Significance

• Sometimes a couple cannot figure out what some of the underlying issues are that are causing them to fight. A certified counselor can get to the root of the problems and help you work through them.
  
  

Misconceptions

• One of the most common fears about what happens in marriage counseling is that everything will be blamed on you. A therapist is not there to find fault with either of the parties involved. The therapist helps each person individually concentrate on themselves to rebuild the bond that holds the couple together.
  
  

First Visit

• Your first visit is often the most nerve-wracking if you don't know what to expect. The initial session is simply a series of questions on why you feel that you are there and in need of some outside help.
  
  

Subsequent Visits

• Though the session plans vary from couple to couple based on the issues that they are struggling with in the relationship, there are usually some common exercises performed. Communication strategies, such as one person listening intently to the other and then repeating what that person said to see if they are really hearing their spouse and role reversal games, where you put yourself in the other's shoes, are often utilized.
  
  

Prevention

• Many people feel that therapy is a last resort after all other options have been exhausted. But in fact, what happens in marriage counseling can stop many of the smaller troubles couples face from turning into big problems.