Making Your Divorce Mediation More Productive

Want to get more done in your mediation sessions and speed the process along? Here are some tips to help you make the process more productive.

• Know why you’re there: You aren’t at mediation to go through therapy, or to have someone else make decisions for you. Mediation is a conversation that requires active participation from both parties, with the purpose of creating amicable settlements that give both of you a positive path forward. Mediation is not for bringing up issues that led to your divorce, or for trying to get revenge—it’s entirely about how you will create your own futures without involving the courts.
• Be willing to listen: You surely have a lot to say, but even more important than what you say in these sessions is how you listen. Interrupting your spouse will only make them less likely to want to “play ball” in mediation, and it prevents you from developing empathy and understanding where they’re coming from. Without that understanding, you’re going to have a hard time reaching settlements that work for both of you.
• Keep it positive: Avoid attacking your spouse during mediation, or having a bad attitude about the process. This will only result in things spinning out of control and causing delays that, in turn, make the process more stressful and expensive. If your spouse says something nasty, as hard as it be, you should let the comment slide and move forward. Being the bigger person can be difficult, but it’s necessary if you want your mediation to move as efficiently as possible.
• Be forthcoming: Share all of the information that is requested of you, and never attempt to conceal anything. If you try to hide assets this will break the trust that is needed to make mediation work.

For more information about the steps you can take to make mediation go faster, contact an experienced Long Island divorce lawyer at Solutions Divorce Mediation.