Is Divorce Messing Up My Kids? A Script for the Secure Base with Dr. Karalynn Royster

About this episode

In this episode, Dr. Courtney Lynn discusses the impact of divorce on children with Dr. Karalynn Royster, focusing on co-parenting strategies and emotional support.

“Is this decision going to break my child?” When a family faces divorce, parents often spiral into intense fear and shame. We worry that our choice to pursue a healthier life will dismantle the Secure Base we’ve worked so hard to build. But as we often say at IBH: our children don’t need us to be perfect; they need us to be regulated, honest, and present. In this episode of Kids These Days , Dr. Courtney sits down with Dr. Karalynn Royster—child psychologist and creator of the Kids First Co-Parenting System —to move parents from a state of anxiety into a place of empowerment. We explore the "Inside-Out" reality of divorce: how to navigate the "messy middle" of co-parenting, why one secure adult is enough to buffer a child’s stress, and how to tell your kids the truth without "gaslighting" their intuition. In this episode, we discuss: The "Messy Middle" of Divorce: Why distress is a healthy response to a major life stressor and how to help your kids move through it, not around it. The "Flu Shot" Metaphor: Understanding that short-term discomfort (like a separation) can lead to long-term health and a more regulated household. The Best Way to Tell Your Kids: A step-by-step guide for…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Courtney Lynn

Guest: Dr. Karalynn Royster

Topics covered

• divorce
• co-parenting
• child psychology
• emotional regulation
• parenting strategies

Keywords

• divorce
• children
• co-parenting
• emotional health
• parenting
• secure base
• communication

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kids First Co-Parenting System

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