Understand the model
Learn why less direct contact and clearer roles can be more workable than repeated attempts to collaborate.
Online Parallel Parenting Course
Learn how to manage messages, handoffs, and boundaries between homes in 11 self-paced modules by Suzanne Dircks, M.A., LMHC.
- 11 modules
- About 8–10 hours
- Court-accepted certificate
One-time purchase · Self-paced online · Completion certificate after course requirements.
$89.95
Start the course · $89.95Court-accepted certificate, or your money back. A course does not change an order or parenting plan.
See what is included
- 44 years
- helping families through custody
- 1,000+
- Guardian ad Litem investigations
Created by Suzanne Dircks
Suzanne Dircks, M.A., LMHC, brings clinical and custody experience to a practical structure for parents facing persistent conflict.
Learn to parent with less direct contact.
The point is not to make the other parent agree. Focus instead on the decisions you control and the contact that still needs to happen.
Practice the routines
Practice handling messages, handoffs, school arrangements, and boundaries between homes.
Apply it to your week
Use the exercises to plan routines within your existing parenting arrangements.
Plan the handoff before it happens
The course includes scenarios and exercises. This example from Module 5 shows how to plan a handoff without reopening an argument.
Lesson preview · Module 5
Changes were made. Exchanges were moved to a consistent, neutral location. Verbal interaction between parents was eliminated. Arrival and departure times were made precise and predictable. Each parent focused solely on supporting the children emotionally rather than monitoring the other parent.
Although Samantha and Eric still disagreed on many parenting issues, the structured transitions reduced stress for all three children. The key change was not agreement between parents, but the removal of emotional pressure at the point of exchange.
A teaching scenario from the course. Names are illustrative.
A course does not change an order or parenting plan. It teaches a structure you can consider within your existing arrangements.
What your enrollment includes
Enrollment gives you access to eleven self-paced modules and their exercises. After you meet the requirements, you can download a court-accepted certificate recording completion of this course. It does not promise a court result or change your parenting plan. If your court doesn't accept the certificate, tell us and we'll refund the course in full.
How certificate verification worksSample certificate fields. Not valid for court use.
Taking it for court?
Check your court's course requirements.
Check the required subject, hours, online format, and provider instructions. Your court decides whether this course fits. Read the written Terms for the current refund policy before purchase.
Use the court-fit guideFrequently asked questions
Is this the same course as the one in the course catalog?
Yes. This page enrolls you in the same eleven-module Parallel Parenting Course described in the catalog. The High-Conflict Co-Parenting Course is a separate product.
Can I take the course on my phone?
The self-paced lessons are available on a phone, tablet, or computer. Plan time for the written exercises as well as the reading.
Does this change my court order or parenting time?
No. A course does not change an order or parenting plan. It teaches a structure you can consider within your existing arrangements.
Will my court accept this certificate?
The certificate is court-accepted and backed by our money-back guarantee: if your court doesn't accept it, tell us and we'll refund the course in full. Your court decides whether the course fits your specific order, so compare the named subject, hours, online format, and provider instructions before purchasing. The certificate records completion after you meet the course requirements.
Can I get a refund if my court doesn't accept the certificate?
Yes. If your court doesn't accept your certificate, tell us and we'll refund the course in full. The Terms of Service have the details.
Plan your next handoff with more structure
Work through the 11 modules and exercises at your own pace.
Start the course · $89.95A course does not change an order or parenting plan.