Coparenting Beyond Conflict: High-Conflict Divorce and Custody Strategies Podcast By Sol Kennedy cover art

Coparenting Beyond Conflict: High-Conflict Divorce and Custody Strategies

Coparenting Beyond Conflict: High-Conflict Divorce and Custody Strategies

By: Sol Kennedy
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A podcast for parents navigating the hardest kind of co-parenting—when every message feels like a minefield, and peace feels out of reach.


If you’re stuck in a high-conflict divorce or custody situation, this show is your lifeline. Whether you’re dealing with a narcissistic co-parent, covert manipulation, or the exhaustion of constant conflict, you’re not alone—and you’re not powerless.


Coparenting Beyond Conflict gives you practical tools, expert insights, and compassionate support to help you protect your kids, reduce emotional chaos, and find real peace—even if your co-parent refuses to change.

https://bestinterest.app/coparenting-podcast


🎧 What You’ll Learn


  • How to de-escalate conflict between co-parents, even in high conflict situations
  • Why parallel parenting may be the best option for your parenting plan or custody schedule
  • How to apply tools like BIFF to reduce miscommunication and minimize drama in text messages
  • Ways to set boundaries in post-divorce life
  • Strategies for navigating high-conflict parenting plans, parenting time, and shared parenting
  • Guidance on mediation, family law, and protecting your kids
  • Tech tools that filter toxic messages


🧠 Why Subscribe


  • You’re tired of feeling drained by your co-parenting challenges
  • You want actionable strategies
  • You feel stuck in constant conflict
  • You’re ready to move toward lasting peace


Whether you're co-parenting with a high-conflict co-parent, navigating a divorce or separation, or reevaluating your parenting schedule, this podcast provides the emotional tools and expert insight (such as from Dr. Ramani Durvasula, Wendy Behary, and Tracy Malone) you need to end the conflict.


🎙 About Your Host


Sol Kennedy is a co-parent, father of two, and the founder of BestInterest (bestinterest.app)—the first AI-powered co-parenting app built to support families in high-conflict situations. After years of facing the realities of high-conflict co-parenting firsthand, Sol founded this podcast to empower other parents to reclaim control and prioritize healing.


💬 Real Tools. Real Stories. Real Change.


From parallel parenting to legal battles, mediation to mental health, you’ll hear from psychologists, divorce coaches, lawyers, and co-parents who’ve been where you are—and made it through.


✅ Subscribe now if you want to:


  • Stop letting conflict dictate your co-parenting journey
  • Find a good divorce coach, or learn what they’d recommend
  • Build confidence, peace, and clarity—even in the most toxic situations


Don’t wait. Subscribe to Coparenting Beyond Conflict now—on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts—and start your journey toward peace. New episodes every other week


📺 Also available on YouTube:
https://bestinterest.app/youtube


DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not legal or psychological advice. Please consult a licensed attorney, therapist, or family law expert.

© 2026 Coparenting Beyond Conflict Parenting & Families Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • When One Parent Is High Conflict: How to Protect Your Kids with Hallie Strauss and Kate Alcamo

