Tips for a Successful Mediation Process
When dealing with a family law issue such as divorce, child support, child custody (timesharing), or paternity, it is crucial to consider alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods. ADR methods can offer significant advantages when addressing family law issues, such as cost-effectiveness, timeliness, confidentiality, and preservation of relationships. Mediation is one of the types of ADR methods. With mediation, you work with a neutral third party – the mediator – to communicate, identify issues, and reach mutually agreeable and beneficial agreements. In this article, we share some tips for a successful mediation process.
- Choose the Right Mediator
In order to have a successful mediation process, you need to choose the right mediator. First, look for a mediator with experience mediating cases similar to yours. Second, the person you choose should be neutral and impartial. They should not have any conflict of interest. Impartiality and neutrality are vital for maintaining a fair and unbiased mediation process. Take time to research and interview potential meditators to ensure you choose the right person.
- Prepare Thoroughly
Before beginning the mediation process, prepare yourself thoroughly by collecting all relevant documents and information. This may include financial records, legal documents, information about your assets and debts, and other pertinent documents and information. Thorough preparation can provide clarity on issues. It can allow you to communicate easily during mediation. By preparing thoroughly in advance, you can maximize the time allotted for the mediation sessions. Remember, mediation sessions are limited in time.
- Work Past the Anger
Another crucial thing to do to ensure a successful mediation process is to work past the anger. It is common to experience anger during a dispute. However, you should keep in mind that anger can hinder effective communication. You are more prone to being aggressive, using inflammatory language, or shutting down altogether when angry. Working past your anger before mediation can facilitate effective communication. Also, working past your anger can promote rational decision-making.
- Be Open to Compromise
Successfully mediating a family law issue requires parties to be flexible. It requires that you be willing to compromise. Recognize that achieving a successful resolution may require you to let go of particular demands, be open to alternative solutions, and consider options that you may not have been on your list from the onset. You might think that compromising means you are a loser. But compromising does not mean you are a loser. In fact, it is a sign of maturity.
- Keep Communication Respectful
During mediation, ensure you communicate with the other party or parties respectfully. Let the other party or parties express themselves without judgment or interruption and actively listen to them. When you actively listen, you can understand the other person’s perspective. Active listening can also reduce the risk of misinterpretation or misrepresentation of information.
- Be Patient
Finally, you need to be patient to have a successful mediation process. Achieving resolution may take time, so you need to exercise patience. Being patient will allow you to fully explore all the issues at hand and find a mutually acceptable and beneficial solution.
Contact a Lakeland Divorce Attorney
If you have questions or concerns about your family law issue or the mediation process, contact a skilled Lakeland mediation attorney at Darla K. Snead, P.L.
