What do mediators do?

When going through a divorce, most people will struggle even when the divorce is uncontested. This is why it is important to have a mediator to help get through the trickiest bits.

But what exactly does a mediator do? What role do they play in the divorce?

A mediator’s training

Forbes discusses ways to ensure a more peaceful divorce. If a couple has an uncontested divorce, they are already further ahead than most couples in terms of keeping the divorce peaceful. However, even an uncontested divorce can include issues regarding arguments and disputes or disagreements.

This is where a mediator comes in. It is their duty to ensure that partners can hold conversations without one party talking over the other. Both parties get to say their fair share. Mediators also have training in de-escalation so they can help talk people down in the event that arguments start getting out of hand and too heated for anyone’s comfort.

A third-party perspective

On top of that, they offer a unique perspective. Mediators act as an unbiased third party, so they can look at a divorce without any of the emotional baggage or attachment that the other parties have. To that end, they may suggest things that no one else has thought of yet, which might benefit everyone involved.

Of course, mediators cannot order divorcing couples to do anything. They have no legal power in the way judges or arbitrators do. So it is up to the couple to decide whether they want to take any of the mediator’s advice, how much they want to listen to or whether to make tweaks and changes to the advice they do take. All in all, it is a very flexible option.