Don’t Confuse Divorce Mediation for Therapy

The time surrounding a divorce is typically fraught with emotion and anxiety. While divorce mediation is an excellent setting to work through the issues of your divorce in a way that keeps control over those issues in your hands, you must not think of it as a setting in which you work through your own personal demons or emotions.

Mediation is specifically for the logistics of your divorce. Your mediator will not help you get over your anger or resentment toward your spouse, or provide you with coping strategies for moving forward with your life. If you need that sort of assistance, we strongly recommend you work with a therapist.

There are several benefits of seeking therapy during the divorce process. These include:

• Coping mechanisms: Therapists can provide you with effective coping mechanisms for working through the slew of emotions you are likely to feel in the divorce process.
• Someone on your side: Mediators can be very helpful at facilitating discussions, but they are neutral third parties who will not advocate for you in the divorce process. Therapists, however, are in your corner and are dedicated to working with you to help you achieve better mental health and emotional balance.
• Catharsis: The process of working through your emotions and discussing subjects you might not feel comfortable talking about with other people in your life can be extremely cathartic, especially amid such a trying time in your life.
• Clarity: Working with a therapist can help you achieve greater clarity in what you want your goals to be in your divorce and what you want your life to look like moving forward.

For more information about the benefits of therapy during divorce, contact an experienced Long Island divorce attorney at Solutions Divorce Mediation.