Young Adults With Divorcing Parents

Young Adults With Divorcing Parents by Lauren Behrman

I’m very pleased to share a new project that I’m working on through an organization called FamilyKind. The aim is to develop services for young adults whose parents are divorcing during their young adulthood — many of whom experience issues as they’re developing their own relationships in adulthood. 

As the co-chair of the Adult Children of Divorce Committee on FamilyKind, I am particularly impassioned because this population can get lost in the shuffle. Oftentimes, I refer to them as invisible children because parents do not make parenting plans or schedules due to their age (“Well, this really doesn’t affect you…”) since they are over 18. The opposite is true — divorce can have a tremendous impact on young adults, those who are in college, those who are graduates and embarking on their adult lives, and those who are newly married, parents, or entering parenthood. Often, when the extended family fractures, they find themselves in a war zone.

We’ve gathered a small committee of people in various professions who are all committed to creating services for this population. Together we have formulated a mission and vision for this new project at FamilyKind and are now determining what services we want to offer to adult children of divorce in two categories:

  1. adults whose parents are divorcing in adulthood; and
  2. adults who are experiencing issues in their adult relationship as a result of their parents’ divorce during their childhood.

We have already proposed a 6-week support group for adults aged 18-36, to be held at the 92nd Street Y, beginning on April 23, 2020.

We are planning  to offer:

  • therapy groups;
  • a book club;
  • resource center;
  • premarital counseling;
  • crisis counseling;
  • a public awareness campaign;
  • educating college counselors about the unique stresses for this population;
  • workshops on college campuses for adult children of divorce.

We just had a spectacular launch event and friendraiser, that featured a one-man play by Peter Roccaforte, an adult child of divorce. The play chronicles his experiences as a child of divorce through the eyes of his adult self. Following the play, we had a Q & A with a panel of adult children and professionals. 

For more information or to get involved, please contact us.