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Solo Parent Life | Single Parent | Divorce | Single Mom | Single Dad

Being a solo parent might have come to you unexpectedly or it may be what you have always planned. Even the most resourceful parent may find themselves in need of support, ideas, and resources. No matter the circumstances, this is the right place to find everything you need to be an outstanding solo parent. Host Robbin Rockett brings on a different guest each week to discuss all the aspects of being a single parent. You may be solo in your parenting role, but you are not alone. Listen to the show each week to find refreshing new ideas, hear stories of other solo parents, and connect with the community that is here to support you! Get tips and resources to help you thrive as a single parent at http:/www.SoloParentLife.com
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Now displaying: 2016
Dec 29, 2016

Join Dr. Robbin Rockett, a psychologist, consultant and host of Solo Parent Life, on the last episode of the show for 2016. 

Solo Parent Life currently has more than twelve hundred listeners from all over the world! In this fourteenth episode, she reflects on the recent holiday weekend and honestly shares about her current life situation and her intentions for the coming year.

 

Listen in as Robbin talks about:

 

  • The unnecessary pressure she puts on herself and how she deals with it.
  • The importance of being mindful and taking time out when the family is together.
  • How you don't have to do it all and it will still be good enough - it's not about being perfect.
  • That being mindful allows you to relax.
  • How being real and honest can take the pressure off.
  • Her gratitude for having started Solo Parent Life and how it's growing.
  • Some upcoming podcasts in this series, featuring charismatic Nick Bender, a single dad, Dr. Melanie Greenberg, a psychologist who has written a book called 'The Stress Proof Brain' and Heather Sontag who organizes homes and offers workshops to help mothers deal with stress and anxiety.
  • Her goals for 2017.
  • How you can reach out to her and offer her feedback on the kind of topics that will benefit you on her show in 2017.
  • Questions that you may have that she can answer in a Q&A episode in 2017.
  • Some things she's learned through doing Solo Parent Life podcasts this past year, that she intends carrying forward into the new year.

 

 

Links: 

 

Robbin's website: http://southernmarinpsychology.com/solo-parent-life-podcast/

 

 To ask questions or leave feedback, go to: www.bit.ly\soloparentlife14

 

Dec 22, 2016

Today’s guest is Lorraine Platt. She and her husband co-own Teen Solutions and they focus on lots of different issues that teenagers deal with. Admittedly, Lorraine started out being afraid of teenagers, but the more she worked with them, the more she fell in love with them. Lorraine and her husband focus on mentoring services for teens, which is so needed as teens are growing up in these challenging times.

 

Listen to this episode as Lorraine also discusses:

 

  • Why same-sex mentoring is so important
  • The issues that can be uncovered when teens are free to talk openly about anything
  • How social media is pressuring teens today
  • A parents job is to raise and launch their children. Find out what that means!
  • Why it’s important to take an interest in who your teenager is
  • Phone use and boundaries plays a big role in developing relationships with your teen
  • Does your teen want to spend time with you, even when they act like they don’t?
  • Dad’s have some advantages as a single parent that Moms don’t have
  • Teenagers are under the pressure of perfection, so we have to counteract that as parents
  • Encouraging your teen to express themselves as who they want to be to the world

 

 

 

 

Connect with Lorraine:

 

www.teensolutionstherapy.com

 

Dec 15, 2016

My guest today is Suzan Aiken, a family law attorney who works with families going through divorce. She raised her son as a single mother and then helped raise three stepchildren in her blended family.  Suzan helps families get through divorce in a respectful and healthy way, through collaborative divorce. Join us to learn more about this low conflict way to divorce!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • How collaborative divorce is different as a conflict-resolution process
  • When both parties agree NOT to go to court
  • The team effort
  • How mediation factors into collaborative divorce
  • The holistic picture
  • The language around collaborative divorce
  • Parenting plans that are customized for each family
  • When collaborative divorce WON’T work
  • Feeling “heard” in the divorce process
  • Working with couples on prenuptial agreements with a different approach
  • Regrouping and revisiting prior arrangements
  • Suzan’s tips:
    • Separate your emotions from the legal system
    • Arrive at a resolution with positive, constructive efforts
    • Take a holistic look at the big picture
  • Suzan’s recent appointment as president of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, active in 20 countries and multiple languages

