Since 2006 the Center for Dispute Resolution has partnered with the Greene County Family Court to offer conflict resolution and communication education for co-parents. The Shared Spaces program (formerly the "Common Ground Co-Parenting Conflict Resolution Resources Program") is an educational and service-focused program that targets high-conflict divorcing and never-married co-parents, and the children of these co-parents.
The Shared Spaces program offers conflict resolution resources and services including interactive, research-based informative workshops for co-parents, educational and fun sessions and activities for children, and ongoing personal assistance for co-parents from support teams who focus on conflict management skill development and services.
Program Staffing
The Shared Spaces program was developed by an interdisciplinary group of faculty and students working under the auspices of the Center for Dispute Resolution at Missouri State University. The focus of the program is on helping co-parents who are experiencing high levels of conflict learn specific communication and conflict skills that will help them manage their own conflicts (which might otherwise force them back into court for resolution). The initiative is supported by faculty, professionals in counseling and social work, and advanced students in communication, social work, counseling, and child and family development.
Workshops for Co-Parents
As a part of the Shared Spaces program co-parents attend a series of three 2-hour sessions (or one 6-hour session) that focus on helping them:
- understand the nature of conflict and communication;
- evaluate the challenges in their current communications with their co-parent;understand the impact that poorly managed conflict between co-parents has on their children;
- recognize the impact that perception, emotion, and listening skills have on interactions;
- realize how conflict and communication styles vary;
- and learn and practice effective communication and conflict behaviors.
These sessions are research-based and are constantly updated and customized to fit the needs of specific groups and couples. These aspects make the sessions particularly responsive to the varied needs of co-parents experiencing conflict or communication difficulties.
Workshops for Children
One of the unique and outstanding features of the Shared Spaces program are the children's workshops that run concurrently with the co-parents' sessions. Years of research have shown that children whose parents experience high levels of poorly managed conflict are at extreme risk of recreating these same behavior patterns in their own families later in life, thus perpetuating the cycle of divorce, discord, and damaged relationships.
The Shared Spaces children's program allows children (ages 7-16) to share their own experiences with conflict, learn about conflict styles, and explore ways of managing conflict effectively. This is accomplished through a variety of interactive activities that include art projects, group discussion, and theatre games and experiences.
Ongoing Support-Team Assistance
Yet another unique aspect of the Shared Spaces program is the way in which it balances information and coaching support for co-parents. Following the three educational sessions co-parents receive one-on-one services from support teams who offer mediation, conflict coaching, and intervention services. Co-parents meet with their support team, which is comprised of individuals with conflict, mediation, counseling, child development, and/or social work backgrounds, for individualized services such as assistance working on their parenting plans, coaching on how to discuss issues of shared parenting, or mediation relating to unresolved conflicts.
Program Availability and Fees
In order to participate in the Shared Spaces program co-parents must be willing to participate in the same sessions and work together with a support team on their conflict issues. The cost for participation is $75 per adult, and scholarships are available for those with documented need. There is no fee for children to participate in the program.
Program Enrollment
Co-parents may enroll in the Shared Spaces program by contacting the Center for Dispute Resolution at 417-836-8831 or CDR@MissouriState.edu.
