Defusing the High-conflict Divorce: A Treatment Guide for Working with Angry Couples

Bernard Gaulier · Judith Margerum · Jerome A. Price · James Windell

Jan 2007 · Impact Publishers

About this ebook

It has been estimated that nearly twenty percent of the one million divorces each year in the U.S. involve high-conflict relationships. Angry, emotional disputes related to custody, parenting time, child support payments, visitation and more may go on for years. Who suffers? The children, mostly. Post-divorce conflict may be the most significant factor in adjustment (or maladjustment) for children of divorce. "Defusing the High-Conflict Divorce" offers a unique set of proven programs for quelling the hostility in high-conflict co-parenting couples, and defusing their prolonged, bitter and emotional struggles."

Ratings and reviews

In "Defusing the High-Conflict Divorce," the authors get underneath the surface of high-conflict divorces and describe the types of dysfunction occurring in these families -- dysfunctions which are often not recognized for what they are by legal or mental health professionals. Problems in both the legal and mental health fields that contribute to our dysfunctional adversarial system of divorce are outlined. The authors share information about the kinds of interventions that work and those that don't, in resolving the underlying issues in the family. Throughout the focus is on reducing the parental conflict so that parents are able to meet their children's needs. This book is crucial for legal and mental health professionals who work with divorcing families. It can also offer hope to divorcing couples that there are alternatives other than litigation for resolving conflict. -Emily M. Brown, Director of Kay Bridge Therapy

About the author

Bernard Gaulier, PhD, is director of the Court Psychological Clinic (Family Division of the Circuit Court, Oakland County, Michigan). As a forensic psychologist in the field of juvenile justice and custody disputes, he has conducted numerous assessments and helped coordinate services regarding children and family issues. Judith Margerum, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and co-director of the Michigan Family Institute. Dr. Margerum received her doctorate from the University of Detroit and has over 20 years' experience working with families experiencing difficult problems. She provides professional consultation and training as well as therapy. Jerome A. Price, MA, is the director and founder of the Michigan Family Institute. A Regional Faculty Member for the Family Therapy Institute of Washington, D.C., he is a well-known supervisor and strategic therapist consulting for mental health centers, hospital medical and psychiatric staffs, and outpatient programs. His articles on many aspects of family treatment have been published in the Journal of Systemic Therapies, the Utne Reader, and the Family Therapy Networker, and he is a contributing author to the books Alternative Services in Community Mental Health and The Evolving Therapist. Price is an Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. James Windell, MA, is a court psychologist at the Oakland County (Michigan) Circuit Court where he conducts group therapy with adolescent delinquents and treats high-conflict divorce couples. He is the author of several parenting and medical books, and his most recent book is "The Fathersytle Advantage". He writes a syndicated parenting column.