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Navigate your custody battle with your child in mind.

Your child still needs you to be their parent while the adults work through the case. Suzanne Dircks explains how to work with your attorney, prepare for an investigation, and take part in court without drawing your child into the conflict.

Start the course — $49.95

Eleven self-paced modules · Private reflection exercises · Preparation workbook · $49.95 one-time purchase.

A certificate of completion is included. This course provides general education, not legal advice, and is not represented as satisfying a court order. Check the requirements of your own order before enrolling for that purpose.

Use the preparation workbook to collect questions for your attorney, prepare for an investigation, and plan for court day. The course also covers responding to safety concerns and supporting your child through the process.

A parent pauses with a notebook and folder at a kitchen table.

11 modules

Working with your attorney, investigations, court appearances, safety concerns, and your child.

Self-paced

Short reading sections, private reflection prompts, and a five-question check per module.

Preparation workbook

Attorney questions, investigation prep, a court-day checklist, and ways to support your child.

$49.95

One-time purchase. A certificate of completion is included; it records completion only.

A custody dispute can be overwhelming, emotionally taxing, and costly. It does not have to harm your children. The parents who come through it best are not the ones who win every argument. They are the ones who keep their composure, work well with the professionals involved, and keep their child's needs in view from the first filing to the final order.

Children benefit when parents focus on stability, respect, and emotional safety. Even during conflict, you have the power to shape your child's experience.

This course is for you if...

  • You are starting a custody case and do not know what to expect from the attorney, the court, or the people the court may appoint.
  • An investigator, custody evaluator, or Guardian ad Litem has been named, and you want to prepare without rehearsing your child.
  • You have a hearing coming up and you are more worried about your nerves than the facts.
  • You are afraid of what the conflict is doing to your child, and you want to be a steady parent while the case goes on.
  • Something your child said has worried you, and you are not sure what to do first.
Start the course — $49.95

$49.95 one-time purchase. Private course access.

What this course is not

  • It is not legal advice. Procedures and the roles of court-appointed professionals vary by state, county, court, and appointment order. Follow your orders and your own attorney's advice.
  • It will not tell you how to win, how to make the other parent look bad, or how to get your child to say something.
  • It does not predict what a judge will decide, and it cannot promise any outcome.

Ordered to take a parenting class? Start with the court-ordered course.

Eleven modules, from the first decision to the final order

  1. Understanding custody conflict and its impact on children

    What a custody battle costs, how children experience it, and what your part is.

  2. Keeping decisions child-focused

    Why you are pursuing custody, and how to weigh your child's needs, the orders that apply, and advice about your situation.

  3. Behaviors that damage trust

    Knowingly false allegations, coaching, hostility, and public conduct: what damages trust with the court and the professionals involved.

  4. Choosing an attorney

    What to look for in a family-law attorney, how to interview candidates when time allows, and how to formalize the agreement.

  5. Working with your attorney

    Transparency, documentation, clear communication, realistic expectations, and taking care of yourself.

  6. Understanding investigators and evaluators

    Who investigates, what the appointment order says, how the process works, and your part in it.

  7. Preparing for an investigation

    What the investigator looks for, your records, interviews, the home visit, and sensitive topics.

  8. Supporting your child through the process

    Helping your child understand the process without coaching, keeping routines steady, and managing your own composure.

  9. Preparing for court appearances

    Hearings and trials, what to wear, nerves, testimony, and courtroom conduct. Ask your attorney what your hearing will decide.

  10. Responding to abuse concerns

    Getting help when a safety concern comes up. You do not need proof first. What to do if your child tells you something concerning.

  11. Moving forward while protecting your child

    What children carry from a custody dispute, and the boundaries, stability, and support that help them afterward.

Each module ends with practical strategies, four private reflection scenarios, and a five-question knowledge check. Complete the reading and pass each check to finish the course. You can retry each check until all answers are correct.

The preparation workbook

  • Questions to ask an attorney, with room for your notes
  • Preparing for an investigation: records, routines, interviews, and the home visit
  • A court-day checklist
  • Ways to support your child before, during, and after

Five letter-size pages. Print it and write on it. It is a planning tool, not a legal form, and nothing in it changes what a court decides.

Guidance from a former Guardian ad Litem

Suzanne Dircks, M.A., LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor, certified family mediator, and former Guardian ad Litem with more than 1,000 investigations. The course draws on that experience to explain how to prepare, communicate clearly, and keep your child out of adult conflict.

Suzanne Dircks, M.A., LMHC

Suzanne Dircks, M.A., LMHC

Licensed Mental Health Counselor | Former Guardian ad Litem

“Navigating a custody dispute can be overwhelming, emotionally taxing, and costly. It does not have to harm your children.”

Frequently asked questions

Be the steady parent while the case goes on

Eleven modules, a preparation workbook, and a clear picture of what the people in your case are looking for.

Start the course — $49.95See All Courses

$49.95 one-time purchase. Private course access.

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