Post-Divorce Conflict and Its Impact on Co-Parenting
- Sileta Bell
- Oct 27
- 2 min read
It’s not uncommon for conflict between former spouses to linger long after the marriage ends. For many parents, divorce doesn’t dissolve the emotional residue of the relationship—it simply changes the setting. What was once marital conflict can easily spill into the co-parenting relationship, where it can quietly (or not so quietly) shape how parents communicate, make decisions, and show up for their children.
Research continues to show that parental separation is linked to a higher risk for adjustment challenges in children and adolescents (D'Onofrio & Emery, 2019). These may include lower academic performance, behavioral issues, and emotional struggles such as anxiety and depression. But what often lies beneath these outcomes is the environment the child is growing up in—the conflict that persists between parents who are still at odds, long after the ink on the divorce decree has dried.
Children learn more from what they observe than what they are told. When they see parents arguing, withholding communication, or speaking negatively about one another, they internalize these patterns. They learn that conflict is something to be avoided or weaponized—not resolved. Some children even find themselves caught in the middle, pulled into adult disagreements, and burdened with responsibilities or emotional weight that prevents them from simply being children.
Even when a marriage has ended, the family continues. The goal for co-parents is not to rekindle a relationship but to build a new kind of partnership—one rooted in respect, communication, and shared responsibility for their children’s well-being.
At Bell Family Therapy, I work with parents and families to help them navigate conflict and recognize the cycles that keep them stuck. Together, we focus on reshaping communication patterns, establishing healthy boundaries, and finding ways to co-parent in harmony. The goal is simple but powerful: to shift the focus from old wounds to what truly matters—raising happy, healthy, and emotionally secure children.
We proudly serve families virtually across Texas, including the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and surrounding areas.
About Sileta Bell
I’m Sileta Bell, LMFT Associate , Domestic Mediator, and PhD student at Nova Southeastern University, where my research focuses on developing interventions for co-parents experiencing post-divorce conflict. Advance-trained under research back modalities, including Emotionally Focused Therapy (Core Skills), Gottman’s Approach, Solutions Focused Therapy, I help families learn to manage conflict constructively and create environments where both parents and children can thrive.
References
D'Onofrio, B., & Emery, R. (2019). Parental divorce or separation and children's mental health. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 18(1), 100–101. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20590