Many people think of divorce proceedings and imagine a bitter and unyielding argument between the splitting parties. The husband and wife engage in a no-holds-barred struggle, determining who gets what property, what the legal terms of child custody will be and how various accounts and assets will be divided. The unpleasant feeling left over from these angry disputes bring only extra stress on the splitting couple and undue pain on their children.

It sounds incredibly unpleasant - and the scenario is exactly that. Unfortunately this is the reality for some, but others are finding an alternative way to deal with the split. Divorce mediation is a way for divorced couples to come to grips - and terms - with their impending legal situation.

With divorce mediation, a neutral mediator leads the negotiation process between you and your spouse. Usually this mediator will be an attorney that facilitates the discussions and helps everyone reach a realistic middle ground while keeping the goals of each party in mind. Not only does this foster negotiations made in good faith, it also lets both you and your spouse express the issues and feelings each of you are having about life after divorce.

Divorce mediation also frees splitting couples of rigid court rulings, which can set unrealistic guidelines on couples. Enter a mediator, and couples can potentially agree to a more realistic resolution by discussing things and reaching an understanding.

Another advantage to bringing in a mediator for divorce mediation is that he can give you expert legal advice on marital law, tax deductions and other intricacies of the divorce process. This allows both parties to save money and maybe even retain key assets as they move on with their lives.

Source: Huffington Post, "New Year's Resolution," Abby Tolchinsky, Dec. 21, 2011