Mr vs Mrs (Mediation)

[HappyHeart87]

Is anybody watching this? I've been watching on iplayer. It's making me so sad and frustrated.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Yeah, I've been watching. Very hard. I wonder if it actually works?

[Optimist1]

I'm watching it, too. I agree that it's not easy watching, but given that these couples are at a stage where divorce is imminent it does seem to force the parties to examine areas where compromise is the only way forward. The mediators deserve medals, don't they? Having to listen to one party or the other being aggressive/entitled/spiteful but allowing them to have their say whilst guiding them towards listening to what their partner has say. Not something I could manage without resorting to unprofessional behaviour!

[HappyHeart87]

It's such uncomfortable viewing. My heart really went out to the husband of the couple who'd lived together in their house through the separation. He seemed to end up sacrificing so much more than the wife; that felt so unfair to me.

And the woman in the accountancy firm love triangle situation was something else.

I agree, Optimist, The mediators are amazing. I can't imagine being able to not take sides with whomever I perceived to be the 'wronged' party. I wonder what sort of training and experience you need to have for that role? They seem to be part counsellor, part something else, I'm not quite sure what.

[Optimist1]

I hesitated to mention the woman in the accountancy firm situation because I was so horrified at her. Given her age she would have been fully aware of the feminist movement, the newly emerging freedoms for women and opportunities for emotional independence that were presenting themselves. Did she avail herself of any of this? No - she was content to be the girlfriend of one man, moving on to be the wife of a second for many years. She ricocheted back to the original man who was orchestrating the entire settlement process on her behalf. He was like a puppetmaster and she the willing marionette. I shuddered at the entire spectacle!

[HappyHeart87]

That's an astute analysis!