From Divorce To Collaboration: A Practical Guide For Co-Parents

Divorce ends a marriage, not your role as parents. We sat down with co-parenting coach and author Teresa Luse to unpack a practical, compassionate way to raise kids across two homes without burning out or blowing up. Teresa shares the mindset that changed everything for her: stop trying to repair the past relationship and start designing the parenting relationship you’ll live with for decades. That shift opens the door to calmer exchanges, clearer expectations, and a childhood your kids will remember as steady and kind.

We dig into Teresa’s core tools, including her Three Lists exercise: must agree, ideal to agree, and concede. By keeping the “musts” tight—safety, life-or-death health, and legal compliance—you lower friction where it counts and reduce needless fights elsewhere. She explains how to respond when your co-parent is hostile or even narcissistic, using concise, child-focused communication, boundaries that hold, and strategies that reduce, diffuse, and redirect conflict. You’ll also hear why collaboration doesn’t have to mean shared vacations or holidays, and how different parenting styles can actually enrich a child’s world when handled with intention.

Teresa traces her path from lived experience to two books, including Combative to Collaborative: The Co-Parenting Code, and describes her coaching approach. Sessions are virtual, practical, and forward-looking—no therapy, no legal advice—just plays that work in real life, reviewed and adjusted over time. She shares details on her small-group coaching model designed for access and safety, with topics tailored from participant surveys and strict boundaries that keep co-parents out of the same room.

If you’re ready to trade texting wars for a workable plan, this conversation gives you the language, tools, and courage to start. Check the show notes for Teresa’s books and links to connect. Enjoyed the episode? Follow, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick five-star review to help more parents find calm.

To find out more and connect with Teresa:

https://teresaluse.com/

Hi and welcome to Thrive and Decide. I’m your host Sarah Thress. This podcast is intended to help women who are going through a divorce, continplating divorce or have lost a spouse feel seen, heard, understood and not alone. All the beautiful souls who share on here are coming from a place of vulnerability and a common belief that sharing your story will help others. You will also hear from industry experts on what to do and not do while going through a divorce.

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Chapters

• 3:13 Meet Teresa And The Mission
• 5:23 Co-Parenting Is Forever, Not Until 18
• 8:23 Principles That Lower Conflict
• 13:18 Turning Lived Experience Into Books
• 18:33 Strategies For Hostile Or Narcissistic Exes
• 23:23 Control, Letting Go, And The Three Lists
• 29:13 Different Homes, Different Styles, Shared Safety
• 34:13 From Writing To Coaching
• 40:13 Group Coaching Model And Access

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 2:10

Hi, and welcome to this week's episode of Thrive and Decide. Uh, this week I have Teresa Luce with me. And um, I met her uh through a networking event actually, and uh we got to talking and she was talking about all the things she does with like co-parenting and you know, helping couples and and the books she's written and things like that. And I thought, oh my gosh, I have to have her on this podcast uh because she just brings so much information and she's just really good at helping people. So um I asked her to to join us. So, Teresa, thank you so much for coming on today and taking time out of your day to talk to us about co-parenting.

SPEAKER_00: 2:49

Sarah, thanks so much for having me. It's good to see you again and get a chance to talk more.

SPEAKER_01: 2:55

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So, you know, as we were talking um off-camera, you know, it's just it's really difficult when you're going through the divorce process and you know, you've maybe taken, you've you've done your best at taking your emotions out and just dealing with the divorce. And then, you know, that's all finalized, but you still, if you have children together, you still have to talk to that person. And sometimes that can really suck. Um, and so I love that you've really just kind of made it like your mission to help people through that. Because I think if you can again make everything all about the child versus your emotions, your feelings, your, you know, however you feel towards your ex, if you can push all of that to the side and make it all about the children, it's just gonna make everything easier for everyone. Um, but Teresa, I'd love for you to just kind of walk us through, you know, maybe how did you get into this and and what are all the things you do to help people?