Resources:

www.aiken-sinaiko.com

 

Dec 8, 2016

Welcome to an enlightening conversation with my guest, Ann Buscho. Ann is Psychotherapist practicing in CA, who is the mother of three and stepmother of three. We’ll learn more today about the technique called “collaborative divorce,” but we’ll also discuss ways to reframe the language we use around divorce and its many-faceted issues that affect both adults and kids. I think you’ll find this conversation helpful in many ways. Join us for this incredibly insightful interview!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • Why Ann decided to focus her work primarily on adults—after years of working with children
  • What is “collaborative divorce”?
  • Why collaborative divorce can be a great option instead of going to court
  • The health and welfare of the family are the primary focus
  • The language—it doesn’t have to be the language of “the broken home”
  • Maximizing the time with your kids
  • Language: Peace-building vs. Adversarial
  • Why collaborative divorce is an interest-based process
  • Divorce: 95% emotional and 5% legal
  • “Ripping off the bandage”
  • What to talk about in front of the kids
  • Why kids need reassurance
  • Self-care and the single parent
  • How different rules cause conflict
  • The “loyalty bind”
  • Why kids need to hear good things about BOTH parents
  • The choices we make
  • Be curious about your kids’ feelings
  • Helping kids accept step-parents and new partners
  • Why your kids DON’T need all the details
Dec 1, 2016

New widows and stay-at-home moms who suddenly find themselves alone after the loss of a spouse or a divorce will need all the support they can get. If you are a widow or a divorced mom, the process of vocational analysis or evaluation is the scientific way to assess your employability and wage-earning capacity especially if you have not had any previous employment or have been unemployed for quite a while. 

Robin’s guest is Lisa Trustin, a career counselor and coach.  She counsels people seeking to redefine or reinvigorate their careers or explore the possibilities of returning to work. After the assessment, the client receives a report which includes the interpretation and free consultation. 

Show Notes 

  • How the interview process is the best start to evaluate a client’s employability
  • How her assessment helps the client re-enter the job market after an absence
  • How it helps the client find more success in any current job 
  • How she helps solo parents in a litigated family law case
  • Method of career planning appropriate to the individual’s circumstances
  • Career counseling as support platform for solo parents 
  • The most effective strategy of helping parents 
  • The criteria for exploring the 
  • Resources for the client 
  • Training provided to clients include
    • Creating resume
    • Using social media
    • Creating an account in LinkedIn
    • Social networking
  • If somebody needs to work, there’s work for him. 
  • How to avoid anxiety’s in job search
  • There are programs to join for the elderly solo parent 
  • Lisa finds it fun and fulfilling to support people every step along the way 

 

Resources 

 

http://www.lisatrustin.com/

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-Trustin-MA-ABVE-Vocational-Evaluation-Expert-Career-Counselor-1507712092788583/?fref=ts

 

Nov 24, 2016

Drew Lamden, LCSW, has been in private psychotherapy practice for so many years and works  with families, adults, adolescents, children, Family Courts, and Family Attorneys. He is a Collaborative Law Coach and a Child Specialist. 

He is Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Northern California Mediation Center, he is the Director of Schools Program, and provides clinical supervision for Community Institute for Psychotherapy. He also provides clinical supervision for Apple Family Center, and is Clinical Consultant to A Home Within. He has developed and conducted student and parent groups in the schools, and consults to attorneys, various schools, mental health training programs, clinics, crisis, and family court settings. He is also co-coordinator of the Marin Teen Mental Health Board. He is on the Clinical Faculty at Langley Porter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UCSF.

