Making the decision to get a divorce is never easy. For many people, it takes months or even years to come to the conclusion that a divorce is their best option. Once a couple has accepted the idea of ending their union, they do not want to regress by going through a contentious and drawn-out divorce. For some couples, a collaborative divorce is a solution that works best for them. A collaborative divorce is a dispute resolution process that takes place in conference rooms or lawyers’ offices, rather than in the courtroom. The collaborative divorce process offers many benefits that the traditional divorce process cannot offer, including:

Less Hostility

One of the benefits that a collaborative divorce offers is the possibility of a more civil, less hostile divorce process. In a litigated divorce, you and your spouse are likely to have much more contention and may not be able to come to an agreement on issues. This does not mean that you and your spouse will not disagree with one another or that the negotiations will be simple in the collaborative process. However, you and your spouse are working together to create solutions that will benefit everyone in a collaborative divorce.

Better Support System

In a traditional litigated divorce, the only people involved in the divorce process are typically you, your spouse, and each of your attorneys. In a collaborative divorce, you may have a more rounded and complete team of professionals who are there to guide you and your spouse through the proceedings. In addition to your attorneys and based on the needs of your family, you can also have assistance from specialists like a forensic accountant, a property appraiser, an estate planning individual, a divorce coach, a family wellness counselor, or a child psychologist.

Not all divorces have to be the ugly blow-up they’re stereotyped as. In many cases, even if you’re not on good terms with your soon-to-be ex spouse, it’s possible to make it through the divorce on good terms as the last amicable thing you’ll do together. If you don’t share children this is easier, but it’s possible in any circumstance. This is what’s known as a collaborative divorce. While it may seem too optimistic, many couples opt for collaborative law in an effort to stave off the extreme cost of divorce and keep things simpler and happier. After all, you managed to agree that you both wanted to split. Why not make an effort to agree on the terms of said split?

According to US News and World Report, a collaborative divorce is based on the “concept that you were partners—even if not good ones—throughout your marriage and you should be able to end it together as well.” This applies to all aspects of the divorce, including property division, division of assets, and determining child custody. “Most people can agree that litigation is a terrible process for a family to endure,” one lawyer told US News and World Report. “The collaborative process if one of the most productive ways to divorce when it works.”

Yet the publication is quick to remind readers that even a collaborative divorce doesn’t guarantee a happy one. Chances are, even if you opt for mediation, working together with your spouse in the one last process you’ll undertake together won’t be easy. This could be one reason that the number of people who opt for collaborative divorces is still low. “For instance, according to the Wisconsin Law Journal, Waukesha County had 3,862 divorces from 2010 to 2012; during that period, there were only 62 collaborative divorce cases filed,” reports US News and World Report.