SPEAKER_00: 3:51

Sure. Well, um, so how did I get into this life? Yeah, I lived it. Um, and back when I became a co-parent, uh, that term didn't actually even exist. This was like uh, I don't know, 25 years ago. Uh so now it's common language to say co-parent, but back then there there really wasn't such a concept, it was just like divorced parents. Um, and facing that, I was like, gosh, how do you do that? Because I didn't have any kind of blueprint for that. My parents stayed together. Sometimes I wondered why, because it like they they argued a lot, uh, but they did choose to stay together. And so I didn't really have any kind of concept of what it should look like when parents separated. And when I looked around, it was kind of ugly. Like the one, the examples I did see were a lot of parents that made their kids really uncomfortable in a lot of situations. And I didn't want, you know, this painful decision that that we made uh because of our inability to get along as adults to have this negative impact on our child because he didn't choose it. Um, so I was looking to minimize that and also considering the idea that this was really the, you know, when you say um till death to us part thing when you marry, uh, you can maybe say, well, no, we can divorce, and that's no longer true. But the real till death to us part is when you parent. I mean, regardless of whatever legal constructs, you're you're still a co-parent. So it's really forever. Um, a lot of people think it's when, you know, the kids turn 18, suddenly you're no longer a co-parent. Well, I'm sorry, but you actually are because there's college, there's, you know, graduations, there's marriages, there's maybe grandkids. And so you're going to be encountering this proud this person um for the rest of your life. Uh, and does that need to be miserable for everyone, including you and your chill child or children, um, till death do everyone part. So I sought out to figure out how to make that not the case. Um, and in doing so, I just really kind of reverted back to a comment, uh like a foundational principle that I had been raised on, which was treat others the way you want to be treated, because that means that's the kind the idea is that that'll come back to you uh if that's what you put out there. You get what you put out there. And so I kind of started with that principle, and it it tended to work pretty well. Um and did the other side of that, I really stopped trying to focus on the concept of fixing the relationship that I had with my ex. So, you know, and we can talk more about that because I think that's where a lot of parents struggle to make the transition from intimate relationship to that chapter ending to them becoming co-parents. But as my son grew up, you know, we were he was six when we separated. Uh, so you know, now he's 32. He'll tell you he had a happy childhood. So apparently we figured some things out along the way. And a lot of other parents would, you know, uh approach me and or approach uh my son's dad and say, gee, I wish my parents would have done that for me when they divorced, or I wish I could do this for my kids. And I thought, well, it's it's not insurmountable. Um, and it doesn't have to be miserable. Uh so maybe I can help others learn how to do that too. And it's not to say that we did everything right, but if I can shortcut some people's trial and error, I'm uh all for doing that because um, you know, we only make this trip once. And so why not have it be the best it can be for everyone? So that's kind of how I got into it. Um, when my son became 18, I got interested in the idea of sharing it with others um and uh wanted to kind of expand giving that information to a broader group than just the parents that I knew. And so I started to write it uh into a book. Um and so I published the first book called Happily Divorced back in 20, what was that, 2018, 2019, somewhere around there. Anyway, I don't even remember. That book failed miserably just because I didn't know what I was doing about publishing. And uh I mean the messaging was still good, but the approach to publishing wasn't quite the right, the right way to to put the message out there. Um, got some advice from a gentleman named Jack Campfield, um, who was the um co-author for Chicken Soup for the Soul and that whole series. And he suggested some changes to it. And then a couple years later, I published the book Combat to Collaborative, the Co-Parenting Code, which has been out there since 2021 and continues to do well on Amazon and really has become the um foundational guide for co-parents um to uh reference as they're living their co-parenting journey.

SPEAKER_01: 9:37

Yeah. I love that. And I love that you were able to uh you know connect with um such an amazing author. I've read you know several of those uh chicken soup for this whole book. So that's really cool.

SPEAKER_00: 9:48

Yeah, it was it was a uh he was really helpful in um helping me kind of reposition the book as I I always thought I'm not trying to tell other people how to do this, but he said, Well, you know, the way you've written it, it's like a a um memoir, and no one cares about your memoir because you you aren't famous. Well, that's true. So how do I get them to care about it? He said, Well, give them a how-to. I'm like, okay, well, I guess I'll give them a how-to. And so I kind of repositioned it that way. And the other thing that was really interesting about the book was that, you know, the first one was just kind of chronicling um our journey. Here's how we did it. Maybe this was or wasn't the right way, but it seemed like a lot of people thought it was, so I'm sharing it with you. And the second one was this more thoughtful approach to how do you do this? And as I was writing it, I gave it to some friends to preview. And one of my friends, who was a divorced father, said, Well, this is great. Um, but it doesn't tell me what to do. It it attempts to tell my ex-wife, who was the one acting hostily, what she shouldn't do, but it doesn't tell me what to do about her. And I'm like, Oh, okay, so this wasn't helpful to you. He's like, Well, no, not really, because I'm still stuck with having to deal with this hostile, you know, person. Uh, what do I do? And so I took the book back into, you know, kind of editing, and I expanded on all the content to turn it around, not just say, uh, you know, hey, if you're doing this, this isn't the right thing to do. You're being hostile. Because that was my original approach, is like, don't do these things, do these things. But then I added in the if so if your co-parent is doing these things, here's some strategies for you to cope with that in a more productive way that doesn't have to destroy everything. Uh, so I expanded on all the content to to account for that and help the people that are sub, you know, the victims of the incoming animosity.