Show Notes 

  • What to tell and not to tell the kids , general guidelines in telling the children about divorce
  • The importance of protecting children from the harsh realities of divorce 
  • The importance of postponing informing young children about adult issues
  • Waiting for children to grow more mature when giving them adult info 
  • Children don’t do as well as adults too
  • Importance of having mindfulness over the children
  • Importance of good communication between the divorced parents about their children’s  well-being
  • Importance of having a business-like relationship with the co-parent
  • Can parents tell all to their children
  • How much time is needed to tell all 
  • How to deal with your children’s questions
  • Children need to feel that they are loved by both parents 

Resources 

 

 alamden@alamdenlcsw.com

(415) 454-0736 phone 

 

Nov 17, 2016

In today’s episode, Dr. Robbin Rockett discusses the upcoming holiday season and how to move through this season successfully. This time of year can bring up many emotions - loneliness, loss and even jealousy. There’s no reason to face this time alone, so it’s time to get some resources and support for your holiday season.

 

 

Some aspects of the holiday season that we will discuss today are:

  • How to deal with your emotions
  • What happens when the holidays involves your ex-spouse
  • How to make your children have a normal holiday

 

 

 

In this show Dr. Rockett discusses:

 

  • At 4 years post divorce, how it still affects her
  • What are 3 things you cannot live without this holiday season
  • Ask the same question of your children and then figure out how to incorporate all of them into your holiday celebration
  • Get real about what feels meaningful to you and your children
  • Make giving back a part of your holiday season - it helps your heart and is a great example to your children
  • Help your children as they purchase a gift for the other parent
  • Are you co-parenting your children without conflict? Consider a joint celebration/event as long as it is a safe space for everyone
  • If you are still in a place of conflict, it’s not a good idea to spend time together at the holiday
  • If you are considering joint holiday events, discuss it with your ex first, not the kids
  • Stay thoughtful and mindful of all parties, while still reflecting your boundaries
  • Plan ahead to have a support system around you when emotions are overwhelming
  • Continuing to make time for adequate self-care is critical

 

 

 

You can create your own new normal for the holiday season. Make it about you and creating rituals and events that support you and make you feel good. Know that you are not alone and we are always here to support you!

Nov 10, 2016

Today on the show Dr. Robbin Rockett has a very special guest. We’re talking about a topic every single parent will have to deal with at some point. We’re talking today about erotic integrity!

Dr. Claudia Six has several appellations to her name:  Ph.D. in Clinical Sexology, MA in Counseling Psychology, A.C.S for American College of Sexologists certification, and ABS certification #2532 from the American Board of Sexology. She is also a member of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality and the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors & Therapists. She was born and raised in France (no French accent at all) and came to the US at nineteen. Her practice includes divorce coaching, Marriage and couples sex therapy, Singles coaching, psychotherapy. 

Show notes:

 

  • What does erotic integrity mean?
  • What is the rebound relationship?
  • Don’t misrepresent what you’re looking for
  • In her own words, she is:  “…not bound by certain cultural constraints that Americans sometimes struggle with.”
  • One should explore all of what you are as a sexual being
  • Why humans are ambivalent = part of us wants change, and part of us wants to keep things the way they are. 
  • Dr. Six believes her role is empowering you to make choices that support what you really want your life to be.
  • Learning from the relationship you’ve been in
  • People should embrace informed choices 
  • Erotic Integrity, requires honesty, and the key component of honesty is communication. 
  • It is not shameful to confess desire 

Resources

 

Website: http://www.drsix.net/

Erotic Integrity book: https://www.amazon.com/Erotic-Integrity-True-Yourself-Sexually/dp/1631520792

Nov 3, 2016

Dave Taylor is a blogger and writer who focuses on being a single Dad. He and his ex-wife actually began a parenting blog together while they were still married, and he kept it up through his divorce and it has chronicled his struggles and adventures as a single Father.

 

Dave has the same struggles every parent has, and he tries to focus his blog on the positive and negative aspects of parenting, without using all of his “Daddy-baggage”. Dave has turned his blog into a supportive space for single Dads, and he has also found support through his writing.

