Is Marital Mediation Right for You?

When it comes to dealing with the complexities of family law, mediation is a valuable and popular solution. Not only does mediation help to provide people with more control over the outcome of their divorce or separation cases, but it can also be less stressful than litigation too. Many people find that mediation is a faster, more cost-effective, and more appealing solution to issues of divorce than litigation. However, mediation isn’t just there to discuss the end of a marriage or establish the rules of a divorce.

While divorce mediator Darren Shapiro isn’t a therapist, he can offer a range of solutions to clients who are looking to explore the possibilities of a trained mediator. One option for couples who would prefer to stay together is to use marital mediation with Darren Shapiro to create a postnuptial agreement. This agreement gives people in a marriage greater peace of mind going forward, as they know that some of their most pressing issues have been addressed.

The Basics of Marital Mediation

According to the works of Susan Boardman et al, marital mediation has emerged as a popular and growing area of family law. The solution helps to support couples who would prefer to maintain their marriage but have issues that they need to address in their relationship going forward. The term was initially coined by John Fiske in 1997.

In a marital mediation case, mediators like Darren Shapiro can help clients to come up with useful postnuptial agreements. These agreements give the couples clarity on what should be addressed in their marriage. A legally binding postnuptial agreement would require certain legal formalities to be put in place. However, some of Mr. Shapiro’s clients simply want to put ideas down on paper, without committing to a written contract. Indeed, many clients find that they can significantly improve their communication strategy through a few mediation sessions.

Marital mediation is designed for people who need to maintain their relationship and overcome specific issues within that relationship too. This process doesn’t give couples therapy, but it does help them to address some of the problems that might worry them about their ongoing marriage. If the couple works with Darren Shapiro to create a post-nuptial agreement, they’ll know that they’re protected no matter what happens next.

What Happens During a Marital Mediation?

Often a marital mediation begins with a mediator asking the couple questions that help them to define how committed they are to the ongoing relationship. For instance, Darren Shapiro might ask, “What do you love most about each other?” and “What kind of things worry you about your ongoing marriage.” Through mediation, it’s possible to open new lines of communication in a relationship and help couples to overcome areas of conflict. At the end of the conversation, an official post-nuptial agreement can be drafted that highlights the needs and expectations of both clients.

Throughout a marital mediation session, a divorce mediator like Darren Shapiro can also explain what will happen throughout the discussions. They might ask the couple to explain the problems that they want to address and act as third-party neutral individuals that listen to the couple carefully and look for issues that can be addressed through a post-nuptial agreement. As the conversation proceeds, Darren Shapiro may be able to work with the clients on helping them to solve problems that might appear in the future of their relationships too.

Once all the issues that clients are concerned about have been addressed, a professional mediator, that is also a matrimonial lawyer, like Darren Shapiro can draft an official agreement that leaves both sides feeling more secure. The process can be very complementary to couples’ therapy – although they aren’t the same thing, and again, Darren Shapiro is not a mental health or psychological professional.

Could You Benefit from Marital Mediation?

For many couples, the act of marital mediation can be a very freeing and wonderful experience. Marital mediation is very similar to divorce mediation in style, but the important difference is that the relationship is preserved with marital mediation, while also giving people peace of mind about the future of their time together. In a divorce mediation, Darren Shapiro also usually offers the opportunity to draft a post nuptial agreement too. This document can act as a compass to guide the couple forward in their relationship and reduce the risk of issues in the future.

If you’re interested in learning more about marital mediation, divorce mediation, or any other of the services that Mr. Shapiro offers, please browse through the blogs and this website. On the other hand, if you’re looking for help with a specific divorce, separation, or marital mediation case, you can book your free thirty-minute consultation today. Mediating couples would meet with Darren together. Call (516) 333-6555 or utilize or our contact form.