In mediation, you have the opportunity to negotiate your own settlement rather than have one imposed on you by the court, or by your attorneys. You stay in control of your own divorce or separation. Each step is by agreement, in contrast to the adversarial process in which attorneys and the law set court dates and judges make decisions with limited time and information. For parties whose shared goals are to separate with dignity or to build a solid post-separation working relationship, particularly where there are children, mediation provides a safe container for resolving their matter.