Coping with Shared Custody

Posted on by Dr Mark Parisi

Family CounselingWith over 35 percent of all U.S. marriages ending in divorce according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shared or split custody of children is becoming part of the norm. (1) But how do parents cope with shared custody of their children?

It goes without saying how challenging it is to go from seeing your child(ren) on a daily basis to half the time with shared custody. Oftentimes these periods when the child is in the opposite parent’s care, can lead to sadness, depression, and loneliness. To help you better transition to a shared custody lifestyle, here are a few tips for coping thorough shared custody.

  1. Stop with the “what ifs.” When you’re lonely and sad because you miss your children it can be easy to get caught up in the “what if” game but you should stop while you’re ahead. Asking yourself about what may or may not be different if you had only stayed married won’t change or help the situation now. What is, is.
  2. Soak up your time. When it is your turn to care for the child be sure to soak of every moment of your time with them. Get all your moneys’ worth, if you will. Whenever you have the chance be spontaneous with them and enjoy each other’s company.
  3. Document it. Like with kindergarteners who bring a family photo to school for when they may feel homesick, you should document your favorite times with your children and display them in your home. This means hanging photos of you and your children or displaying their artwork. Having small mementos of them will help make them feel more a part of the home even when they are not physically present.
  4. Invest your time. Often times parents of shared custody children find themselves with empty time on their hands. Though you may not be sure what exactly to do with your new found free time, sulking alone in your home is not the answer. Instead invest it into something enjoyable and that you are passionate about. Learn something new, join a team, or volunteer.
  5. Seek support. People need support for all sorts of life challenges including shared custody. Seek support in loved ones, friends, or even a professional to help. With the support you need you can openly discuss your feelings and any challenges you may have while embracing any aid they may offer you.

With an increasingly high divorce rate, it’s obvious why we have so many families living with shared custody. While shared custody offers the benefit of the child being able to spend time with both parents separately, it does leave room for sadness, depression, and loneliness to develop in parents while the child is away. Better cope with shared custody by keeping these 5 tips in mind and applying them to your daily life.

Mark D. Parisi, Psy.D. & Associates, P.C. provides counseling, psychological testing, and psychotropic medication management in Mount Prospect and Chicago – serving surrounding Cook, Lake, DuPage, and Will Counties. They accept most insurance and offer extremely affordable sliding scale rates. Call (847) 909-9858 for a free, no-obligation telephone consultation.

###

Sources:

  1. Marriage and Divorce, Number of divorces statistics, 2014, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/marriage-divorce.htm
  2. Child and Family Coping One Year After Mediated and Litigated Child Custody Disputes, General topic information, 1994, http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/fam/8/2/150/
  3. Preparing Your Child for Back-to-School http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/school-rush.aspx

 

Tom Naratadam, Psy.D., LCPC

Hi and thank you for choosing me!  Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Dr. Tom Naratadam.  I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and both my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) and Masters Degree in School Psychology (Ed.S.) from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.  I completed my Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) certification in Illinois in 2015.  My professional work experience is diverse and includes work in multiple settings including residential, inpatient, outpatient, community mental health, group private practice, and school-settings throughout the Metro Chicagoland area.

I have worked as an outpatient provider with Dr. Mark Parisi since 2010. In addition to my work with Dr. Parisi and Home Psych Services, P.C., I have worked as a bilingual school psychologist at the Chicago Public Schools – performing extensive diagnostic testing and spearheading group therapy with children and adolescents – and more recently in the private school systems.

I have expertise working in multicultural populations and have conducted numerous workshops on cross-cultural issues related to the Latino and Asian-Indian cultures. My experience also includes several years of assessing and working with children and adolescents who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Conduct and Mood Disorders, and issues related to adolescent sexuality and identity.  I provide in-office and teletherapy services for Generations and Home Psych Services using secure video teleconferencing technology for the comfort, convenience, added privacy and safety of my clients.

I am proud of his Asian-Indian heritage. I enjoy traveling, enjoying Chicago’s wide array of restaurants, and spending time with his family and friends. I am a non-native speaker of Spanish and have excellent fluency.

5 Ways to Spark a Crush on Your Spouse

Posted on by Dr. Mark Parisi

You have been together for what seems like forever and you live in routine and predictability. Marriage and family therapist in Chicago, Dr. Parisi offers 5 ways to spark a crush on your spouse.

Team challenge. Part of the thrill of a new relationship is getting to know one another, but when you are to the point you have been together and known each other so long, you feel you know each other as well as know yourself, it is time to shake things up a bit. Your counselor in Chicago recommends that you take on a new challenge together. Train for a race, enter a competition, join a bowling league. Find something that neither of you have ever done and take on the new challenge. Working together to overcome adversity, even if it isn’t real-life adversity, helps add novelty and satisfaction to your relationship, bringing the two of you even closer together. It also gives you something new to talk about.

Take a break. Some marriage and family therapists think the best way to respark the flame is to have people spend some time apart. Take separate vacations. Do something on your own that interests you. When you invest if yourself, your significant other usually finds that independence and appeal that they have been overlooking. Remember, distance can make the heart grow fonder.

Try on someone else’s shoes. Ever wonder how rest of the world views your spouse? Find an opportunity to hear what others think of the amazing job your spouse does at work. Or how friendly she is when she checks out at the store. Sometimes hearing about the wonderful things you take for granted can make you realize how amazing your partner is to everyone else and how lucky you really are. A Chicago counselor would describe to you how someone else would describe your spouse. Make sure you are still looking at him or her that way too!

Step out of your comfort zone. If routine is boring you, mix it up. Do something that you would never do. Throw a curve ball to partner and drag them along for the ride. This can range from a hot air balloon ride to taking a ride after dinner (instead of sitting on the couch) and seeing what is happening in your community.marriage and family therapy in Chicago

Take care of yourself. Yes, your partner has seen you at your worst. But that doesn’t mean you have to put that out there every day. Remember how you used to get dressed up for just the chance of running in to that special someone? Break out the good cologne and flirt a little.

Don’t settle. Whatever you do, don’t quit trying. Your amazing relationship is worth it. It doesn’t have to be a huge production every week (because really who can hire a sky writer), but put in a little more effort. A little more time to be together. A little affection to show your companion that they are more than a roommate after all these years. Keep making the effort because you relationship is worth it. Besides, that willingness not to settle, well that is pretty attractive.

Contact Dr. Parisi and Associates if your relationship needs help from an affordable marriage and family therapist.