When you are having marital problems, you may feel as though every conversation with your spouse ends up in an explosive argument. If you’ve brought up the “D” word, things may even be a bit more volatile. A complete breakdown in communication doesn’t have to be permanent, even if you want to end your marriage. There is a right way and a wrong way to approach your spouse about pursuing divorce mediation. At West Coast Family Mediation, we want to assist our clients in making their divorce process go as smoothly as possible. The hardest part of starting a low-conflict divorce is communicating your desire to do so. Here are a few tips on how to approach your spouse about divorce mediation.
Approach From a Logical Standpoint, Not Emotional
There is no doubt that divorce is an intensely emotional event in someone’s life. The feelings that surround the loss of your marriage can be just overwhelming. It is important that you respect the grieving process, but you cannot let it rule the legal procedure that needs to occur to move you forward.
When proposing divorce mediation as opposed to litigation, highlight the non-emotional benefits: mediation is less expensive, more time-efficient, and completely confidential. If you and your spouse both work, mediation can be scheduled around your work rather than having to take off for court hearings. These are positives about the process that your spouse can conceptualize easily without added emotional stress.
Provide Reference Information
Before speaking to your spouse, you may want to have some paperwork to refer to. Having some information to refer to will keep you focused on the task at hand, and make it less likely to have your conversation go off-track. If you would like more information about divorce mediation, SDFMC is happy to provide you with handouts and resources on divorce mediation, and answer any questions or concerns you or your spouse may have.
If you are thinking about pursuing divorce mediation but need help talking to your spouse, contact SDFMC. Call (858) 736-2411 for more information.