Making Divorce Mediation Work

 Posted on June 08, 2022 in Divorce

Divorce mediation offers a lot of benefits over divorce litigation. The results of litigation can be unpredictable, but with mediation, you and your spouse can remain in control. Mediation is also less costly and typically less time-consuming than going to court. It can also spare any children involved some stress and offer them a sense of stability knowing that their parents can still cooperate. However, actually going through the mediation process can still be difficult. It can take several sessions to get every issue worked out, or you could wind up going back and forth on the phone for a while. You and your spouse will both need to stay committed to the process. If you are interested in divorce mediation as an alternative to litigation, an attorney can tell you more. 

Helpful Tips for Navigating Divorce Mediation

While going through mediation may bring up some strong emotions and feel stressful, it is still easier for most than going through a trial. Some tips that may help you successfully mediate your divorce include: 

• Compromise - Accept that you are going to have to compromise. This may mean giving up something that you wanted in order to keep the process productive.

• Prioritize - Decide what your highest priorities in the divorce are. Know what you are and are not willing to compromise on. Be prepared to let go of some of your lower priorities in order to succeed in getting the divorce terms that are most important to you.

• Show up - 80% of success is showing up. When you have an appointment with your mediator, make sure to be there and on time. If something comes up and you absolutely cannot make it, try to give as much notice as possible. Canceling or not showing up repeatedly may make your spouse and their attorney feel that you are refusing to cooperate with the process whether it is true or not. 

• Leave children out of it - Do not involve your children in the mediation process or disparage your spouse in front of them. Do not ask your children to make your case to your spouse or give them a message. 

• Stay future-oriented - It can be easy to get caught up in the past when you are getting a divorce, especially if your marriage has been difficult for a long time. But mediation is not the time to rehash the reasons you are getting divorced. Getting counseling may help if you are struggling emotionally through your divorce. 

It is also important to be able to identify when mediation is not the answer for you. However, mediation can be a great solution in most cases. 

Contact a Kane County Divorce Attorney

Serrano Hanson is committed to helping spouses resolve their divorces through mediation. Our experienced Geneva divorce lawyers will guide you through the process of divorce mediation. Call 630-844-8781 for a consultation. 

Source: 

https://www.mediate.com/tips-for-a-productive-divorce-mediation/