SPEAKER_01: 12:04

Yeah. I love that because um I was just sitting here thinking, you know, there's been several people that I've helped. And um, you know, I uh like you, I had a really good um co-parenting relationship when my daughter was younger. You know, we still did holidays together. Um, you know, my uh like her dad would still come over Christmas Eve and, you know, stay the night so that he could, you know, see her face with all the Santa stuff. And, you know, uh we would go like we actually went to Disney World together, um, you know, as a family with my family, you know, people were like, oh my gosh, are you guys getting back together? Like what what's going on? I'm like, no, like this is just all about our daughter. Um, you know, now honestly, we are she's a senior this year and we're not we're not as compatible at our co-parenting as we used to be, but she's also at a different age and you know, and it is what it is. Um, but I am grateful and very thankful that that is the approach we took when she was younger because I think it really did, you know, just make it easier. But as I was sitting here thinking, I was like, man, I've helped so many people that are like, you know, they've been it with a narcissistic, you know, partner or somebody that they're like hearing this and they're like, yeah, right, like my, you know, my ex would never be that way, or you know, we could never like do a holiday together, or we could ever, you know, whatever. So I love that you then took it and even tweaked it more for a how-to for the people to deal with the other people that uh, you know, aren't playing nice in the sandbox.

SPEAKER_00: 13:34

Yeah, and you know, I mean, um it's funny, Sarah, because when you say, Oh yeah, we still celebrated, you know, uh holidays together and we vacationed together, we didn't do that. Here I thought we were like the pinnacle of the best co-parents. And and frankly, you know, parents today are actually reaching further than than we did. Um, and I applaud them for that, but um, it isn't realistic for everyone, and it doesn't even make sense for everyone because sometimes that just sets everyone up for a lot of other, you know, uncomfortable, hostile situations. So, you know, if if it's right for you, it's right, but it shouldn't be a forced matter. Um and, you know, vacationing together isn't required in order to make some claim that you're collaborative, collaboratively co-parenting with your co-parent either. Um, there are various levels of of collaboration that make sense for different families, and they're all helpful. Um you know, and even when or if a co-parent is a narcissist, that doesn't write off co-parenting collaboratively with them. Uh, it just means that you may have to um, you know, figure out different tools in order to interact with them productively. Um, they may not be as apt to pick on pick up on empathy uh or give you any for certain if if they're a true narcissist. Um, but you know, there are there are still strategies that we can employ with someone who's a narcissist uh and still treat them the way they want to be treated, regardless of whether they're doing it. That's a lot of it. It's like parents uh feel like, well, I'm the victim here. Why should I do this for them? And I'm like, well, you're not doing it for them. You're doing it for your child, and you're doing it for you because it doesn't further your goals to return hostility to them. It just doesn't. Um, it only serves to potentially escalate that hostility and continue it. So if you don't want conflict, don't contribute to continuing it. Um, and at least you'll you'll be able to uh begin the process of diffusing it by not feeding it further. Um, you know, so I I look to help parents too uh who are dealing with someone that's less cooperative to maybe reduce, diffuse, and redirect incoming hostility from that other parent uh to turn it into something that can work toward the uh goals they have for their parenting rather than just feeding what they don't want.

