Since 2009, Dr. Jewell has collaborated with the Children First Foundation, a leading national organization dedicated to helping families struggling with parental separation and divorce. In 2011, the Children First Foundation released their new Parenting Education Curriculum that was revised by Dr. Jewell. After a year-long review of the existing literature on parent education and divorce, Dr. Jewell and associate Gretchen Plate created a curriculum that is based on principles of behavioral skills training. Using a series of video vignettes, the curriculum teaches critical skills including conflict resolution, how to avoid arguing in front of your children, communicating directly with your ex-spouse rather than through your children, and many others. Each vignette describes a common inappropriate behavior that parents often engage in and a more appropriate replacement behavior along with a rationale for the new behavior. For more information on the revised program click here.
In the fall of 2011, Dr. Jewell collaborated with the Children First Foundation to produce a series of treatment programs to help children and adolescents cope with parent separation or divorce. The Kid First and Teen First treatment programs have been completed and are available from Research Press. To learn more or to purchase the programs click here. Both treatment programs consist of 8 core sessions and 2 optional sessions. Similar to the parenting education curriculum, the content of these programs was created through a comprehensive review of the research literature and teaches youth how to cope with parent separation and divorce. Topics in the treatment programs are similar to those in the parenting education curriculum, thus the programs and the curriculum compliment one another. The Kid First treatment program is appropriate for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade while the Teen First treatment program is appropriate for teens in the 6th through 12th grades. Both programs are designed to be implemented in a school or clinical setting by licensed mental health professionals.
Many parents who are experiencing divorce or separation may also be interested in a workbook that will help teens get through this difficult time. The Teen Survival Guide to Parent Divorce and Separation is now available from Research Press as well, click here for more information.