Beyond Divorce: Embracing Change

The listener questions keep coming, and we're back with Part 2! In this episode of Beyond Divorce: Embracing Change, we tackle more real questions from divorced parents navigating co-parenting, changing family relationships, and the challenges their children may be experiencing. From deciding when kids should have a say in parenting decisions to explaining why you're not friends with your ex's new...

For our 100th episode, we’re doing something a little different. Michael Flores, LPC-S, Jinohn Marr, LMFT, Armando Martinez, LPC, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, sit down together to answer real questions submitted by listeners about co-parenting, conflict, and helping children adjust after divorce. The team tackles what to do when a co-parent refuses to work with you, how to respond when t...

Your daughter says she’s had a terrible day. You ask what happened, offer advice, or try to fix it—and suddenly she shuts down. In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, explore the communication gap that can develop between dads and their preteen or teenage daughters. They discuss why a dad’s instinct to help can sometimes leave a daughter feeling unheard, eve...

Grandparents can be an incredible source of love, stability, and support for children during divorce—but what happens when they get pulled into the conflict too? In this episode, Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, and Armando Martinez, LPC, talk about the often-overlooked role grandparents play in a family navigating divorce. They explore how easily grandparents can become mediators, messengers, a...

A teenager once described what conflict with a parent felt like using a powerful metaphor: he was the tree, and the parent was the woodpecker. One peck may not knock down a tree, but repeated pecking over time can weaken it until eventually it breaks. In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Jinohn Marr, LMFT, use that metaphor to explore the subtle ways parental conflict can affect children—fr...

Getting remarried after divorce can feel like a fresh start—but it’s really the beginning of a different family system. You’re entering the relationship with experiences from your first marriage, and often with children, co-parenting relationships, financial responsibilities, traditions, and expectations already in place. In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Armando Martinez, LPC, talk abou...

When your child begins counseling during or after a divorce, you probably want to do everything you can to make sure it helps. But sometimes, even well-intentioned parents can unintentionally make the process harder. In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, talk about how parents can collaborate with their child's counselor while still giving their child the s...

Divorce changes a lot for children, but it shouldn’t require them to grow up too quickly. In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Jinohn Marr, LMFT, talk about how easily kids can begin carrying adult responsibilities during divorce—worrying about their parents’ feelings, feeling pressure to make big decisions, or believing they have to choose what is best for the family. Michael shares an imp...

In this special episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, sits down with Armando Martinez, LPC, to discuss the inspiration behind his new book, One Question Away: 50 Therapeutic Questions to Change Everything. Michael shares how decades of working with individuals, couples, and families taught him that meaningful change doesn't always come from having the perfect answer—it often begins with asking the right...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Jinohn Marr, LMFT, explore the invisible load children carry as they move between two homes after divorce. While parents often focus on packing clothes, schoolwork, and favorite toys, children are also carrying something no one can see—the emotions, worries, shifting expectations, and constant adjustments that come with transitioning between two differen...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, tackle one of the most painful experiences children face during divorce: feeling like they have to choose between the two people they love most. While parents rarely say, "Pick me," children often receive that message through subtle cues—body language, sighs, eye rolls, sarcasm, or even the way questions are asked after...

In this episode, Michael Flores sits down with financial planner, author, and speaker Donna Jean Kendrick to discuss her book, The Divorce Money Map. Part workbook and part guide, the book helps newly divorced individuals organize their finances, make informed decisions, and begin dreaming about their future again. Donna walks through the Five W's that serve as the foundation of the book: Who need...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Armando Martinez, LPC, discuss the unique challenges that arise when therapy is court-ordered. For many clients, counseling feels different when they've been told to attend rather than choosing it on their own. While the circumstances may be different, Michael and Armando explain that the purpose of therapy remains the same: to promote growth, healing, a...

This episode is a replay from Diana Romanov's YouTube Channel Divorce Like A Boss with Diana. Diana is a Certified Family Law Specialist and founder of Romanov Law. In this episode she interviews Michael Flores, a licensed professional counselor based in Texas who works with families navigating high-conflict divorce and custody disputes. Courts sometimes order co-parenting counseling when parents...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, tackle a topic that often shows up in divorce conversations but doesn't get discussed enough: money and children. In our offices, children of all ages bring up financial concerns, which usually means they're hearing about money struggles directly or indirectly from the adults around them. Michael and Arrianna explain wh...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Armando Martinez, LPC, discuss the guilt many parents experience after divorce. Parents often worry about how the changes will affect their children and may feel responsible for the pain their children are experiencing. Michael and Armando explore the difference between having compassion for your child and overcompensating because of guilt. Overcompensat...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, discuss the powerful role play has in helping children navigate divorce and stressful family transitions. Parents often say they want their children to “just be kids,” but during divorce, children can unintentionally get pulled into adult emotions, conversations, and conflict in ways that force them to grow up too quick...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Jinohn Marr, LMFT, discuss what self-care actually looks like during divorce—especially when you’re overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and just trying to make it through the day. They start with the physical foundations that are easy to neglect during stress: getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, eating consistently, moving your body through walks or ex...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, explore the deeply personal journey people go through in divorce—and why some feel stuck while others begin to move forward. Michael shares how, in his work, he often sees patterns in behavior that show up during this “storm,” and how identifying those patterns can reveal the root hurt keeping someone from healing. He b...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Armando Martinez, LPC, continue the conversation around introducing a new partner—this time focusing specifically on how to talk to your children about it. (Be sure to also check out their related episode, Episode 75, “What to Do When a New Partner Enters,” for more on navigating this transition.) Armando emphasizes that timing matters more than anything...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Jennifer Nobles, LCSW-S, break down some of the most common myths people believe about divorce—and how these beliefs can quietly keep you stuck. They start with the idea that healing means you won’t be triggered anymore, explaining that even when you’ve done the work, certain moments, memories, or situations can still bring up old emotions. They also cha...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Armando Martinez, LPC, dive into a pattern many people don’t realize they’re repeating—how the same unresolved issues from your marriage can quietly show up in your divorce. Even though your relationship has changed, the dynamic often hasn’t. Instead of relating as co-parents, many people find themselves slipping back into the same arguments, reactions,...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Arrianna Cervantes, LPC-Associate, explore the messages children absorb during divorce—and how the “soundtrack” parents create can shape a child’s emotional experience and long-term relationships. They discuss the difference between what kids need to hear and what they don’t, highlighting how parents often share information with good intentions, believin...

In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Jennifer Nobles, LCSW-S, explore how decision making during divorce is often driven more by emotion than logic—whether we realize it or not. Using insight from the book Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, they unpack the idea that people don’t decide with logic, they decide with emotion and then justify with logic. In a season filled with uncertain...

Please rate this podcast to help us reach more listeners like you! In this episode, Michael Flores, LPC-S, and Jinohn Marr, LMFT, take an honest look at one of the most emotionally charged parts of divorce: custody battles and the idea of the “best interest” of the child. They explain how that phrase can mean very different things depending on who you ask—parents, children, judges, attorneys, and...