In the state of Texas, mediation is frequently ordered by the courts in a divorce matter. It is a way to end a marriage that many couples agree upon anyway because of its benefits.

Mediation is a more peaceful alternative to litigation, which can be a costly, adversarial proceeding. It is also a faster process that is composed of three basic steps.

Step 1: the introduction

Divorce by its very nature is an emotionally fraught time, possibly being full of conflict and decisions to make under high-stress circumstances. This being the case, it can be important to find ways to cushion the emotional impact of divorce to preserve your stability during this trying time.

Not all divorces are high-conflict and traumatic. There are some strategies that could help you minimize conflict and stress and work through your divorce in a more balanced way. Here are three suggestions that may help you in finding ways to approach your divorce in a way that helps you preserve a sense of emotional stability:

1. Help children avoid negative effects of divorce

When you are facing a divorce, it may be the first time you have ever had to deal with a legal issue that has to go through the court system. As such, you may be wondering what the requirements are and if you have to go before a judge.

Not all divorces end up in the court. While you will need to have your divorce registered through the court system, mediation is one alternative to going to court for your divorce. Read on to find out if your situation may qualify for mediation instead of a court-litigated divorce.

Which couples are good candidates for mediation?

You are among the many divorcing couples in Texas who have chosen a mediated divorce over traditional litigation. This can be a wise choice, as you know. Mediation offers numerous benefits over litigation, including costing less, saving time and being less stressful on everyone involved. You can also learn negotiation and communication techniques that may continue to serve you not only in your daily life, but while you co-parent with your ex.

However, as you also know, no divorce is entirely stress-free, even an uncontested one. You might have feelings of anxiety and stress as your initial mediation date approaches, and this is completely normal. It may help to prepare yourself mentally and physically. Some ways to achieve this can include the following:

• Consider what is best for everyone. Be open to possible outcomes that can benefit your children, yourself and even your soon-to-be-ex in the long run.
• Make a list. Write down the conflicts that you and your spouse are likely to bring up during the mediation process.
• Problem-solve ahead of time. Come up with possible solutions and put them in your list, so you can discuss them during mediation sessions.
• Be prepared to be flexible and open-minded. Mediation works best when both parties cooperate, respect each other and work together to come up with solutions everyone can agree on.
• Take care of yourself. The stress of a divorce can take an emotional and physical toll; take some time to de-stress, treat yourself to a small gift, exercise, meditate or have lunch with a friend.

Like any type of divorce, mediation can take some work and effort, but the result is usually far preferable to going to court or hiring expensive lawyers. The key to successfully approaching mediation is to go in prepared, be willing to compromise and remember to cooperate and treat each other with respect and civility.

Divorce is, by all accounts, an emotionally challenging and fraught time. Because many couples going through divorce are under exceptional stress, especially on an emotional level, it can often happen that decisions made in the heat of the divorce are later viewed as unsatisfactory.

If you have a divorce agreement that no longer suits your current needs or your current situation, you may be looking at how you can modify that agreement. In certain cases, you may be able to get help from a mediator in order to accomplish this. Here is some more information that can help you better understand your options.

The benefits of a mediator

Many people think that going through a divorce means they have to face a long and drawn-out court battle. The truth, however, is that there are many excellent alternatives to a contested divorce that goes through the court system.

If you are facing a divorce and want to avoid having a judge make decisions about your future, here are some options you can consider. In many cases, these alternatives provide a more cost-effective and harmonious divorce process.

Benefits of mediation

Going through a divorce is a traumatic experience. It can be even more difficult when the two spouses are unable to come to an agreement and the conflict drags into a long court battle that is costly and stressful.

The good news is that not all divorces have to be this way. Mediation is a viable option for many couples facing divorce.

The costs of a litigated divorce

There are numerous items divorcing couples need to figure out how to divide for a divorce. One common point of contention comes down to determining who gets custody of the dog, cat, rabbit or any other pet the couple shared.

Mediation is a peaceful, affordable way for a couple to figure out who gets what in a divorce. When a couple adopted a dog or cat together, both people will probably want to keep the animal. As with anything during mediation, it is critical for both sides to remain open to compromise. There are various things the couple and mediator can discuss to come up with the best pet custody agreement possible.

Both spouses need to ask themselves some tough questions

If couples are engaging in an amicable divorce, the use of mediation is quite common. Many parties find the mediation option to be very beneficial.