 

Listen to the episode as Dave also discusses:

 

  • How Dave went about building a community
  • Dave’s “time off with good behavior”!
  • The role Dave’s friends (he has a lot of them!) have played in his single Fatherhood
  • How he had to learn to grow a thicker skin
  • Why it makes it harder when others to criticize parents for entertainment
  • Why men have a learning curve when it comes to nurturing the children
  • Society reinforces nurturing behavior with girls, but boys are made fun of for it
  • Seeking support with your parenting can also help boost your confidence
  • Dealing with emotions of having his oldest daughter go off to college
  • The metaphor of parenting and ship building
  • Mistakes that Dave and his ex-wife made as a couple
  • Getting to know your children and their interests is a great way to stay connected to your children regardless of their age

 

 

Connect with Dave:

 

www.gofatherhood.com

twitter.com/davetaylor

 

Oct 27, 2016

Stress levels can be high in the household of a single parent with a teenage son or daughter. In this episode, we will focus on how to connect and communicate with teenage boys.  I have invited Richard Platt, MA, LMFT of Teen Solutions Therapy to discuss how parents of teen boys can build a stronger relationship.  He and his wife jointly run Teen solutions, a teen mentoring group and parent coaching firm in Marin. They have successfully counseled hundreds of families by helping them understand their teens and offer guidance in how to connect with them. 

 

In this episode you will learn about:

 

  • How to build a stronger relationship with your teens
  • Recognizing stress in your teenager 
  • The 6 levels of connection with your children
  • Providing a balanced life for your teens 
  • Guiding them to focus on their responsibilities 
  • Preventing  depression 
  • Dealing with anxiety 
  • How to earn your teen’s trust
  • When to seek support for your teenage son
  • 5 tips for single parents with teen boys

 

 

Resources:

Richard & Lorraine:  http://www.teensolutionstherapy.com

Solo Parent Life Website:  http://www.soloparentlife.com

Subscribe to the Podcast:  Itunes

Join the Facebook Group: Solo Parent Podcast Community

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/DrRockettSoloParentLife/

 

 

Oct 20, 2016

Children of divorced parents deal with the difficulties in navigating challenging circumstances that morph from their original family situations. Our guest, Rebecca Picard, J.D., L.L.M, and a new therapist, talks about the dilemma that children of divorced parents go through. She is a mediator attorney, a conflict resolution coach, a Collaborative Family Lawyer, and a lately a therapist. She has mediated hundreds of civil, divorce, employment, estate planning, victim-offender, and workplace cases.  She has a lengthy experience in civil litigation and family law.

She has spoken locally and internationally about mediation and has done extensive training in psychology, communication and personal growth. She has also reviewed research on the development needs of children and the effects of divorce on children. She is also very much interested in new findings from neuroscience regarding emotions and decision-making. She is very passionate about helping people address relational conflict; she combines professional expertise with compassion and empathy in helping individuals. She can develop highly customized mediation agreements and emotional resolutions providing people with opportunities for growth. This is the primary reason she has recently shifted from legal practice to therapy practice.  

 

What you will learn from Rebecca:  

 

  • Other reasons she shifted work from mediator attorney to a therapist
  • Legal issues and emotional issues between parties are closely intertwined she works on the best balance
  • The overlapping issues between a mediator and therapist 
  • How divorced parents can deal with co-parenting relationship
  • Mode of communication between parties can affect the results 
  • Why email is the recommended mode of communication for couples who are in conflict resolution status
  • Family relations could become a “business relations” 
  • A co-parent relationship is very different from the normal parenting role 
  • Kids can handle  2 different “cultures”  (things that are going on in the other house)
  • Kids don’t need to know everything about the separated parents 
  • What is a “parentified” child?
  • How divorced parents can prevent developing a “parentified child”  
  • Empathizing with the children of divorced parents

 

 

Resources: 

 

Website:  http://www.soloparentlife.com

Subscribe to the Podcast:  Itunes

Join the Facebook Group: 

