Ep 157: “High-Conflict” Divorce and Special Needs Kids: What Every Protective Parent Should Know with guest Dr. Susan Bernstein

Navigating a high-conflict divorce is overwhelming on its own — but when you're also raising a child with special needs? The legal, emotional, and logistical challenges multiply.

In this important conversation, Sybil sits down with Dr. Susan Bernstein, a Certified Divorce Coach and expert in high-conflict divorce involving children with special needs. Drawing from her experience as both a professional and a mother of a child with severe special needs, Susan shares critical insights, concrete strategies, and the systemic gaps families must prepare for.

Whether you're in the thick of a custody battle, advocating for services, or worried about long-term care and planning — this episode will offer clarity, hope, and tangible next steps.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the divorce rate is significantly higher for parents of children with special needs
• How high-conflict personalities often resist diagnosis or care for their child — and what that means for legal decision-making
• The long-term financial, medical, and educational planning you must include in your parenting plan
• How to structure a tiered parenting plan with clear benchmarks and consequences
• The importance of documenting behaviors instead of using psychological labels in court
• Why many parents of special needs kids don’t get the relief of a countdown to 18 — and what long-term advocacy really looks like
• The surprising “silver lining” of divorce when it comes to planning for a child’s lifelong care

Connect w Dr. Susan:

G: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach__plus/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/SusanKBernsteincdc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-susan-bernstein-new-york-s-premier-divorce-coach-5aa32510/

https://www.divorcecoachplus.com/

https://divorcewithspecialneedschildren.com/

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