• Karen Pitt

    Registered Psychotherapist | MA (Transpersonal Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy), MDiv, RP (CRPO)

    Languages: English

    Specialty: Children, Adults, Families Grief, Trauma and PTSD, Past and Present Abuse, Anger , Anxiety and Depression, Family Conflict, Disability, LGBTQ2+ Safe , Queer/Transgender/Non-Binary Allied Culturally, Racially Sensitive, Faith/Christian

  • Jana Wessels

    Practical Psychometry, BA (Hons.) Psychology, B.A. in Psychology

    Languages: English, Afrikaans

    Specialty: Psychoeducational Assessment , Clinical Assessment , Neuropsychological Assessment

  • Gretchen Savery

    Individual and Family Counselling | M.A., B.A., RPQ

    Languages: English and Spanish

    Specialty: Children, Adolescents, Adults, Individual and family counselling, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Behavioural issues, Parenting, Life changes/transitions, Skills training (ADHD, social interactions, time management, organization, decision making, emotion regulation, etc.)

Karen Pitt

Registered Psychotherapist | MA (Transpersonal Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy), MDiv, RP (CRPO)

Languages: English

Specialty: Children, Adults, Families Grief, Trauma and PTSD, Past and Present Abuse, Anger , Anxiety and Depression, Family Conflict, Disability, LGBTQ2+ Safe , Queer/Transgender/Non-Binary Allied Culturally, Racially Sensitive, Faith/Christian

Jana Wessels

Practical Psychometry, BA (Hons.) Psychology, B.A. in Psychology

Languages: English, Afrikaans

Specialty: Psychoeducational Assessment , Clinical Assessment , Neuropsychological Assessment

Gretchen Savery

Individual and Family Counselling | M.A., B.A., RPQ

Languages: English and Spanish

Specialty: Children, Adolescents, Adults, Individual and family counselling, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Behavioural issues, Parenting, Life changes/transitions, Skills training (ADHD, social interactions, time management, organization, decision making, emotion regulation, etc.)

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How to Help a Child with Divorce

Helping a child through divorce demands more attention, more patience and more wisdom. The challenge is that while you as a parent are the primary care-givers, the child feels conflicted between the two parents. In business terms we would call it a conflict of interest. Children experience this as ‘Split Loyalties’. The emotional split loyalties based on a lifetime of attachments are experienced by these little people as guilt, shame, confusion and anger. An experienced online therapist is the perfect person to help navigate the complex and confusing emotions that parents often have difficulty doing effectively. Parents must try to understand that the more one disparages their ex the more the children will experience emotional pain.

Effects of Divorce on Children’s Behaviour

It is important to be more diligent in speaking regularly with your child after a separation and divorce. Watch for signs of difficulty sleeping, changes in eating patterns, anger, anxiety, depression or isolating. Check in with them often and encourage when necessary to connect with an online therapist who can be a safe sounding board and mentor to guide them through this major life event.

“Divorce is not always a doorway to happiness. The same can be said about marriage.”

Mokokoma Mokhonoana

“I am a divorced child, of divided, uncertain background. Within this division I – supposed fruit of their love – no longer exist. It happened nearly forty years ago, yet to me nothing is sadder than my parents’ divorce.” Sylvia Kristel

Ask a Therapist

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that we receive. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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Remember that your child’s anger is their way of trying to make things go back to normal. A parent can be very helpful if they can be more responsive and less reactive to a child’s anger. Try to understand that it is extremely difficult for a child to split the foundations of their security. They may feel like they have one foot on the dock and the other on the drifting canoe. They are scared and are being stretched to the limit.

Children and teens are intelligent and have often known for quite a while that their mom and dad have not been getting along. It is important to have these difficult but honest conversations with them together, with both parents present. The most important thing is to let them know that the decision to divorce has nothing to do with them. You might let them know that sometimes parents get along better when not living together.

Yes; however, they may also be hurting in the present situation. The better question is, “How will we all heal from our hurts to become stronger, more compassionate people?” This is often a tough journey, and most get through it without too many long-lasting scars. As with any treacherous journey, it will likely end well if it is taken seriously and is prepared for well.

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  • We’ve supported 35,000+ individuals.
  • We have completed over 300,000 sessions to date.
  • We have a countrywide network of therapists.

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