October Zoom Chapter Meeting
October 21, 2020
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Adult Children of Divorce
Adult children of divorce (ACOD) are not often discussed in Family Law proceedings, Family Law Mediation, or Co-parenting counseling because the issue of custody is not in play. Many parents wait to divorce until the children are 18 years old to avoid the negative effects of the separation on their children and the difficulty of a child custody dispute. Many parents believe that when children become adults, they will automatically be less affected by the loss or pain of seeing their parents' divorce. Divorced parents may similarly assume that because their children are grown, they are less apt to suffer the divorce's legacy.
Those of us who are children of divorce or who work with clients who are children of divorced parents know that it has long-lasting psychological effects on relationships, mental health decisions to marry or to divorce, and that many adult children of divorce struggle with underlying feelings of self-worth, shame, and guilt.
Dr. Chandler Hoffman will discuss what Family Law attorneys can do to
- Assist their divorcing clients in attending to their adult children,
- Avoid the pitfalls that may create unhealthy relationships, and
- Give them tools to maintain a strong connection with their adult children.
He will also compare the differences and similarities of divorce's impact on young children and on adult children of divorce to help the family law community be more sensitive to this population.
Dr. Chandler Hoffman is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in working with families and children going through divorce and separation. He holds a Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and has had a private practice since 2000. Dr. Hoffman worked in the court system as Family Court Services Counselor and Supervisor and a juvenile court Dependency Mediator for 15 years. Dr. Hoffman utilizes his expertise to work with children, adults, and co-parents and specializes in mediation, Co-parenting counseling, and other divorce-related services like Collaborative Practice. Dr. Hoffman uses the process of mediation and collaborative practice paired with his unique focus on validated psychological techniques and a Positive Psychology approach to helping people resolve conflicts, change their communications, and focus on their goals for change. Also, Dr. Hoffman often consults with parents, lawyers, and the Family Court litigants on issues regarding divorce and its impact on children. He often is appointed as the Court’s expert in these matters but prefers to work collaboratively with parents and their lawyers to resolve these difficult life transitions outside of the courtroom.