    When One Parent Is High Conflict: How to Protect Your Kids with Hallie Strauss and Kate Alcamo
    Sep 10 2026
    What happens when the conflict between co-parents becomes the center of family life—and the kids get caught in the middle? In this episode, Sol sits down with Hallie Strauss and Kate Alcamo, co-founders of The Co-Parent Collective, to explore how parents can reduce conflict, protect their children’s emotional wellbeing, and build healthier post-divorce family dynamics.Hallie brings the perspective of a psychologist, parenting coordinator, custody evaluator, and mediator who works with families navigating high-conflict dynamics. Kate is a licensed marriage and family therapist and child specialist who helps parents understand divorce from the child’s perspective. Together, they offer complementary insights into everything from parenting coordination and parallel parenting to communication, identity shifts, and the ways children experience parental conflict.They discuss why “spouse mind” can keep parents stuck in old relationship dynamics, why parallel parenting can sometimes be a healthy stepping stone rather than a failure, and how one parent de-escalating can dramatically change the temperature of a co-parenting relationship. They also share practical communication strategies, including BIFF (Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm), writing messages as though a judge—or your child—might read them, and using technology to create boundaries around difficult communication.The conversation also explores AI and co-parenting, the growing role of parenting coordinators, when professional teams can help support families, and The Co-Parent Collective’s Child-Centered Divorce Playbook.LinksWatch the full episode on YouTubeLearn more about the Co-Parent Collective: ⁠thecoparentcollective.comFollow the Co-Parent Collective on Instagram: ⁠@TheCoparentCollectiveBestInterest — the co-parenting app: ⁠BestInterestGet 10% off BestInterest: Use code Beyond10Coparenting Beyond Conflict: ⁠CoparentingBeyondConflict.comSubscribe to our newsletter to hear about new episodes and build community: https://bestinterest.app/subscribe-podcast/Keywordsco-parenting, high-conflict co-parenting, divorce, parenting coordination, parenting coordinator, parallel parenting, collaborative parenting, child-centered divorce, child specialist, custody evaluation, co-parenting communication, BIFF communication, spouse mind, parent mind, emotional regulation, divorce and children, co-parenting apps, AI and co-parenting, identity shifts after divorce, conflict de-escalation, parenting plansKey TakeawaysKids are affected more by how parents navigate divorce than by divorce itself. Shift from spouse mind to parent mind. Parallel parenting isn’t necessarily a failure. You don’t have to engage in every conflict. De-escalation can start with one parent. Write every message as if someone else will read it. BIFF can help keep communication focused: Regulate before you respond.Children may know more than parents realize. Children have their own divorce timeline.Parenting coordinators can provide structure and help keep professionals out of the conflict.Acceptance can be empowering. When a child shares something alarming, start with validation. Self-regulation and connection are powerful first steps. Chapter Highlights00:00 — Welcome to Coparenting Beyond Conflict01:04 — Finding Moments of Peace02:10 — How Hallie and Kate Found Their Way Into Divorce Work05:28 — What Does a Parenting Coordinator Do?07:46 — Building a Professional Team Around High-Conflict Families08:17 — Managing Triangulation in High-Conflict Cases10:04 — When Does a Parenting Coordinator Have Binding Authority?11:15 — How High Conflict Impacts Children13:04 — Does It Take Two to Tango?14:37 — The Power of De-Escalation15:30 — Separating the Court Battle From the Co-Parenting Relationship17:33 — How Parental Conflict Affects Kids Over Time18:53 — Parallel Parenting vs. Collaborative Parenting21:21 — Rebuilding Trust After Divorce21:37 — The Identity Shifts of Divorce22:37 — When You’re Afraid Everything Will Be Used Against You23:49 — How to Communicate Without Escalating Conflict25:36 — Write It as If Your Child Will Read It26:27 — AI and the Future of Co-Parenting Communication28:03 — The Child-Centered Divorce Playbook30:02 — Lightning Round: The Biggest Co-Parenting Lessons31:36 — The Three H’s: Hugged, Heard, or Helped?32:28 — When Co-Parenting With a High-Conflict Ex Gets Easier33:28 — What You Can Do Today34:20 — Connect With The Co-Parent CollectiveWhat if your co-parent’s toxic messages never even reached you? Thousands of parents are already finding peace with the BestInterest Coparenting App. As a listener, you can too. Claim 40% off an annual subscription here: https://bestinterest.app/beyond
    Show more Show less
    35 mins
  • Bill Eddy on High-Conflict Co-Parenting: Stay Calm, Set Limits & Protect Your Kids

    Bill Eddy on High-Conflict Co-Parenting: Stay Calm, Set Limits & Protect Your Kids
    Aug 27 2026

    High-conflict co-parenting can leave you feeling like you’re constantly walking on eggshells—every text message, exchange, or court filing has the potential to pull you into another cycle of conflict. In this episode, Sol sits down with Bill Eddy, co-founder of the High Conflict Institute, therapist, family lawyer, mediator, and creator of the internationally recognized BIFF® communication method.

    Bill shares four decades of practical wisdom on how to communicate without escalating conflict, why trying to “teach the other parent a lesson” almost always backfires, and how parents can protect their children by modeling emotional regulation instead of getting pulled into reactivity. They also explore the promises and pitfalls of AI in co-parenting communication, Bill’s new SLIC framework for setting boundaries that actually work, and why the skills we teach our children today can help break cycles of conflict for generations to come.

    Whether you’re navigating a difficult co-parent, supporting clients through family conflict, or simply looking for a more peaceful way forward, this conversation is packed with practical tools you can begin using immediately.

    Learn more about Bill Eddy and the High Conflict Institute: https://highconflictinstitute.com/

    Explore Conflict Influencer and the New Ways for Families program: https://conflictinfluencer.com/

    Get the BestInterest Coparenting App: https://bestinterest.app/

    Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/r_Cktp5OGvk

    Subscribe to our newsletter to hear about new episodes and build community: https://bestinterest.app/subscribe-podcast/

    Keywords

    Bill Eddy, High Conflict Institute, BIFF method, SLIC, high-conflict co-parenting, difficult co-parent, narcissistic co-parent, parallel parenting, co-parent communication, family court, emotional regulation, boundaries, setting limits, consequences, conflict resolution, AI communication, New Ways for Families, parenting after divorce

    Key Takeaways

    • The BIFF method (Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm) helps reduce conflict without expecting the other person to change.
    • One of the biggest communication mistakes is trying to teach the other person a lesson.
    • Avoid the “Three A’s” in high-conflict communication: advice, admonishments, and apologies.
    • Writing your own BIFF responses builds the mental habits that make conflict feel less overwhelming.
    • AI can be a useful editing tool, but it shouldn’t replace developing your own communication skills.
    • Children learn conflict patterns from their parents, including emotional regulation and relationship skills.
    • Hostility and unpredictability are especially damaging for children in high-conflict homes.
    • Teaching children flexible thinking, emotional regulation, moderate behavior, and self-reflection helps build lifelong resilience.
    • Setting boundaries without meaningful consequences rarely changes high-conflict behavior.
    • You’re not responsible for managing another person’s emotions—you are responsible for protecting your own peace.

