HANDLING ALCOHOL ABUSE IN DIVORCE AND COPARENTING EP 113

HOST: Beverly Price, Divorce & Empowerment Coach

GUEST: Chris Beck, VP of Family Law Business Development for Soberlink Healthcare

SUMMARY:

Handling alcohol abuse in divorce and co-parenting is a complex and emotionally charged issue, as approximately 50% of divorces cite heavy drinking as a contributing factor. This not only shatters marriages but also casts a shadow of fear over co-parenting relationships. Concerns about a child's safety can be particularly agonizing, leading to questions like, "Will my child be safe?" In such situations, trust and transparency between the co-parents become paramount. Ensuring the well-being of the children should be the primary focus, with both parents working together to create a safe and nurturing environment and seeking professional guidance if alcohol abuse remains a concern. In this episode of Her Empowered Divorce, your Host, Chris Beck, the VP of Family Law Business Development for Soberlink Healthcare. Together, they discuss alcohol abuse and what can be done if alcohol abuse is an issue in your divorce and co-parenting.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

●     Does Sober Link give definitive proof about alcohol use? Soberlink is self-administered, and there is no middle person giving you the results. It's a breathalyzer that is combined with facial recognition technology, and internally, it has a way to submit the result in real time through Bluetooth and cyber technology.

●     How can I prove I can be trusted if I have a history of distrust? The pain point of losing trust to a point where monitoring is necessary is great, but Soberlink gives the other parent or the concerned party peace of mind that what is happening is real, as sobriety is documented in real-time, hence building trust back-to-back.

●     Can the alcohol test be done before the other parent talks to the child on a call to make sure they are sober? Yes definitely. Where there is severe alcohol use, treatment is ongoing, or visitation is done via Zoom, part of the program is testing and documenting their sobriety before the call, and you get and validate the compliant test results.

●     Why should I choose Soberlink over other alcohol monitoring technologies? Soberlink has robust technology that ensures the quality of their product is there. It's handheld, used remotely in real-time, and has family law-specific programs, technologies, and customer service.

●     No matter the situation, it's possible to keep a parent who is struggling with alcohol use disorder with the right treatment and the right technology to support the treatment. Technology is here to help you, help your child, and keep them safe. It's in the best interest of the child when both parents are part of their life.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

●     Being able to prove that you are sober when parenting your children is empowering. (Chris)

●     Having a technology that shows proof of sobriety, especially during co-parenting time, helps to mend the relationship, build trust back-to-back sooner, and bring the family immunity back. (Chris)

●     Family law can now do alcohol monitoring discreetly because of technology like facial recognition, and it doesn't have to be done in the presence of children. It can be self-administered and still give transparency to others that are part of the monitoring agreement. (Chris)

●     When someone has alcohol use disorder, they will do whatever they can to make sure they get the next drink, and Soberlink