Traditionally, married couples experiencing challenges with their relationship have sought out family therapists or religious leaders to work out their issues. This process typically takes months if not years to reach a resolution. In most cases marital therapy is effective, but a 2005 NY Times article reports that 25 percent of couples are worse off than they were when they started, and after four years, up to 38 percent are divorced.

Is there an alternative to marital therapy? The good news is that a recent trend within family mediation called marital mediation has shown some positive signs of becoming an effective alternative to traditional therapy. The major benefit with this form of conflict resolution is that it is designed to reach an agreement in weeks rather than months or years. It also models effective communication skills so that the couple is better able to work out their own issues in the future.

To learn more about the pros and cons of marital mediation, visit http://www.maritalmediation.com/questions-about-marital-mediation/.