SPEAKER_01: 16:34

Yeah. Well, and I find that um, like when I put myself back in, you know, that situation, uh, you know, when I was first going through like the divorce and all of that stuff. And I, you know, in my mind, I had like how I wanted my relationship with with you know my daughter to go and how I thought it should go for him as well. And so I, you know, I'm like, okay, well, you're you're not spending as much time with her, like you're not doing this, you're not doing that, you know, just like it was me trying to control it. And so then he finally was just like, oh my God, like I'm happy with how our relationship is, like me and you know, our daughter. Like I, I don't need to do it how you are. So I I'm hopeful that I'm not the only person out there that, you know, thought that I knew the best and like that I could control it. And I will say that as soon as he said that and I took it to heart and I was like, yeah, you know what? It's not up to me to, you know, figure that out for them. Uh, it did make it so much easier. Um, you know, and and it did allow us to then, you know, go to the pool together with our daughter to, you know, go do go do the things together. And I no longer was like, well, it should be like this. I was like, no, okay, you know, if you're happy, great. She's happy, she's taken care of, it's all good. But I have to, you know, I have to wonder, like, do you see a lot of uh things like that when you're helping people?

SPEAKER_00: 17:49

Oh, yeah, yeah. Um, you know, it's like when you when you relinqu, when you separate, right, you you lose a lot of control over your parenting experience because, like, depending on how much visitation each parent has, um, you know, you may lose half of the time that your child is with you. It's like, well, what's going on during that whole half of that lifetime I'm missing? And if you're a controlling person, like I might be, um, you know, uh, it is disconcerting. It's unsettling. Uh, and so, you know, parents do struggle with that a lot. I have a couple um tools I help them with uh in that regard. Um, you know, one is reminding them that there are multiple right ways to co-parent or to parent. Um, you know, there's there's not like a definitive manual on parenting. There are some parents that are more permissive, some that are stricter, and some that are in the middle. And it's like we all have our opinions on what's the best, but children grow up effectively in all those settings. Um so recognizing that one, you have to face the reality that you don't get the benefit of always being there to see and and have influence over everything that's going on. So you just gotta accept it. That's part of the reality of parenting across more than one home.

SPEAKER_01: 19:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 19:22

Um, so there's like that, you just got to accept the reality. This is part of the the inevitable, you know, consequence of that decision. Um, and then two, you can also think of it as like two, one, liberating and two, helpful to your child, because liberating in that you don't have to fight on all these things anymore. You might have fought on them when you were in the same home, and now you can relinquish control over some of these less consequential sort of decisions that surround parenting. They're not like life or death sort of decisions, they're just stylistic differences, right? So you don't have to be responsible for what happens on both sides of the coin. Uh, take care of what happens when you're with the child. If you want that influence on your child to be a certain way, make sure that when they're with you, you influence them in that way. Whether it's, you know, certain bedtime that you want to impose or certain dietary choices or whatever. Um and uh, you know, with that then, uh the child actually gets in that in that second side of that, the child gets a more rounded, well-rounded experience of life by having exposure to parents that have two completely different approaches to life. Maybe one of you is more creative and artistic, and the other is more uh organized and and um detail-oriented and and all of those things. Um, if a child can learn from both of you, they're gonna end up better off because the you know, of all of that additional information and and uh seeing how each parent behaves and getting to take the best of those things. So I encourage them to kind of let go of judgment about different parenting styles. Uh, I have something I call the three lists that helps them kind of break that down logically, where they decide, okay, these are the things that we really must agree on. Um, when I've got two parents working together, that's where this works the best. Sometimes I have individual parents working that I work with as well in coaching. But when I have two parents, you know, each parent makes a list of the things that they must agree on, the things that it would be great to agree on, ideal to agree on, and the things that I concede to the other parent because they're actually better at this thing, right? Uh, and so it helps them with perspective. Uh, the things that they must agree on are pretty small list. I mean, we're talking about things that have to do with life or death health. And and I say it that way because if I just say health, then it gets into some gray areas, like people have different ideas of good nutrition or whatever. Um, so really down to the very lowest common denominator of safety, uh, life or death health, and um, you know, the legal system. Like we have to make sure that our child is obeying the law, sort of thing, uh, if we want to do the best for them. Those are the things we have to fundamentally agree on. Um, and then out beyond that, there's a whole host of things that would be great if you could agree on, but if you don't, it's not the end of the world. And that's where the opportunity exists for you to relinquish that control and allow various opportunity to take or various choices to take effect without it being detrimental to your child and possibly even beneficial to them. Uh, and then the third list is you know what, you're better at picking out clothes than I am. I'll let you pick out all the clothes that our daughter wears. Or, you know, whatever. Maybe you're better at math. So I'm gonna defer to you on math homework uh when we can do that. Um, those sorts of things. Um, you know, so I I hope I think that helps parents to kind of feel like they can let go of some things, and and they're not destroying their child in the in the process of letting go, because you know, you you have that fear. It's like, oh my gosh, if I don't do it, who will? And it's like, well, there is another parent there, and you need to be willing to let them be a parent.

