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The divorce process ends the marriage, but when you have children together, it does not end your relationship with your former spouse. Instead, you are faced with the challenge of creating an entirely different relationship as co-parents.
In this episode, Strategic Divorce Consultant Mardi Winder talks with Certified Professional Coach Marisa Belger about what it takes to build a healthy co-parenting relationship after divorce. Marisa brings both professional and personal experience to the conversation, having created a successful co-parenting dynamic involving her children, their fathers, and new partners.
Mardi and Marisa discuss why trust is such an important part of co-parenting and why that trust has to be built slowly over time. They explore the importance of communication, flexibility, and giving the other parent some grace when things do not go exactly according to plan. They also talk about recognizing that someone who may not have been the right spouse for you can still be a loving, capable parent to your children.
The conversation also looks at the personal growth that can come from divorce and co-parenting. Learning to separate your own hurt, expectations, and emotions from what is actually happening with your children can be difficult, but it can also help you become more intentional about how you respond and the kind of relationship you want to create moving forward.
Questions we cover:
Can you start preparing for co-parenting before the divorce is final?
Yes. Conversations about expectations, communication, boundaries, and what matters most to each parent can begin early and help establish the foundation for the new parenting relationship.
Does successful co-parenting mean agreeing on everything?
No. Each parent may have a different parenting style. The goal is not to control how the other parent does everything, but to recognize what truly matters and distinguish those issues from differences that may simply require flexibility.
Why is trust so important after divorce?
Co-parenting requires both parents to rely on one another in an entirely new way. That kind of trust does not automatically carry over from the marriage and often has to be rebuilt gradually.
How do you keep old marital conflict from taking over the co-parenting relationship?
It requires recognizing that the marriage and the parenting partnership are two different relationships. Old roles, resentments, and patterns may need to be intentionally dismantled so something new can take their place.
What can children learn from watching their parents navigate divorce?
Children can see that difficult emotions and major life transitions can be handled without pretending everything is fine or allowing those emotions to overwhelm the family. Parents have an opportunity to model resilience, emotional awareness, and the ability to move through difficult change.
About the Guest:
Marisa Belger is a certified professional coach who supports mothers through divorce and co-parenting. She believes divorce with kids isn't a failure or a detour from your growth. It's the most rigorous personal development curriculum a modern woman can be handed, custom-designed for exactly who she needs to become. Marisa helps high-achieving mothers stop trying to put the old pieces back together and instead get built by the experience, drawing on somatic work, nervous-system science, and contemplative traditions.
She coaches women at every stage, from contemplating separation to years deep into a dynamic that isn't working. She also co-parents teenagers across a blended family of six, and knows this terrain from the inside. She is co-author of the bestselling The First Forty Days, with 18+ years writing about women's wellness. You can learn more about Marisa at marisabelger.com. Marisa offers customized 1:1 coaching packages, workshops, and retreats.
For Marisa’s gift: https://www.marisabelger.com/stop-the-spin
To connect with Marisa:
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/marisabelger/
Website: marisabelger.com
IG: @marisabelger
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinder/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
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