Considering Divorce? Why Couples Mediation May Be the First Step with Jennifer Hawthorne Kelsey, Esq.

Considering divorce? In this episode of Dishing on Divorce, we explore how couples mediation, also known as marriage mediation, can help strengthen a marriage before making the final decision to separate.

Jennifer Hawthorne Kelsey, a Massachusetts mediator and collaborative attorney at Skylark Law and Mediation in Southborough, explains how mediation provides clarity, structure, and practical problem-solving for couples navigating conflict. For some couples, this process helps repair communication patterns, reduce tension, and create new agreements that support staying together.

Instead of immediately lawyering up and heading into litigation, couples mediation offers a structured, neutral space to work through parenting schedules, financial responsibilities, household roles, communication breakdowns, and future planning.

We discuss:
• The difference between couples mediation and divorce mediation
• How mediation differs from therapy
• How structured problem solving can help preserve and strengthen a marriage
• When mediation may clarify that separation is the healthiest path
• Co-parenting, parenting plans, and conflict de-escalation
• Situations where mediation may not be appropriate, including coercive control and intimate partner violence

Jennifer also shares her personal journey through divorce and co-parenting, and how curiosity, communication, and emotional maturity can reshape even high-conflict dynamics.

If you are considering divorce and want to explore every option before making a life-changing decision, this conversation offers grounded guidance, perspective, and hope.

Connect with Jennifer: https://skylarklaw.com/jenniferhawthorne/

Connect with Deanna and Mandy: concierge@vestadivorce.com