SPEAKER_01: 24:09

Yeah, which can be so difficult because again, you're so used to like being that, you know, that team together, even if you weren't getting along, like you still were, you know, a team in the household with the child, and now it's like okay, well, what are they doing? Like how you know what what rules do they have there? Is it gonna be the same here? Is it, you know, like so? Yeah, it is, it's very difficult.

SPEAKER_00: 24:31

Very difficult.

SPEAKER_01: 24:32

So you never know. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_00: 24:35

No, you're fine, go ahead. I was just gonna say, even parents that are in the same home worry about these things, you know, especially things like the food. I mean, my husband now uh and I have had some pretty contentious uh exchanges about nutrition and his children in my house because I have a whole different approach to that than he does. And we've had to, you know, decide I've had to decide where my limits are in that realm and what I need to just let go of. It's like I can share information with you, but as a step parent, and that's a whole other thing we could talk about for a long time. Um, I have to know what my boundaries are for how much influence I can actually expect to have.

SPEAKER_01: 25:20

Yeah. Yeah, that is a whole nother subject. Uh we could absolutely do another, uh, in fact, I'll I'll have you on again and we'll do one uh about step parenting. Um, because I have two bonus kids uh as well. So yeah, we'll have to do that. Um, so you went from writing those books and doing all of that, and then how did you get into coaching? Was that after you wrote the books or had you already been kind of dabbling in it?

SPEAKER_00: 25:44

Well, I mean, unofficially, informally, uh advising other parents um was something that just kind of happened along the way as parents would say, gosh, how do you do that? How do you guys come to sitting by each other at soccer games and not, you know, uh doing the evil eye all day the whole game long or whatever? Um, and so there was a lot of that, but the formal formal uh coaching didn't happen until I had decided to leave my corporate career and actually had some time to dedicate to it, which I did that as a lot of people did. I I left uh one career during the pandemic and uh began really pursuing the co-parenting uh side of things, you know, at that point and really putting myself fully into that um profession. So how else could I help them besides the book? And one of the uh extensions on that was coaching. And I had been a coach of various types before that in personal, you know, pursuits. I was a vocal coach and had helped um young adults to learn how to uh sing and perform uh to their best in mostly a pop music uh setting. Yeah. Um and I had been a wellness coach. I mentioned the the nutrition thing. I was a certified wellness coach and I helped people to improve their nutrition and and fitness uh in that regard. So coaching is just something that I guess I said it earlier, but if I can help short, you know, shorten the path for someone to get to their goals by, you know, cutting out some of the trial and error they have to do by sharing what I know with them, then I I love to do that because it's hard enough to get to where you want to be. And if you can learn from somebody else's experience and not have to live the the you know, the errors yourself, why not?

SPEAKER_01: 28:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 28:01

So that's really how how I ended up doing that. So it was like um, you know, maybe a couple years or well, I wrote the book and then, you know, it was about a year after that. So I've been doing the coaching formally for about three years. Um it started off as private coaching, and that's been primarily what I've done up to this point, but I'm looking to really expand that into group coaching. Um, I have a a side contract I do with um a certain nonprofit where I do group um group classes for for parents that have been ordered by the courts to take more uh parenting classes. And you know, that gave me a perspective of um or a thought really sparked a thought of how I could make my coaching more accessible to a broader base of people because private coaching can be expensive and not something everyone can afford. Um, but a lot of people could really benefit from it. So I've um started to create a group coaching model, which I'll be launching uh or really relaunching next year. I did a pilot of it earlier this year, and it proved out pretty well. I want to make some tweaks to that uh and how that runs, but it'll be a small group of no more than 15 people in a group uh where I cover a particular topic with them. Um and uh then at the after 30 minutes, I will uh open it up for us to just have an um open forum where they can ask me whatever they want to about what's bothering them the most, what they're or what they need the most help with in their co-parenting at that time. Um each of these groups uh will be vetted to understand what it is they really need the most help with. So the topics that I cover with that particular group will be driven by what they've told me they need the most. Uh and that's one of the tweaks I'm making to what was originally the concept last spring when I piloted it. Um, because I do want it to be somewhat um tailored, but it obviously can't be as tailored as a private coaching engagement. But at the same time, I don't want to miss the mark on what people need. So I I do want to uh to do that so it it's all um participant driven in that way.

