-Parent Holiday Blues

This time of year presents unique challenges for co-parents that those who don't understand (like extended family members) struggle to grasp. Diane and Rick talk about how to manage the many issues and emotions co-parents fac...

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Dec. 12, 2021

21. “She’s keeping the kids from me!”

Mark from Georgia emails that his co-parent refuses to allow him to have time with their two sons. Diane & Rick discuss practical solutions to help Mark work through this issue, but they also provide important emotional consi...

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Dec. 5, 2021

20. The Dangers of Narcissism

In this episode, Diane talks candidly with Rick about the distinction between narcissitic personality disorder and narcissitic tendencies that we all may struggle with. They discuss how narcisstic abuse affects co-parents and...

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Nov. 28, 2021

19. What’s in a Name?

A listener in Vancouver shares a concern about his 4-year-old being encouraged to call his step-father "Dad" and wants to know if he should correct this or talk to his co-parent about teaching their child that he only has on...

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Nov. 21, 2021

18. “I’m 14, and I can do what I want!”

Diane & Rick join Leh Meriwether and Todd Orston of Divorce Team Radio in a discussion about the benefits and risks of a 14-year-old making a custody decision. Although they specifically discuss a Georgia law regarding when a...

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Nov. 14, 2021

17. What About Me?: The right of first refusal dilemma

Alma poses a question about child safety and right of first refusal. Diane & Rick unpack the complexities of these issues and how to focus on keeping the child out of the middle and engaged with the trusted parent. CLICK HERE...

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Nov. 7, 2021

16. A Kid with Two Homes

Diane & Rick address a listener dilemma about sticking to the parenting plan or being flexible with weekend time. Blogger Bella Duncan ( www.akidwithtwohomes.com ) weighs in with how kids feel about living in a high-conflict ...

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