Divorce is hard on everyone involved, but for children, it can be particularly heartbreaking.

In 2009, 1,837 parents of minor children filed for dissolution of marriage in St. Louis County, not to mention the 800 in St. Charles County and up to 500 in St. Louis City, according to Kids in the Middle, a nonprofit organization that helps children, parents and families thrive during and after divorce through counseling, education and support. In the middle of these life-changing decisions are thousands of children who may be feeling lonely, lost and anxious.

“When people ask me, ‘Is my child affected by divorce?’ my answer is every child is affected like every parent is affected,” said Judy Berkowitz, executive director of Kids in the Middle. “Sometimes you can see the effects in behavior and sometimes you can’t.”