SPEAKER_01: 30:45

Yeah. I love that. And so in the coaching, I know obviously in um individual, you know, private coaching, it's easier to do the one-on-one and find out, you know, all of that stuff. But with group coaching, um, is it virtual? Is it in person? Um, when you did the pilot, uh, you know, did did it seem like everyone was like, ugh, I don't really want to be in here because I don't want other people to know that like I'm struggling with this? Or do you feel like it was more like, cool, I'm not the only one having to deal with this?

SPEAKER_00: 31:16

Um, well, I think that people were very interested in the concept, but I think that the problem was it wasn't um clear that they were going to get the help they needed on the right subjects. Uh so I I learned that very quickly. It's like they didn't show up for particular topics, and I'm like, okay, I know why that is, because they this this particular group of people that registered don't need those topics. Um and they may have needed other topics, and so I didn't take their pulse first, right? So the idea is that uh that I will do a survey of those that to sign up to participate and ask them what are your most pressing concerns? Um, to answer your question, it's virtual, as is my private coaching. It's all virtual. Virtual, which actually affords me the opportunity to serve clients anywhere in the English speaking world. And I say English speaking only because I'm not, you know, I'm not multilingual. So that's on me. But anyway, that's what I got to offer. English, English-based coaching. This isn't legal advice. I'm not a family therapist. I don't have those kind of credentials. This is coaching. So, you know, it's directive, it's more prescriptive in that, you know, if you're working with a mediator, uh, they're facilitating you to a solution. Um, if you're working with a therapist, you may be digging into your past to understand your motivations for how you act the way you do with your other um counterpart. In coaching, I look at the talent of my team, which is the parents, and I understand based on my experience and what I'm observing, what kind of strategies work in that situation. And then I suggest they employ those practices and I stay with them to observe how that actually plays out, because coaches sometimes call a play and it doesn't go as everybody expected, and they have to adjust. And, you know, just like uh with mediation, and I'm a family mediator as well. I'm a trained mediator through the Ohio Supreme Court. Um, you can put a whole bunch of great things on paper and then they all fall fall apart in practice because maybe they weren't practical, or maybe the person who committed to them wasn't serious when they said they would do it. Maybe they just were trying to get through the process, check the box, and get out of the room. Um, so you know, with with coaching, I get to stay along for that ride to see, okay, did you keep the commitments you made? If you didn't, let's figure out why not. You know, was it realistic? Did you mean it? What stood in your way of keeping that commitment and how can we get back there? Or is it just untenable and we need to uh revise the plays that we're carrying out so that everyone can have success? Because there's no reason to keep living under some, you know, false pretense that this is all workable if it isn't. Um that'll just frustrate everyone. So anyway, um kind of where I was going with that. But there you go.

unknown: 34:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 34:49

No, I love that. I think that was great because I just wondered, you know, how you uh, you know, and I love that it is virtual because I do think um, you know, it was maybe one of the only bright sides we can take from the pandemic was doing everything so virtually that then it allowed us to connect with more people and it's still a meaningful connection because it's not just on the phone, you're still seeing that person, you're still like, you know, you're not getting the full, oh my gosh, I can hug you moment, but you're at least getting, you know, you're seeing that person and all of that. So I do love that. Um, and I think that it is easier for people to come to something virtually because they're not having to get in their car and like go somewhere, you know, and and it's much easier to talk yourself out of showing up, even though you know you need it. It's so much easier to talk yourself out of showing up if you have to actually get in the car and go somewhere.

