Children First Family Law - Transforming how families navigate the challenging landscape of divorce.

One late-night post can follow a parent into court months later. In this episode, Krista explains how posts, stories, comments, photos, location data, and dating profiles may become evidence in Colorado custody disputes. She explains evidence rules and how posts can be used against their authors. 

Nash explains that private accounts are not legally privileged and warns against deleting potential evidence or accessing an ex-par...

In this episode, host Krista Nash sits down with parenting expert, author, and coach Christina McGhee to tackle one of the most difficult moments in divorce: telling your children. Christina, who has spent over two decades helping families navigate separation, shares compassionate, practical guidance for parents who want to put their children first during this life-altering conversation.

Together, Krista and Christina explore the e...

New romantic partners after divorce can feel like hope for parents and yet another upheaval for kids. We explore how children actually experience a parent's dating life, drawing on long-term research about stepfamilies, loyalty conflicts, and the impact of repeated relationship changes. Listeners learn why stable, slower-paced introductions matter, how age shapes a child's reaction, and why one-on-one time with each parent remains ...

Divorce may end a marriage, but it does not end the responsibility to raise a child together. We explore what parallel parenting really means when cooperative co-parenting feels impossible. Krista reframes parallel parenting as a way to reduce unnecessary conflict while still sharing essential information and supporting one child moving between two homes.

We look at how chronic conflict harms kids, what children actually notice and...

Krista Nash welcomes back Dr. Karey O'Hara for this episode, following up on research first introduced on an earlier visit to the podcast. Parents going through separation or divorce are often told that conflict is bad for their kids, but Karey, a psychologist and researcher at Arizona State University, explains why that message misses the point.

Karey and her team spent years studying children ages nine to twelve living through hi...

Krista Nash sits down with Colorado attorney Lisa Shellenberger, managing partner at Setter Roche Smith & Shellenberger, to talk through a corner of family law most parents never see coming until they're standing in it. When a parent dies, disappears into addiction, or simply can't provide safe care, the person left holding things together is rarely equipped for what comes next.

Krista and Lisa unpack the real difference betwee...

Maintaining a child’s attachment to a parent with substance abuse issues can be a complex path to navigate. With advice from experts and keeping the child’s best interests first and foremost, parents and courts can successfully co-parent and maintain a healthy parent-child relationship.

This episode of Children First Family Law is part two of Krista’s two-part series on navigating substance misuse issues alongside...

Substance abuse is often used as a weapon in family court, even when there isn’t a significant problem. Courts have several ways of handling this issue, and each method can have long-term implications.

In this episode of Children First Family Law, Krista explores how family courts determine whether a parent is safe with a child. She outlines her experiences with families dealing with these scenarios, implementing advice and e...

In this episode of the Children First Family Law Podcast, Krista sits down with the Honorable Judge Robert Lung to explore the nuances of family law. With decades of experience as a district court judge in Colorado, Judge Lung offers invaluable perspectives on how parents can work together to shape their children's futures. This episode emphasizes parental cooperation in making decisions about their children's lives rather than rel...

A parent taking a child on vacation is one thing. Crossing international borders without the other parent's agreement is something else entirely. We explore where that line is drawn, why parental kidnapping is often misunderstood, and how the Hague Convention handles custody disputes that span multiple countries. Family law attorney Devon Rood Slovensky explains when parents are free to travel with their children, when legal restri...

In this conversation, Krista sits down with special education attorney and expert witness LaTanya Moore, author of IEPs Made Easy: A Parent’s Guide to Special Education Advocacy. We unpack how education decisions during and after divorce can profoundly shape a child’s future.

Krista and LaTanya explain why IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) and 504 plans are not just “school paperwork,” but critical to...

In this episode of the Children First Family Law®️ podcast, Krista breaks down the leading reasons parents lose custody or experience restrictions on parenting time in Colorado.

Drawing on her work as a child advocate and family law attorney, Krista explains how judges evaluate safety, stability, mental health, and co-parenting behaviors when deciding on parental responsibilities. She also reminds listeners that “losing custo...

In this episode of the Children First Family Law®️ podcast, Krista welcomes Nil Buckley, a licensed professional counselor, licensed addiction counselor, and domestic violence clinical supervisor whose expertise bridges trauma-informed mental health, forensic evaluation, and family law. Nil is the founder of Vivas Counseling and Care Forensic Solutions and creator of The CARE Method, an evidence-based program now used in multiple s...

When families separate, deciding who keeps the dog can feel just as emotional as any other part of the breakup. In this episode, we explore why pet disputes become so charged and how to make decisions that truly prioritize both kids and animals.

We walk through why it’s crucial not to treat pets like children in divorce, how their needs differ, and what happens when those lines get blurred. Karis explains how breed, personali...

Join Krista on the Children First Family Law Podcast to explore the compelling story of Cheryl Palmar, a best-selling author in the United States and Australia who transformed her life despite the turmoil of a troubled marriage. In this episode, Cheryl shares her journey from heartache to empowerment, revealing the emotional and legal battles she encountered while navigating a marriage with a highly functioning alcoholic partner. A...

Childhood is being reshaped by screens, and co-parents are often on the front lines of that change. In this episode, we sit down with Kris Perry, Executive Director of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, to unpack what the research really shows about kids, tech, and two-home families.

We explore how smartphones, social media, gaming, and even emerging AI companions affect children’s brain d...

What if the way adults handle conflict during divorce could actually reshape a child’s developing brain? In this conversation, we talk with renowned psychologist and AFCC Distinguished Service Award recipient, Mindy Mitnick, about what toxic stress really is — and why every divorcing parent needs to understand it.

Drawing on nearly five decades working with family courts, parenting time and decision making disputes, hig...

Join us for an insightful discussion with Dr. Kathleen McNamara, a seasoned psychologist with nearly 40 years of experience, as she shares her expertise at the intersection of family law and psychology.

In this episode of Children First Family Law, we delve into the intricacies of child-parent relationships, emphasizing the need to separate relationship issues from parenting logistics. Dr. McNamara's extensive career, spanning acad...

In today’s episode of Children First Family Law™, Krista explores one of the most high-conflict areas in Colorado family law: relocation after divorce or custody orders. When one parent wants to relocate, whether within or outside the state, courts must decide what serves the child’s best interest, not the parent’s

Krista walks through how Colorado handles relocation under C.R.S. §14-10-129, explains the differenc...