SLBMI Mediation Services >>Mediation Advantages

Will Mediation Help?

Mediation can provide a method to settle disputes. It offers a shelter from the storm of conflict. Mediation helps you determine the reason you find yourself in a particular dispute, the issues you are disagreeing about, the level of conflict that engulfs you, and the uniqueness of the situation is the point.

Is Mediation Right for Me?

The word "settle" has two meanings in terms of mediation. It means both to settle down and to settle up. To determine if mediation can help you, answer this question in regards to all dimensions of your situation:

Am I ready to settle down so that I can settle up?

If your answer is Yes or you are not sure, click here to get started.

If you answered no, then perhaps discussing your conflict with a close friend, minister or counselor would be the best option for now. Consider what made you answer "no" to this question. It is important to realize that mediation will not benefit the participants if it overwhelms them with so much distress they cannot discuss issues without emotional outbursts. In the same vein, mediation can not help if either participant absolutely refuses to consider mutually agreeable outcomes. Discuss this aspect with your most trusted advisors, family members or, most importantly, an attorney. Once these issues are resolved, mediation may be a good choice for you.

There are people to contact if mediation is not a good fit for your situation. For help finding a counselor or therapist, check out the outstanding professionals at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute. Otherwise, contact your insurance's mental health carrier for suggestions on health care providers on your plan in your area with experience in the struggles you face. An additional resource in the St. Louis area is the Mental Health Association at 314-773-1399.  They maintain a listing of professionals and can connect you to a  helpful resource.

For legal assistance if you do not have an attorney, you might first check to see if your employer's EAP or helplines offer any legal referral or even pre-paid legal assistance. Otherwise, Find a St. Louis Lawyer is an excellent public service offered by the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. You can also call them at 314-621-6681.
          

Overview of Mediation and Collaborative Divorce Services Available at SLBMI (PDF)