When you’re going through a divorce, it’s completely understandable to want to avoid a long, expensive court process. Two common alternatives are mediation  and conciliation . Both can help you reach an agreement without a trial — but they work in slightly different ways and can have very different costs and outcomes. What Is Mediation? Mediation  is a process where a neutral third person  (the mediator) helps both parties communicate and work toward a settlement. The mediato