Is Mediation Right For You?

Mediation is an excellent vehicle for separation or divorce.  It is a private, confidential process that offers many benefits:

  • Mediation helps preserve good relationships and repair strained relationships
  • Creative solutions are possible in mediation that would not be available in Court
  • By working together in mediation, parents lay the foundation to later work together as co-parents in separate households
  • Mediation enables couples to negotiate an agreement they believe is fair and balanced (rather than having this imposed on them by a Court)
  • Each person can still consult with his/her own attorney if they wish
  • In mediation, the parties determine the pace
  • Mediation is usually significantly more efficient and less expensive than the alternatives

Mediation is a great process, but it is not right for everyone.  Mediation requires each person to be able to speak up on his/her own behalf, and listen to what the other person has to say.  Mediation is not appropriate if one person feels intimidated by the other in any way by the other.  Mediation also requires each person to fully disclose all relevant information, financial or otherwise, just as they would be required to do in Court.

The following questions can help you see if you and your spouse are good candidates for mediation:

  1. Is it important  to you to have a good relationship with your spouse during and/or after the divorce?
  2. Are you able to communicate with your spouse?  If you have difficulty communicating, are you willing to get assistance with this from the mediator?
  3. Are you able to listen to each other, even when you disagree?  If so, are you willing to receive coaching on this from the mediator?
  4. Even though you are divorcing, do you care about your spouse’s well-being?
  5. Is it important to you that your agreement be fair to your spouse as well as to you?

If you can honestly answer “yes” to most or all of these questions, then you probably are a good candidate for mediation.

If you are ready to proceed, or would like help from a mediator to consider these questions further, we invite you to contact us.