Three Constructive Interventions for Divorced, Divorcing, or Never-Married Parents

Divorce in the United States affects millions of children and families. Many of these children and families seek individual/family counseling or educational services offered by counselors and, therefore, counselors need to be well-equipped to work with nontraditional families. The purpose of this article is to share three counseling techniques for use with parents undergoing separation and/or divorce. These techniques are primarily constructive and educational. They include a reframing technique for mandated clients, a reframing technique to help parents recognize the difference between their coparenting wishes and goals, and an educational problem-solving strategy for parents who struggle with their children's postseparation/divorce behaviors. Anecdotes and case examples are used to articulate how these techniques can be used in clinical practice.