Co-Parenting Therapy in Simi Valley
Co-Parenting Therapy in Simi Valley with Julie Klamon, LMFT
Divorce ends a marriage, but it does not end the job of raising your children together. That part goes on for years, and when the relationship between co-parents is strained, every handoff, every text about schedules, every disagreement about rules becomes a source of stress that your kids absorb. Co-parenting therapy in Simi Valley can help you and your co-parent find a way to work together that keeps your children out of the middle.
With two decades as a licensed marriage and family therapist, I have worked with many co-parents who came in barely able to have a civil conversation and eventually developed a system that worked for everyone. This is not about becoming friends with your ex. It is about building a functional partnership around the one thing you still share: your children. The anger and hurt from the divorce are real. But your kids need both of you to be able to cooperate, and therapy can get you there.
My office in Agoura Hills is about 25 minutes from Simi Valley via the 118 to the 101. Virtual sessions are also available and can be especially practical when co-parents prefer not to be in the same room.
Co-Parenting Therapy for the Simi Valley Community
Simi Valley is a family-centered community, and that can make going through a divorce feel particularly visible. When your kids are on the same soccer team as everyone else's, when you run into your ex at the school pickup line, and when neighbors know your business, the pressure to keep things looking normal is intense. But underneath that surface, co-parenting after a split is messy and exhausting. The holidays, the birthday parties, the school events, every one of them requires coordination with someone you may still be angry with.
What I see often in Simi Valley families is two parents who genuinely love their kids but cannot stop their own conflict from spilling into the children's lives. One parent feels undermined. The other feels shut out. The kids learn to play both sides or withdraw entirely. These patterns are predictable, and they are fixable. Co-parenting therapy gives you a neutral space to work through the logistics and the emotions so your children can stop being caught in the crossfire.
How I Work with Co-Parents
My approach is practical and focused. We are not here to rehash the marriage or assign blame for the divorce. We are here to build a working co-parenting relationship that serves your children. That means addressing communication, consistency between households, handling disagreements about parenting decisions, and managing the emotional triggers that come up when you interact with your co-parent. You can read more about my approach on my co-parenting therapy page.
Sometimes both parents come to sessions together. Other times, I work with each parent individually, especially in the beginning when emotions are still raw. There is no single right way to structure co-parenting therapy. What matters is that we find an approach that lowers the temperature and gives your kids a more stable experience in both homes.
What a Typical Session Covers
Co-parenting sessions are structured around the issues that are causing the most friction right now. That might mean working through a disagreement about school decisions, figuring out how to handle holidays without it turning into a standoff, or developing a communication plan that keeps conversations focused on the kids instead of old grievances. I keep things practical and goal-oriented. You will leave each session with something concrete you can put into practice that week.
Who I Work With
Divorced Parents
Separated Parents
Blended Families
Frequently Asked Questions About Co-Parenting Therapy in Simi Valley
Co-parenting therapy in Simi Valley focuses on helping you and your co-parent communicate more effectively about your children's needs. We work on reducing conflict during exchanges and decision-making, building consistency between households, and keeping the focus on what is best for your kids. Sessions may include both parents together, or I may work with each parent individually depending on the situation. The goal is a working relationship between two adults who may not like each other but share the responsibility of raising children.
Ideally, yes. Co-parenting therapy is most effective when both parents participate. However, if your co-parent is unwilling to attend, you can still benefit from individual sessions that focus on how to manage your side of the co-parenting relationship. You cannot control your co-parent's behavior, but you can change how you respond to it, and that alone can improve the dynamic for your children.
My office in Agoura Hills is easy to reach from Simi Valley. Some co-parents actually prefer an office that is outside their immediate community because it offers more privacy. I also offer virtual sessions, which can be especially useful when two parents live in different areas or have difficulty being in the same room.
Yes. In fact, high-conflict divorces are exactly when co-parenting therapy is most needed. The anger between two adults has a way of spilling over onto the children, even when both parents are trying their best. I work with parents to establish ground rules for communication, create boundaries that reduce conflict, and refocus conversations on the children. It is not about forgiving each other or becoming friends. It is about learning to co-parent without causing collateral damage.
That is one of the most common issues I work on. Children who move between two homes often feel unsettled, especially when the rules, routines, or emotional climate differ significantly between houses. Co-parenting therapy helps parents create more consistency so the transitions feel less jarring for the kids. We also talk about how to handle the moments when children come home upset or try to play one parent against the other.
Yes. Virtual sessions are available to anyone in California. They are particularly convenient for co-parenting therapy because both parents can attend from separate locations, which removes some of the tension that comes with being in the same room. For Simi Valley residents, virtual sessions also eliminate the drive to my Agoura Hills office.
In-Person and Virtual Therapy Options Available
My office in Agoura Hills, CA 91301 is convenient for in-person co-parenting therapy near Simi Valley. I also see clients from the surrounding communities, including Moorpark, CA, Thousand Oaks, CA, Westlake Village, CA, Agoura Hills, CA, Oak Park, CA, and Camarillo, CA. Virtual therapy sessions are available to individuals located anywhere within the state of California.
If co-parenting has become a constant source of conflict and your children are feeling the effects, therapy can help you build a better system. Schedule a complimentary phone consultation and we can talk about your situation and what steps might make the biggest difference for your family.
CONTACT
Offering Both Virtual And In-Person Sessions