Rebuilding Relationships
Rebuilding Relationships is a program designed for parents who believe it is in the best interest of the child(ren) to have a meaningful relationship with both of their parents. By Peaceful Waters works with all family members that are involved toward this shared goal.
What is the Purpose of Rebuilding Relationships?
The purpose of this program is to create an atmosphere of trust and safety where children are freed up to love and connect with both parents.
Rebuilding Relationships is a progression of interventions that takes into consideration the capacity and needs of both parents and children. These interventions are: Therapeutic Parenting Time, Parenting Coordination and Parent-Child Counselling.
In order to facilitate successful outcomes, this form of intervention requires the participation of both parents and children.
Why Kids Benefit from Meanigful Relationships with Both Parents
It Promotes Positive Mental Health for Your Child
If you are a parent, consider this:
Right now, while supported at home and not yet faced with the complexities of adult life, your children have an opportunity to work through the hurt or confusion they may be experiencing as they navigate the family changes of separation or divorce.
Rebuilding Relationship is an opportunity for all family members to receive the support they need to bring their best to the role and relationship they have with others.
It Promotes Healthy Future Relationships
Research tells us that healthy parent-child relationships promote healthy attachment which positively impacts your childrens’ ability to feel secure and create solid and stable relationships in adulthood.
In this way, supporting the process of rebuilding relationships is a gift that you can give your child as you invest in their long-term mental, emotional and relational health.
“Extensive national and international studies have revealed that children of divorce generally show better outcomes on measures of emotional, behavioural, psychological, physical and academic well-being when they maintain close emotional bonds, frequent contact and quality relationships with both parents.”
— Shely Polak
The Rebuilding Relationship Process
Therapeutic Parenting Time
If you are a parent who feels distance from your child(ren), you may have attempted to build rapport multiple times without progress. Your child(ren) may be emotionally reactive and/or reluctant to spend time with you. This could leave you feeling heartbroken, angry, frustrated, or even hopeless.
The first step to rebuildling relationship is to engage in Therapeutic Parenting Time sessions. These sessions are practical interventions that focus on helping a parent and child(ren) re-establish a positive connection that is safe and healthy. During these sessions, a variety of parenting skills are explored including how to engage a child in play or conversation, redirecting a child through challenges or disappointments and overcoming relational hurdles. You can read more about Therapeutic Parenting Time HERE.
Next Steps
If the clients progress to a point where they are able to connect successfully outside of our office, then Parent Coordination and Parent-Child Counselling may be included in the Rebuilding Relationships process.
Parent Coordination provides professional support to parents to sort out how to implement the terms of their Parenting Plan in their day-to-day lives. It is a structured approach to resolving conflict around matters such as sharing time during holidays, facilitating exchanges, school-related issues, and extra-curricular activities as they relate to the children.
Parent-Child Counselling is offered to a parent and child by therapeutic professionals from the CCDS team. Counselling creates a safe place to process issues that may hinder the child’s ongoing ability to connect with the parent outside of professional support.
Find out if Rebuilding Relationships is a Good Match for Your Situation
Child Centred Divorce Services
Parenting Plan Mediation
Mediate your parenting plan and avoid lengthy court proceedings. Our mediators work with you to develop a plan that is child centred while equipping you to minimize conflict in your co-parenting relationship.
Rebuilding Relationships
We work with parents who believe that it is in their child's best interest to have a meaningful relationship with both parents within the bounds of a healthy and secure parenting approach.
Voice of the Child
We create a safe atmosphere to talk with your child regarding family decisions relating to them. With their views and preferences clarified, parents can make informed decisions with their child's best interests in mind.
Section 30 Assessments
BPW professionals identify and provide an assessment of the needs of your child and make formal recommendations regarding parenting time and decision-making.
Email Moderator
Our family professionals moderate the content of email communications between parents to faciliate a healthy, business-like co-parenting relationship by ensuring that communication is appropriate and respectful.
Intimate Partner Violence Screening
We provide the Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) screening which is required for anyone who participates in mediation with a lawyer, in a collabortive process or with a mediator/arbirtrator.
CCDS Parent Coaching
Receive practical tools to support your child through separation and divorce in terms they can understand. Gain tools to address behaviours and challenges children commonly face during this family transition.
Therapeutic Parenting Time
We help rebuild connection between parents and kids with hands-on parent coaching, while honuring all court orders and parenting agreements.
Vocational Evaluations
Vocational and labour market evaluations provide an expert opinion regarding a client's ability to work and their earning potential as it relates to their Financial Agreement.