Once the intake process is completed, most PC meetings are joint. Each meeting varies depending on what needs to be accomplished. For most meetings, the structure is as follows:
A. The first part of joint meetings is comprised of some kind of homework and/or communication exercises, where the parents learn how to keep kids out of the middle, brainstorm solutions to problems and come up with efficient solutions that put the kids’ needs first
B. During the second part, the parents focus on specific agenda items, utilizing the skills they are learning in the first part of the meetings and applying those skills to problem solve.
Sometimes, additional individual meetings are helpful for coaching or some one on one work to make the joint meetings more effective.
After the meetings, the PC usually provides some kind of summary of the important points from meetings (topics discussed, issues resolved (specifics), what is not working, what is not resolved).
The PC might meet with children and with other collaterals such as step-parents if deemed appropriate by PC to help the family. The PC can explain more about how these meetings would be handled, and how they might differ from parent PC meetings.
The PC might speak with the children’s therapists, Guardian ad Litems and Friends of the Court.
Sometimes, parents are directed back to their attorneys for advice if impasse reached or a PC might reach out to one or both attorneys if the PC needs their input to move matter forward.
The goal is for the parents to absorb sufficient skills such that they can move to an “as needed” basis, where the PC remains available as a potential resource, depending on the circumstances, without regularly scheduled sessions.