Co-Parenting and Reunification Counseling

When parents separate, the adult relationship changes, but the parenting relationship goes on. Co-parenting counseling focuses on that ongoing role: how you share information, make decisions, manage handoffs between homes, and keep your child out of the middle of adult conflict. It is not a place to decide who was right or to reopen every old argument.

Hurt, distrust or exhaustion can follow parents into every text message and every exchange at the door. Counseling can slow those moments down, help each parent name what matters most for the child, and look for ways of communicating that feel workable, even when warmth between the adults is not possible right now.

Reunification counseling supports a parent and child who are reconnecting after time apart or a break in their relationship. The reasons differ from family to family, and feelings can run strong on every side. A child may feel eager, hesitant, torn between parents or unsure what to expect, while a parent may hold hope alongside grief or worry.

The work keeps the child's experience at the center. Reconnection can take time, and the counseling pays attention to what the child can manage and to the feelings of each parent and caregiver involved. Your therapist can explain how the work is structured, who attends which sessions, and what each person can expect along the way.

Wendy Barillas, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #133716 and HOPE's Executive Director, has experience providing court-ordered services, including co-parenting and reunification services. Families may come to this work on their own or because a court has ordered it. Either way, what HOPE provides is counseling: a place for parents and children to talk, listen and practice new ways of relating.

If a court has ordered your family to take part, mention that when you reach out and ask what is involved before you begin. That can include who needs to attend, how sessions are arranged, what the counseling does and does not include, and how confidentiality and its limits apply. Starting with clear expectations can make the work steadier for everyone.

Counseling at HOPE is collaborative and shaped around the person, couple, or family in the room. We do not begin with a preset definition of success. Instead, your therapist makes space for what matters to you, helps you identify personal goals, and works with your experiences and strengths. You can talk about what feels difficult, notice patterns, and decide together where to focus.

Our therapists bring different backgrounds and approaches to this work. Some draw from attachment-based, relational, psychodynamic, parts-informed, somatic, emotion-focused, or cognitive behavioral perspectives. Trauma-informed approaches available within the practice include EMDR, Brainspotting, and Trauma-Focused CBT. Work with children and families may also include play therapy and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. The approach used depends on the therapist, the client, and the goals you discuss together.

A first step does not require having everything figured out. You can read our therapist profiles, or call or email us and we will help you find a good starting point. If you have a therapist preference, let us know. If you do not, we can help identify a good starting point based on the concern, who will attend, the way you would like to meet, and any language preference.

HOPE offers counseling in person at our Roseville office and by secure video for clients who are located in California during the session. Wendy offers counseling in English and Spanish. A therapist will contact you within 48 hours, Monday through Friday. Before beginning, you can ask questions and learn what to expect so that the next step feels clear.