Many options exist for couples who want to end their marriage. Traditional litigation may not serve as the ideal choice.
Alternative methods like mediation exist for couples who decide this. But what exactly is mediation, and what do mediators do?
Mediation as a divorce option
Forbes discusses mediation as a divorce option. Mediation essentially allows a couple to work things out on their own terms rather than turning to the court, which will take away most freedom of choice that a couple may have.
Litigation allows for a judge to make decisions about important matters like child custody, visitation schedules and spousal support payments. Some couples need this because they cannot come to an agreement on their own.
For the couples that can, mediation allows them to work together with a professional third party and come to agreements that both can find amenable.
The role of a mediator
A mediator’s role in this structure is to simply serve as a referee for a couple as they work through these discussions and arguments.
They may give some advice or voice their opinions in some cases. They have valuable insight as a neutral third party, so this advice often comes in handy.
They also step in and help reduce the conflict that may occur during discussions. This includes de-escalating conversations that seem like they may blow out into full arguments. On top of that, they ensure that both parties have an equal say and an equal amount of time to speak.
However, the primary decision-making still lies with the couple, which is a big draw for many.