Surviving the Pain of Divorce and Separation:  8 Steps for Parents and Children

By Janice Cohn, D.S.W. 

Illustrated by: Elliott Banfield

Synopsis:

Stories of how divorce can devastate children appear with alarming frequency in magazines and newspapers and on television.

But there is another story that gets less attention: Many children emerge from a divorce feeling loved and secure and proud of themselves and their families.  What is it that empowers some children to survive emotionally intact while others develop serious problems which can persist for years?

Many factors contribute to how well children weather divorce.  But experts agree that the most crucial one is parental behavior.  If parents sensitively respond to their children's emotional needs and give them the opportunity to grieve and confront their pain, loss anger, then genuine healing can occur.

The handbook, Surviving the Pain of Divorce and Separation: 8 Steps for Parents and Children by Dr. Janice I. Cohn, pulls together current research as well as insights from clinicians, child therapists and families themselves.  It presents what is known to help children and parents survive the emotional upheaval of a family break-up.