When you and your spouse are thinking about filing for a divorce, it is likely due to issues with your communication in one way or another. When one or both spouses fail to make clear and constructive communication about what they want from their marriage or what they would like to see change, serious issues usually arise.
Before taking action or filing for divorce, many couples decide to try divorce mediation to see if it can help them work through their issues. Divorce mediation generally has two primary desired outcomes — either it helps a couple work through their issues, thus allowing them to remain married, or it helps them decide that divorce is the best option. Mediation is designed to help couples move through the process of splitting up smoothly and amicably.
How can a mediator help my spouse and me with our issues?
In most problematic relationships, there exists a power imbalance between the couple. This means that one person is overexerting his or her power, resulting in the other person feeling powerless to make any changes. A divorce mediator seeks to restore the balance of power in the relationship by assessing the dynamic and establishing what needs to change.
A divorce mediator also focuses on determining the main issues in the relationship, while facilitating a constructive discussion. Mediators also help each individual reframe certain situations and to see where their misconceptions lie.
All of this work helps the parties to see how they would like to move forward in their lives. They may conclude together that they would like to create a stronger future together. However, they may decide that they are fundamentally incompatible. Through the mediation sessions, they will learn to communicate more effectively so that they can achieve an amicable divorce and develop a great coparenting relationship.
If you are considering divorce, it is a good idea to look into all of the options available to you under the laws of the state of Minnesota. While mediation is a great start, it can never finalize anything from a legal perspective. But it is always a good place to start to avoid the complications of a contentious divorce.