What can a marriage counselor help with?

A marriage counselor can help a couple develop skills to strengthen their relationship. Before getting married, or during the course of a marriage, a marriage counselor instructs a couple on strategies to communicate and resolve conflict. If a couple is concerned about having the skills to sustain their marriage in both prosperity and hardship, a counselor can provide the guidance they need.

Who is a certified marriage counselor?

A certified marriage counselor is someone who has trained in this specialty; they may be a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), a licensed professional counselor (LPC), or a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC). In addition to proper training, it’s important to find someone with whom both partners feel comfortable.

What problems are best treated with marriage counseling?

Marriage counseling can address basic relationship challenges like navigating conflict or communication differences. It’s also suited for couples who aren’t currently struggling but who want to develop relationship skills for the future of their marriage. This can occur before a couple gets married, or at any point in their marriage. For more serious or specific problems, couples therapy may be more appropriate.

How do you recognize a good marriage counselor?

A good marriage counselor has experience working with couples and knows how to effectively communicate new ideas and skills. Marriage counseling involves teaching concrete strategies to handle communication and navigate conflict in a marriage, so a good marriage therapist can engage both partners, share these skills, and explain why they’re important and how to implement them to build a strong foundation for the marriage.