Kid’s First Mediation
Many couples who are struggling in their marriage wrestle with the idea of whether to separate or divorce or try to stay together for the sake of their kids. Every family situation is different and every couple must weigh all the factors and make the best possible decision for their family. Neither decision is easy – staying together when a marriage has deteriorated and has significant conflict can actually do more harm than good where kids are concerned. However, divorce is a huge life change for all involved and can be very difficult to navigate as well. Only you and your spouse can make this decision for your family
When you make the difficult decision to divorce, it is a given that your family will undergo a significant change. Each member of your family may respond to this change differently, depending on their age, their personality and their emotional maturity. The best way to move forward is to navigate your divorce with cooperation and compromise in mind. A traditional divorce settled in the court system can increase the overall conflict between you and your spouse, while using mediation can lessen the overall conflict and lay a foundation for a positive relationship once your divorce is final.
Divorce is generally regarded as one of the most stressful life events, in a category with a death of a spouse or close family member, an unexpected job loss or a sudden illness. Divorce is a major personal loss – the loss of your marriage can cause many intense emotions of grief, sadness, anger and despair. Finding sources of support during and after your divorce is critical to your healing and ability to move forward. Friends, co-workers, loved ones can provide significant personal support. There are also times when professional help is needed. A professional divorce support counselor can relate to an individual going through a divorce in a helpful and supportive way
Communication is often cited as one of the main causes of divorce. So, it makes sense that communication problems continue for divorced couples with children well after the divorce papers are signed. Co-parenting after divorce is a new phase of a relationship but it is common for some of the same patterns from the marriage
If you have been divorced for any length of time, you likely know that questions, concerns and problems can come up between you and your ex-spouse related to your children at anytime. The fact is that you cannot predict the future when you sign your divorce papers. You make the best decisions you can with the information that you have at the time about your new living situation, based on current circumstances and your children’s best interest at the time.
One of the most common reasons that a marriage does not work is related to poor (or lack of) communication. However, a divorce is not the end of the need to communicate for many couples, especially if they share children. Even if you have decided to divorce because of communication issues, it may be time to repair your relationship enough to be civil while you navigate your divorce so that your communication can be healthy after your divorce. Johnson Mediation offers divorce coaching that is specifically offered to improve interpersonal communication and to help you navigate the entire divorce process.
