It has long been hypothesized that parents with children who have special needs are more susceptible to a divorce. While there truly is no concrete evidence to support this theory, there are plenty of studies that children with special needs, specifically autism, can be triggered by conflict. The following from Disabled World gives a snapshot into why people with autism have trouble processing conflict.

“For people with autism, conflict resolution is challenging at times because they are not sure what is and what is not appropriate to say or feel, or they do not know how to balance their need to be honest with their need to be accepted by the people they are talking with.”

There is no denying that no matter which path you choose, the divorce process is full of conflict and emotion. As tough as this is for the parents to deal with, it can be twice as challenge for a child with autism or other learning disabilities. When families come to us in their most trying times it is our duty and responsibility to provide them with the best advice and options possible. The Collaborative Process MUST be the first option presented to parents and families in these situations.

Besides keeping families out of court and allowing the parents to make all the important decisions that are best for their family moving forward, the Collaborative Process provides a mental health professional who is trained to deal with each and every unique situation and family dynamic. My Collaborative Team is taking a committed stance to market and promote the Collaborative Process to families who are dealing with disputes and also have children of special needs. We hope you will join us at this year’s FACP Conference as we present:

OH! THE POS-ABILITIES!© WHAT COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONALS SHOULD KNOW WHEN FAMILIES REQUIRE EXTRAORDINARY CONSIDERATION.