Marital Mediation: What is it and how can it save your marriage
The foundations of a successful marriage: communication, respect, and understanding. Marital mediation can help couples strengthen these foundations. This is an emerging and new area of mediation that most mediation firms do not yet provide. Family Circle Mediation has been specifically trained in marital mediation. Marital mediation is for couples who acknowledge that there are issues within their marriage but are committed to staying together to resolve the issues before seeking a separation/divorce. Despite its name marital mediation is also open any and all couples regardless of marital status.
Marital mediation is not therapy or counseling. Marital therapy/counseling is performed by a trained therapist to dive deep into unresolved emotions or traumatic experiences that may be hindering the relationship. Therapy can be very useful for some couples that can benefit from such insight and emotional resolution.
However, unlike therapy, marital mediation is solution based. Mediation ends with an memorandum of understanding that outlines the solutions/agreements determined together rather than dive deep into unresolved individual and/or family issues. As solution based, the agreement structure and content will be determined by the couple and their own needs. For instance, we can discuss establishing a memorandum of understanding that outlines behaviors or drafting postnuptial agreements that outline financial issues and determinations. The enforceability of each agreement will be determined by your state, and Family Circle Mediation always suggests having an attorney review any agreement before you sign if you are concerned about your rights and enforceability.
In our sessions, couples establish compromises to real life issues and learn to communicate more effectively with each other. Issues can range from who does the dishes on which day, sex/polygamy, child care arrangements, budgets, or determining individual rights to retirement accounts. No issue is to large or too small for marital mediation, only determination, willingness to compromise and respect each other is required. At Family Circle Mediation, we come together to find real life solutions that meet everyone’s needs.
Our mediation practice is virtual, so we can work with clients wherever they are.
Contact us for a free consultation today.