    Chapter Highlights

    00:00 – Introducing Bill Eddy and the BIFF Method
    03:25 – How BIFF Was Created
    07:13 – Common BIFF Mistakes and the “Three A’s”
    09:56 – AI, Communication, and Building Your BIFF Muscle
    16:53 – How High Conflict Affects Children
    22:41 – Teaching Kids the Four Big Skills for Life
    25:21 – Can High-Conflict People Change?
    27:20 – Introducing SLIC: Setting Limits & Imposing Consequences
    30:14 – Real Co-Parenting Boundary Examples
    34:03 – How Family Court Has Changed Over Four Decades
    38:05 – The Future of High-Conflict Family Court
    40:14 – Where to Learn More About Bill Eddy

    What if your co-parent’s toxic messages never even reached you? Thousands of parents are already finding peace with the BestInterest Coparenting App. As a listener, you can too. Claim 40% off an annual subscription here: https://bestinterest.app/beyond
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
  • The Emotional Divorce Most Parents Never Complete with Dr. Lee Baucom

    The Emotional Divorce Most Parents Never Complete with Dr. Lee Baucom
    Aug 13 2026

    What if the legal divorce is over—but the emotional relationship is still running the show?

    In this episode, Sol sits down with relationship coach, therapist, author, and Save the Marriage podcast host Dr. Lee Baucom to explore why high-conflict dynamics often continue long after a marriage ends. Together, they unpack the hidden emotional systems that keep co-parents stuck in the same painful patterns and explain how lasting change can begin with just one person choosing to respond differently.

    You’ll learn why reacting to your co-parent often reinforces conflict, how to reclaim your sense of agency even in difficult legal battles, what an “emotional divorce” really means, and why letting go of the need to control your ex can create a healthier future for both you and your children.

    Whether you’re navigating a high-conflict co-parenting relationship or simply want to build healthier relationships going forward, this conversation offers practical insights and hope.

    Learn more about Dr. Lee Baucom: http://SaveTheMarriage.com

    Get the BestInterest Coparenting App: https://bestinterest.app/

    Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PB-SEy2dadY

    Subscribe to our newsletter to hear about new episodes and build community: https://bestinterest.app/subscribe-podcast/


    Keywords

    High-conflict co-parenting, emotional divorce, family systems, co-parent communication, conflict resolution, emotional regulation, relationship dynamics, divorce recovery, family court, forgiveness, trust, parenting after divorce, personal responsibility, child wellbeing

    Highlights

    • Why divorce doesn’t end the relationship when you share children.
    • The difference between reacting emotionally and responding from your values.
    • How one parent can change the co-parenting dynamic—even if the other doesn’t.
    • The three things you can actually control in a high-conflict relationship.
    • Why trying to control your ex often keeps conflict alive.
    • Understanding “emotional divorce” and why it matters.
    • How resentment and disconnection fuel ongoing conflict.
    • The difference between forgiveness, trust, apology, and reconciliation.
    • What children need most during and after divorce.
    • Practical ways to reduce regret and parent with integrity.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction
    01:00 Meet Dr. Lee Baucom
    04:45 Why Conflict Continues After Divorce
    08:25 Responding vs. Reacting
    12:10 Breaking People-Pleasing and Conflict Cycles
    13:40 The Three Things You Can Control
    15:34 BestInterest AI Co-Parenting App
    15:58 Regaining Agency During High-Conflict Divorce
    21:00 Family Systems and Emotional Patterns
    28:35 Olive Branches, Forgiveness, and Moving Forward
    31:00 Rebuilding Trust After Divorce
    33:10 Helping Children Through Divorce
    37:25 What Emotionally Healthy Co-Parents Do Differently
    38:50 What Is an Emotional Divorce?
    40:55 Final Advice for Parents Navigating Divorce
    42:30 Where to Find Dr. Lee Baucom

    What if your co-parent’s toxic messages never even reached you? Thousands of parents are already finding peace with the BestInterest Coparenting App. As a listener, you can too. Claim 40% off an annual subscription here: https://bestinterest.app/beyond
    Show more Show less
    44 mins
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