Mediation is a far better avenue for helping you handle your emotions that you experience during the divorce process.

Going through a divorce is, no doubt, an emotional, stressful process that causes parties to experience the gamut of emotions- hurt, sadness, anger, fear, loss, grief, etc. These emotions often get heightened or compounded by a party’s perception of how the divorce process is going for them. For example, if a party is caught up in a protracted child custody battle in court, the level of stress, anxiety, fear, frustration, and anger is heightened. In addition to already experiencing pain, sadness, grief at the breakdown of a marriage and the separation of the family, the uncertainty of not knowing when or how often you will see your child can be extremely emotionally taxing. Since custody cases often take lengthy periods of time to resolve, with numerous court appearances and input provided by court-appointed experts and/or an attorneys representing the children’s interests, this stress can last for many months to years. Protracted litigation is not just limited to children. Similar heightened emotions are generated in litigating financial support and property division issues as well. The uncertainty created by not knowing when or how a judge will rule in your case is real and the loss of control over important issues can be emotionally debilitating.

On the other hand, the mediation process, can serve to dramatically reduce the stress and heightened emotions experienced during the divorce process. Rather than taking years to resolve issues, those same issues can be resolved in mediation within weeks or a matter of a few months. The parties also have far more control of the process in mediation, which can significantly reduce the stress. Mediation sessions can be scheduled promptly and more frequently than court hearings. Agreements reached in mediation can be turned into court orders almost immediately. While parties may still be feeling the pain and hurt of the loss of the marital relationship, the mediation process works to try and avoid exacerbating those feelings by creating a safe environment in which key issues can be addressed and resolved in a prompt and cordial fashion.