Perhaps you’ve come to the realization that divorce mediation is the way to go for you and your spouse, but how do you choose a divorce mediator? After all, not all divorce mediators are created equal.

If you are contemplating a separation or divorce, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to consider the option of divorce mediation first. You owe it to yourself and to your children, if children are involved.

After having mediated hundreds of separation and divorce matters over the years, I have found that many spouses have preconceived notions about what divorce mediation is and how it will or will not work for them.

With divorce mediation firmly taking hold as one of the best options available for separation and divorce, many books, articles, blogs and manuals are now being written which offer very useful tips and suggestions on how spouses should approach their own divorce mediation case.

Divorce Mediation requires complete and full disclosure of all information from both spouses in order to be successful. In complex marital estates with many assets and debts, such information can sometimes be voluminous. Believe it or not, many mediation clients will say that the initial document-gathering stage is the least enjoyable part of the mediation process.

Mediation is a voluntary dispute resolution process designed to bring people in conflict together in a face-to-face meeting to work out solutions to their differences. The meeting is facilitated by a specially trained, neutral third-party called a mediator. The parties negotiate their own settlements. The mediator does not force them to do anything.

If you follow these 6 easy tips for your first divorce mediation session, you will see just how smoothly your mediation can go.