Marital Mediation

Mediation is a tool that is used to resolve many kinds of conflict other than divorce. In fact, mediation can help couples avoid divorce. When a marriage is in crisis, looking clearly and rationally at all of the options available can help couples make the best choice going forward. Understanding the financial and logistical issues related to maintaining separate households and, if you have children, what it would take to co-parent with someone with whom you could not live peacefully are important considerations before deciding that divorce is the best option.

In mediation, couples can explore avenues to bring relief to the conflict without the pain of divorce. In some cases, after reflecting deeply on the reality of what divorce would mean, couples do decide that dissolving the marriage is the right choice for them. For those couples, the work they have done together in reaching that decision can pave the way to a more respectful and peaceful marital dissolution process.

Marital mediation can also help couples who are not considering divorce make decisions about how they will invest their money, time, or emotional energy. Every marriage has ups and downs and times where it is difficult to move forward with common goals. Mediation can help bring clarity and offer solutions to make navigating the difficult times easier. The perspective and experience I have gained from many years of family law practice and a long and rewarding marriage helps me offer a unique perspective on marital conflict and potential solutions.

Where marital therapy may focus on exploring root causes of conflict and seeking insight, mediation focuses on solving specific problems in the present and creating action plans for moving towards a more peaceful, cooperative future. While I do not provide mental health services, I do make referrals and work in collaboration with marriage therapists when appropriate.

If you are facing turmoil in your marriage, please call to see if marital mediation could be helpful in your particular situation.