Divorce can negatively impact people in a variety of ways. It can have a damaging impact on finances since both spouses need to split their resources up and the cost of divorce can be surprisingly expensive. The more time people spend in court, the more they are going to spend on the process. Divorce can also impact someone’s mental health. It can be very difficult to come to terms with the end of a relationship that someone thought would last for the rest of their life. They may feel isolated from some of their social resources, such as their church community or their broader circle of friends.
The conflict that they will experience with their spouse can also affect their mental health. They may find themselves feeling very irritable or anxious. Mediation is a resource that not only takes some of the risk out of the divorce process but can also reduce the negative mental health impacts of the end of a marriage.
It can minimize conflict
The fighting between spouses is often one of the worst aspects of divorce. It puts stress on both of the spouses and on any children in their household. Mediation is a way to eliminate a lot of that conflict. People don’t need to argue with each other because they know they will settle matters at a pre-arranged time with the help of a professional mediator. They will also try their best to keep things calm and amicable when working with the mediator.
It encourages resilience
Mediation is a process of communication and compromise. It can take hours or even multiple sessions for people to find solutions that they can agree on with their spouses. Investing in mediation should help reduce the overall financial impact of the divorce process. People have to adjust their perspectives and expectations throughout the process to continue mediating, which can encourage someone to tap into their personal strength and develop improved resilience.
It provides a confidential space
Discussing family issues in open court will mean having an audience and usually a public record of the conflicts between spouses. In a mediation session, what spouses discuss will remain confidential. Only the agreement that they sign at the end outlining the terms of their divorce will be available for others to review.
Overall, mediation can help reduce how stressful and mentally taxing divorce becomes. Learning more about divorce mediation may help those who fear divorce embrace change that might truly benefit them in the long run.
