Ending a marriage is consistently rated as one of the most stressful life events that a person can go through. According to the American Institute of Stress’s Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, divorce is the second most stressful event a person can endure, second only to the death of a spouse. Marital separation from one’s mate is third on the list, ahead of major personal injury, death of a close family member or incarceration.
No matter which way you do it, divorce will be a difficult process. Having a qualified family law attorneyon your side when you begin proceedings is crucial—not only to ensure that you end up with the best possible outcome for you and your personal situation, but also to help keep stress levels at bay. However, according to Forbes, there are also some alternatives to traditional divorce that may work better for you and your family, and which could save you some of the stress that comes with traditional divorce.
One of these alternatives is mediation. “In divorce mediation,” reports Forbes, “a divorcing couple works with a neutral mediator who helps both parties come to an agreement on all aspects of their divorce.” Working with a mediator who is also a family law attorney is preferable. In case that mediation either does not come to fruition or in the event that either party has a more complicated legal issue to address in the divorce, you will save time and money working with a professional who is both a mediator and lawyer.
It is important to note that all aspects of mediation are confidential, and cannot be used against either party in a court of law if the mediation does not work. Reported in an article via The Huffington Post, mediation can be especially beneficial if the divorcing couple has children. Working through the complicated aspects of divorce by agreeing, in discussion, about what is best for both parties will invariably lead to better communication in the future when dealing with children and other shared responsibilities. Even if you are not on good terms with your spouse, it does not mean that mediation will not be possible.
This is not to say that mediation is always the best approach. A traditional court divorce is a better option if you are leaving an abusive marriage, if your spouse is a drug addict or alcoholic, or if you are positive that your spouse is hiding financial assets. Regardless, the first step is to speak with a family law attorney. Contact an experienced DuPage County divorce lawyer today.