SPEAKER_00: 35:40

For sure. I if I have to get in the car and go somewhere to work out, I don't work out. That's why I've been working out at home since my child was born. Um, but uh yeah, so the the virtual whether, well, let's just talk about the group. So with the group coaching, it's twice a month virtually for an hour. Um, and we may play with that time. Look, I'm open to this becoming its best version uh of whatever it's meant to be. Um, but starting off, I'm thinking it's an hour, uh, twice a month for parents, uh, and you can commit to three months at a time, or you can just uh hop in for one session and see if it makes sense for you. Um, you will not be in the same uh group that your co-parent is. That I will make sure doesn't happen because I want everyone to feel free to speak their mind, not like they have to worry about that, um, so that they can get the help they need without any kind of intimidation or or feeling like, you know, whatever they might be concerned about with having a parent that they co-parent with in the in the group. Um but yeah, I I think that uh the virtual thing is great because, like you said, you don't have to get in the car. Um, you know, and you can join from anywhere. The time of day these will occur will be kind of like midday, so that it works for no matter where you're at, and the at least in the United States or even into Europe. Uh, it may be kind of difficult for any Aussies that want to attend, but if I if I have that problem, we'll figure it out.

SPEAKER_01: 37:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 37:28

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 37:29

I love that. So obviously, uh your books you mentioned are on Amazon. Um, so I want to make sure that I put uh a link in the show notes that you know that takes them to your books. Um, but if somebody's listening to this and they're like, holy crap, I need Teresa in my life, which by the way you do, um, but you know, they're like, oh my gosh, I need her. How do they contact you and get started? Like, do you have some sort of process where you kind of vet them to make sure that it's something you could do, or are you just like, hey, come on in, like, you know, let's figure this out together. How does that work?

SPEAKER_00: 38:02

Yeah. So if you go to my website, which you can get there a lot of different ways. And by the way, if you see my name as Teresa Luce or Teresa Harlow, that those are both me. I'm not being weird. That one of those names is my former name. And that and then I got remarried. So Teresa Luce.com is is my website, um, coparent-coach.com, if it's easier for you to remember that and not misspell it because who's who knows how to spell loose, right? We were just talking about that, Sarah. Um, but uh anyway, you can come to my website. There is an opportunity for you to book a free consultation there. Um, so you can click on my calendar link and then you can select a time and day to meet with me for 30 minutes just to have a free consultation and figure out is private coaching the best? Is group coaching the best? Um, or maybe I just have a basic question that you could answer and just set me on the right course. That's fine too. Um I I meet with people all the time where you know I may just give you a free piece of information that helps you figure out where to go next. Uh, so that's probably the best way. Um, I'm out I'm out there on all the social media. It's usually Teresa Harlow123 because I haven't quite gotten around to fixing all those to the new name. So it's a little bit confusing. But if you look for me, you'll you'll find me one way or another.

SPEAKER_01: 39:28

Yeah, I love it. Well, and I'll make sure that I have all of those uh in the show notes as well. So if someone's like, oh, I I want to follow her on social, I want to go to her um website, you know, but I have no idea how to spell her name. Um or what was that that she was saying I was driving when she was talking. So I'll have all of that in the show notes so people can click on that and find you.

SPEAKER_00: 39:48

Yeah, I would love to connect and see what I can do to help you out.

SPEAKER_01: 39:52

Yeah. I love it. Well, thank you so much for taking so much time out of your day. I know you've got a lot going on, but I really appreciate it. And I think that the information that you shared today, as well as you know, stuff in your books and things that you can give is just so invaluable. So I'm so glad that you, you know, answered that call and really just followed, you know, what you felt was was your calling. So thank you for that.

SPEAKER_00: 40:15

Oh, well, thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about it. I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01: 40:19

Yeah, absolutely. And like I said, we'll have you back on uh and we'll have plenty of other topics to talk about. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 40:26

We'll talk about blended families.

SPEAKER_01: 40:28

Oh, yeah, that's a good one. Yeah. Yeah, we can talk about all the things. All the things. I love it. I love it. Well, thank you to everyone that tuned in today and listened to uh Teresa and I, you know, talk about co-parenting. You know, we each kind of shared uh our uh, you know, a little snippet of our version of co-parenting and how we went through it. Um, you know, but Teresa obviously is really good at helping people that are going through that. So please make sure that you check in the show notes, click on her resources, and uh use the resources that are here for you uh because you know it's just gonna make everything so much easier. So thank you again for listening. Uh, please make sure that you are leaving a rating and a five star review would be amazing. Any feedback you could give would be amazing as well. Uh, and make sure you're sharing this with anyone that maybe needs to hear it. So thanks again, and we'll see you next time on Thrive and Decide.

SPEAKER_00: 41:23

Thank you.