Maximizing the Potential of Divorce Mediation May Save You Heartache and Money

Remember these key strategies when working toward collaborative resolutions

Divorcing couples face an emotional roller coaster while traversing the legal process of dissolving the marriage. The constant battle to be heard and to prove your thoughts to be true can be exhausting. Fortunately, there are alternatives to lengthy court battles, including the mediation process.

Mediation is, in essence, a guided negotiation between you and your spouse. Under guidance from a trained mediator you will attempt to resolve disputes collaboratively. The process can be used to address any of the many details of a divorce, including property division, child custody, visitation and more.

To maximize the effectiveness of the mediation process, be sure to:

• Share your thoughts: The only true way to make your voice heard is to share your thoughts and feelings openly and honestly. Putting aside any fear or embarrassment you might feel for thinking a certain way is key to the process. State your thoughts and ideas clearly and be prepared to offer detail on why you feel that way. After all, mediation is a safe environment for both parties to share.
• Listen to your partner: Truly listening to your partner’s thoughts and feelings is important. More than simply hearing the words they say, true listening involves attempting to understand their feelings and seeing the situation from their point of view. If you are able to listen with an open mind, you may be able to better work together with your partner to resolve your disputes.
• Maintain focus: Mediation requires the discussion of all facets of your marriage. This can make it easy to lose focus as you begin to explore memories, both good and bad. By maintaining focus on the here and now, you are better able to share your thoughts and feelings, and avoid conflicts arising from a past action or behavior.
• Understand the process: Mediation is designed to be a collaborative effort monitored by a trained mediator. This means that each party should be offered equal opportunity to state their case. Remembering this is imperative to the process – it is easy to forget that you have the ability to respond to your partner or ask questions to further clarify their position. In short, remember that you will always get your turn to share.
• Stay calm: It can be easy to get caught up in confrontations with your former spouse during mediation. Do your best to avoid anger and tears and focus on the final outcome of the process, rather than the past.

Learn more about the mediation process during a consultation with our Murfreesboro divorce attorney

At the Law Office of David L. Scott, we believe that understanding the mediation process and its potential is important for couples who are willing to work together to resolve their differences during divorce proceedings. Often a more affordable and rewarding strategy, mediation may be the answer to moving forward with your lives as quickly and easily as possible.