Going through a divorce is stressful for anyone, but some couples may have options that will reduce the level of stress.
Mediation often boasts benefits to the wellness and mental health of the couple. But does it actually help? What do mediators do in the first place?
A mediator’s job
Forbes discusses divorce mediators as one way to get past traditional litigation. First, it is important to dispel the common misconception that mediators and couples counselors are the same things. Some people do not want to go through mediation because they think the mediator will try to “fix” their marriage, but that is simply not true.
A mediator’s only job is to help a couple work together to achieve a mutually agreeable compromise on all divorce matters. This includes alimony, asset and debt division, child custody schedules and more.
Mediators do this by providing a third-party, neutral perspective to the couple during their discussions. They also monitor the discussion to ensure that both people have equal opportunity to speak and that no one is dominating the conversation.
They have de-escalation technique training as well. This means that if arguments start up, the mediator can step in and keep them from getting out of hand, allowing for conversations to continue in a civil way.
What mediators cannot do
Mediators cannot provide rulings like judges or arbitrators, though. Couples should not seek mediation with the hope that the mediator will solve all of their problems for them, as they will do the bulk of the work on their own.