Oct 14, 2016

This week’s guest is a licensed therapist based in San Francisco Bay Area, Therapist Susan Gadoua, L.C.S.W.  She counsels clients via phone or Skype all over the world. She is the author of Contemplating Divorce, A Step-by-Step Guide to Deciding Whether to Stay or Go and Stronger Day by Day: Reflections for Healing and Rebuilding After Divorce. She has co-authored with journalist, Vicki Larson, the book The New I Do, Reshaping Marriage for Skeptics, Realists and Rebels.  Susan also authored an eBook entitled, The Top Ten Misguided Reasons to Stay in a Bad Marriage. She conducts workshops and retreats and is a sought-out speaker on marriage and divorce. She has appeared on television, radio and print, including The CBS Early Show and publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and Divorce Magazine.

 

What you will hear in this episode 

 

  • How helpful it is for solo parents to join a community 
  • What marginalization is 
  • The change in life and social circle can cause isolation 
  • The transfer of location can also cause isolation 
  • How divorce can cause emotional distress 
  • How a separation/divorce support group can differ from therapy 
  • What a divorce parent struggles with 
  • When to join a support group
  • Precautions in telling your pain and personal details to a social media group 
  • Why your common friends may not be the right people to talk to
  • Confidentiality and personal security in joining support groups 
  • Susan is not worried about people reaching out to her; but she worries about people who stay isolated and drown themselves in alcohol 

 

 

Resource Center: 

 

Website:  http://www.soloparentlife.com

Subscribe to the Podcast:  Itunes

Join the Facebook Group: Solo Parent Life Podcast Community

Oct 14, 2016

Dr. Robbin Rockett conducts a virtual therapy session and provides 4 ways to get help. Please share it with a friend. 

 

What you will hear in this episode 

 

  • Dr. Robbin Rockett’s own story on her single parenthood
  • How to transition from married life to solo parent
  • Transition period: The changes you may go through 
  • How to  help yourself:  Be compassionate to yourself 
  • Other people who can help 
  • 4 ways you can be helped:

 

1.  Activity:

  • Think of the past and try to remember how you were feeling 
  • Try to play the role of a compassionate friend   
  • What would you say to your other self? Write down what you would say as a compassionate friend
  • Listen to the podcast for the complete instruction

 

2. Find a support group

3. Individual Therapist 

4. Building a supportive community – engage in recreation, sports, and fun activities.

 

 

Resource Center: 

 

Website: http://www.soloparentlife.com

Subscribe to the Podcast: Itunes

Join the Facebook Group: Solo Parent Podcast Community

Oct 12, 2016

Here’s help for you, the single parent – the single mom, single dad, divorced parent, widowed parent, a single parent who isn’t married yet or a single parent by choice. Dr. Robbin Rockett, who has a Doctor of Psychology degree with a specialization in Clinical Psychology, is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice. She has over a decade of experience in helping children, adolescents, adults, and families.  She is a single parent, too, and she knows the challenges that single parents deal with. She specializes in family systems approaches, anxiety and panic disorder, bereavement and grief, divorce, relationship problems and parenting issues. Her main purpose in creating the Solo Parent Podcast is to be able to form a community where single parents can find resources to help them cope with the challenges they face.  She will invite authors, coaches, fellow counselors and therapists, divorce coaches, mediators, and clinical sexologists as resource persons. 

 

What you will hear from the Solo Parent Life Podcast Episodes:

 

  • Join the community and be the best that you can be for yourself, your children, and others 
  • Listen to stories and testimonies shared by the guest speakers
  • Arm yourself with the facts and tips
  • Other special challenges faced by fellow single parents
  • Avoiding strain on your paychecks
  • Adjustments to make for a widowed parent
  • Adjustments to make for a divorced parent 
  • Handling emotional issues arising from loss or change 
  • Dealing with single parent stress 
  • Handling conflict with the other parent
  • Helping children cope 
  • Other types of information, help, and resources

 

 

Resource Center: 

 

Website:  http://www.soloparentlife.com

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