Prepare Yourself Emotionally for the Mediation Process

You’ve probably been thinking about getting a divorce for quite some time. But even a person who has had plenty of time to think and reflect on the idea of divorcing might find the actual process to be emotionally challenging.

Therefore, it’s important for you to prepare yourself emotionally for the mediation process. Here are a few tips to help you do this.

• Come with goals: Take some time to figure out what you want to accomplish in your mediation session and how you can set yourself (and your children) up for a stable future. Knowing what you want and what’s important to you before you come into the sessions and start negotiating will help you stay focused and prevent you from getting as stressed in the moment.
• Be committed: If both spouses are committed to the mediation process and agree to do it in good faith, the process will be much less emotionally turbulent for everyone involved.
• Focus on the children: Make sure your children (if you have them) are at the forefront of discussions. They will serve as an anchor that keeps you focused and realistic. Outside of mediation sessions, you can minimize the emotional impact of the divorce by agreeing to stay civil around your children and never to badmouth each other. The emotional weight of divorce doesn’t just affect you, and you can spare your children quite a bit of trauma by conducting yourselves maturely in front of them.
• Go slow: Remember that you don’t have to resolve all of your issues in a single session. Take your time and go at your own pace. Sometimes trying to rush through things only adds to the emotional weight of the process. If you reach an impasse with an issue, table it for another session. Sometimes a bit of time and space can do wonders for negotiations in mediation.

For more information about some of the best ways to emotionally prepare for divorce mediation, contact an experienced Long Island attorney at Solutions Divorce Mediation.