As life goes on, individuals may find it necessary to modify their divorce settlements. In such cases, there are a few benefits of utilizing mediation rather than a divorce attorney.

Privacy

Divorce can be stressful and difficult. The emotions you deal with when ending your marriage can be overwhelming. From coping with the end of your relationship to the difficulties of resolving details to reach a settlement, you may feel like there is no way to alleviate the whirlwind of stress.

Getting a divorce may be the most painful and stressful thing you ever experience. However, there are several things you can do to lessen the emotional impact. Here are some steps you can take to have a more peaceful divorce.

1. Surround yourself with people

Many marriages unfortunately end in divorce. In Texas in 2013, over 76,000 divorces took place, which was actually lower than the previous year that saw over 80,000 divorces in the state.

To save money and preserve emotions during a divorce, many couples opt for mediation. This is an excellent step to take. However, it is going to end up fruitless if the two spouses cannot compromise. For anyone concerned about doing this, here are some tips for becoming a better compromiser.

Differentiate between needs and wants

A family breakup can be devastating for children. A contentious litigation process will only make it more difficult for them to accept your divorce and move on with their lives.

Mediation is an option in which the participants have much better control over the outcome. Studies find that this approach has a high satisfaction rate and has less of an adverse impact on children.

Trying to cope

Divorce can be costly — often unexpectedly so. For example, the price tag of a two-day divorce trial can run to $25,000. Even a simple, uncontested divorce can cost more than a thousand dollars.

You do not want to make a difficult process worse by losing financial security. There are several ways you can save money during a divorce.

Eliminate as much emotion from the picture as possible

Unfortunately, marriage is not always easy. The sad truth is that not all marriages last until "death do us part." No matter how much love is present at the beginning, various things can lead to a marriage falling apart.

How exactly do couples go from being happily married to bitterly divorced? Here are some of the top reasons people end their marriages.

Poor communication

Though couples join in matrimony hoping to have long, loving relationships, that does not always happen. While it is widely known that financial strains often result in marital troubles, people whose job's include the following factors also tend to have higher rates of divorce.

Travel

Military service is one of the main professions that experience higher levels of divorce. In part, this is due to the great amount of travel that these individuals must do. Especially when deployments keep the spouses away from each other for months at a time, the distance and lack of constant communication can take a toll.

You may have gotten your finances in order, found a new place to live or talked to your parents. But one step of divorce not to overlook in your preparation is deciding when and how to break the news to your children.

Your approach and timing can make a significant difference in how your children handle the divorce. Although your children's ages and maturity levels influence what you say, the following tips are applicable to any family.

Sit down with your children

Few people can honestly say that their divorce was completely without stress, but there are certainly steps you can take to prevent a tense situation from overwhelming your entire life. If you and your spouse realized that separating is the best option, it is imperative that you work together to find solutions that will help both of you stay sane and make it through the difficulties ahead.

The following are three of the most effective ways you can accomplish this. Approaching your divorce in a mindful and collaborative manner is the key to avoiding unnecessary drama, saving money and preventing a drawn-out battle in a courtroom. Consider the following tips for divorcing with minimal stress.

1. Find common ground

Even if mediation helped you get through your divorce with minimal conflict and an amicable settlement, sometimes circumstances change. If your situation has substantially changed, you might be considering making modifications to your child custody order. If you and your ex are still willing to work together, post-divorce mediation can help.

Why go and litigate everything if you do not have to? Learn about the following circumstances in which modifying your parenting plan with the help of a mediator may be necessary.

1. Unstable environment

When you divorced, you may have considered or gone through divorce mediation as an alternative to a traditional courtroom divorce to save money and minimize strain on your family unit. Many people opt for child custody mediation for the same reasons.

Child custody mediation involves utilizing an impartial third party known as a mediator to help you and your ex-spouse work through custody, visitation and related issues. It offers many benefits, in that it:

Can be easier emotionally on children

Even if two spouses are simply not right for each other, a divorce is still a difficult process to go through. Many end up having to deal with it, and in 2013, over 76,000 divorces took place in Texas, according to a report published by the Texas Health and Human Services.

Going through mediation is a good way to try to relieve some of the anxieties of a divorce. No matter how long this period of time takes, divorcing spouses often feel an array of emotions. It can be easy to think these feelings are unhealthy, but rest assured, it is completely normal to go through the following:

1. Missing numerous aspects of married life