Divorce Alternatives & Marital Mediation
Is Divorce The Answer?
Couples who reach the point of considering separation or divorce often do so with heavy hearts and mixed emotions. They may feel helpless, defeated, indifferent or angry over what seem to be insurmountable problems within the marriage. Reasons to leave the relationship are weighed against those to keep it together, begging the question, “Is this marriage worth fighting for?”
Divorce is not a decision to be made without serious thought and consideration. The emotional, financial and even physical consequences of divorce are significant and far reaching. Divorce affects not only the spouses, but also their children, family, friends and community. Such a statement is not expected to come from a divorce attorney, but it should be. Who would know better? Divorce attorneys experience the demise of marital relationships daily through the stories of their clients. Facts and scenarios vary by case, but one thing is consistent among each of them: The marriage didn’t fall apart overnight. Rather, the deterioration was a slow, progressive one caused each and every time by ineffective communication and unmet needs.
Every relationship experiences conflict — even the happiest of marriages. The difference between a marriage that lasts and one that fails has as much to do with the strength of the foundation of the marriage as it does with how the couple addresses conflicts that inevitably arise.
Divorce is not a cure for conflict in every circumstance. This is especially true for situations where children are involved. Even under the best of circumstances, co-parenting after a divorce brings a whole new set of issues around which conflicts can arise. Recognizing the potential impact of divorce, many couples are now exploring marital mediation before divorce.
Consider Counseling Or Marital Mediation
Marital mediation is a method of assisting couples experiencing marital discord stay together by helping them find solutions to unresolved conflicts. Marital mediation is an effective, solution-based process that helps couples identify, target and generate their own solutions to the problems pulling them apart. The goal of the process is to engage couples in a way that brings about positive behavioral change. This is achieved through a combination of mediation sessions and homework assignments. With each mediated session and homework assignment, couples will be rediscovering their spouse, strengthening their friendship, and developing cooperative, respectful and constructive ways of communicating and reaching accord.