WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Your children deserve parents who can find a way forward.
Divorce is one of the most painful experiences a family can go through — and when it’s high-conflict, the toll on everyone, especially children, can be profound. You don’t have to like your co-parent to be an effective one. And you don’t have to figure out how to do that alone.
Beth McErlean provides compassionate, practical counseling for parents navigating separation, high-conflict co-parenting dynamics, and the emotional aftermath of divorce — with a clinical background in child welfare that puts children’s wellbeing at the center of everything
*Sliding Scale Available*
High-conflict divorce counseling · Co-parenting support · Child welfare background · Trauma-informed care · Virtual — NC · VA · WI · GAL evaluations coming soon
WHO I WORK WITH
Who this specialty is designed for
I work with individuals and families at every stage of separation — from the early shock of a marriage ending to the long-term work of building a functional co-parenting relationship years later.
Parents in active divorce: Navigating legal proceedings, emotional upheaval, and the practical realities of separating a family — while trying to protect your children.
Co-parents post-separation: Working to build a functional, low-conflict co-parenting relationship even when the personal relationship feels impossible.
High-conflict communication: Learning to communicate with a difficult or hostile co-parent in ways that protect your children from the crossfire.
Healing after divorce: Processing grief, anger, identity loss, and the emotional aftermath of a marriage ending — and rebuilding yourself on the other side.
Blended family transitions: Navigating the complexity of new partners, step-parenting, and the renegotiation of family roles after separation.
Protective parent support: Supporting parents concerned about their children’s safety or wellbeing in the context of a high-conflict or potentially harmful co-parenting situation.
*Sliding Scale Available*
High-conflict divorce counseling · Co-parenting support · Child welfare background · Trauma-informed care · Virtual — NC · VA · WI · GAL evaluations coming soon
WHAT WE WORK ON
The work that actually helps
Co-parenting communication strategies: Practical tools for communicating effectively — and protectively — with a high-conflict co-parent, including boundary setting and de-escalation.
Emotional regulation during conflict: CBT and mindfulness-based skills to manage the intense emotional activation that high-conflict co-parenting triggers — so you can respond instead of react.
Protecting children from conflict: Understanding the research on how parental conflict affects children — and concrete strategies to shield them, even when the other parent won’t cooperate.
Grief, anger & identity after divorce: Processing the profound losses that come with the end of a marriage — and building a new sense of self and purpose on the other side.
Rebuilding healthy relationship patterns: Understanding what went wrong in past relationships — and what it takes to build healthier connections going forward.
“Children don’t need perfect parents. They need parents who are trying — and who are willing to get support to do it better.”
*Sliding Scale Available*
High-conflict divorce counseling · Co-parenting support · Child welfare background · Trauma-informed care · Virtual — NC · VA · WI · GAL evaluations coming soon
WHY BETH
Child welfare experience that matters here.
Before private practice, Beth worked in child protective services — which means she has seen firsthand what high-conflict family systems do to children. She understands the legal system, the dynamics of co-parenting conflict, and what it takes to protect children’s wellbeing even in the most difficult family circumstances.
That background gives her a clinical lens that most therapists in this space simply don’t have.
FAQ SECTION
FAQ
Q: Do both co-parents need to participate in counseling?
A: No. I work with individuals navigating high-conflict co-parenting situations, even when the other parent is unwilling or unavailable to participate. You can make meaningful progress on your own — building your skills, your boundaries, and your resilience regardless of what the other parent chooses to do.
Q: Can you work with couples who are separating but haven’t finalized divorce?
A: Yes. Many clients come to me in the early stages of separation — before decisions about custody and parenting plans have been finalized. Early support can make a significant difference in how the process unfolds for the whole family.
Q: What if my co-parent is manipulative or has narcissistic traits?
A: This is one of the most common situations I work with. I help clients develop specific strategies for managing these dynamics while protecting themselves and their children.
Q: Can insurance cover high-conflict divorce counseling?
A: Individual therapy sessions related to divorce and co-parenting stress are typically covered by insurance when there is a clinical diagnosis such as anxiety, depression, or adjustment disorder. I am in-network with BCBS, Optum, Cigna, and Aetna in NC.