In this episode, Meg Gluckman sits down with therapist, child specialist, and author Kristin Little to explore how to support teenagers through their parents' divorce. Kristin shares her unique approach as a child specialist in the Collaborative divorce process, offering practical guidance on communication, boundaries, and helping teens navigate this major life transition.

Kristin Little is a therapist, child specialist, and writer based in Seattle. She co-authored The Co-Parenting Handbook with Karen Bonnell and has been working as a child specialist in collaborative divorce since 2009. She also wrote No More Us, a book for people navigating the early stages of an unwanted divorce.

Website: KristinLittleCounseling.com

The child specialist role – How Kristin brings children's voices into the collaborative divorce process through her "Classic 1-2-3" approach: meeting with parents, then children individually, then sharing feedback

How teens differ from younger children – Teens have already built their own world and may feel frustrated that parents are disrupting their stability; they want independence while also craving explanations

The information dilemma – Why parents should protect teens from adult information even when they insist they can handle it, and how to be transparent about why you're not sharing everything

Creating a shared narrative – The importance of parents crafting an agreed-upon explanation that validates children's experience without encouraging them to take sides

Supporting big emotions and repair – Validating teens' feelings as appropriate responses to major change, and the power of owning mistakes rather than trying to be perfect

Books Mentioned:

The Co-Parenting Handbook by Karen Bonnell and Kristin Little
The Stepfamily Handbook by Karen Bonnell
No More Us by Kristin Little (for those navigating an unwanted divorce)
Untangled and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Damour
Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Dan Siegel (the "red book" for teen development)
Smart but Scattered Teens by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare