Divorce/Reconciliation

A mutual consent divorce arrived at the mediation center. The husband and wife were both upper class individuals - used to pomp, circumstance, and cordiality. The two simply wished to part, and both were firm on this point. At first, the wife refused to speak. However, over time, mediation made her feel more and more comfortable expressing herself and her feelings towards her husband. The wife was unhappy with the fact that she was unable to hold a conversation with her husband, who she complained spoke only of politics and business, instead of speaking about himself. This made it impossible to work through any conflict, as he would simply shut down and leave once conflict began. At mediation, she was able to express her troubles and to communicate to her husband through the mediator. She felt unappreciated, as her husband paid little attention to her problems and needs. The husband was upset that despite his constant efforts to improve, none were appreciated by his wife; he felt it impossible to please her, and that he was unable to be himself around her.  Finally, the two had begun to articulate how they felt about the conflict. However, both remained stuck in their positions. After a period of negotiation, the mediator began to review the final terms of settlement.

Within minutes, the color drained out of the husbands face. He looked sickly, and quickly excused himself from the room. The wife and mediator followed, sensing trouble. The man began to faint in the hallway, and the woman ran to catch him as he fell to the ground. She began crying as he lay in her arms. He recovered with a cup of coffee and a mediator's care in the lounge over the course of an hour, and the wife met with their mediator in a private session.

Responding to the spectacle that had just occurred, the wife realized that she truly cared for her husband, and she sensed that he cared for her as well. Upon seeing his reaction to the divorce, she felt a sense of clarity, and she knew that her husband truly cared for her. Thanks to the facilitative efforts of their mediator, her feeling of being unappreciated vanished, and she decided that she wanted to make her marriage work. The husband expressed to the mediator that he had experienced the same revelation as his wife. The reality of the situation had hit him, and he realized how immensely he valued their relationship. The pair sat back at the mediation table and began to openly discuss how they could repair their marriage. The husband agreed to spend a dedicated hour each day speaking with his wife about things that would interest her, and they  both agreed to utilize the services of a marriage counselor. They wholeheartedly apologized to one another for the pain each had caused, ensuring their partner of the love they shared.