Marriage counseling can improve relationships. When couples put off using this option until the relationship has been severely damaged and habits are so entrenched that those with them are unwilling to change, what counseling can accomplish will be severely limited. Waiting until it is too late is a sure way to sabotage a relationship. At that point, counseling may open communication up and help with damage control.
It is important for couples to realize that counseling is not a magic super glue that can hold people together no matter what. When couples start counseling after an affair, with their minds made up, there is little that can be done. At that point, the counseling only serves as a way to ease the conscience about the decisions that they have already made.
If you want the counseling to work, it is imperative that it be approached with an open mind, willingness to listen, and a willingness to work on the relationship. Some couples need a crisis in order to make the kind of necessary commitment. Others use the crisis as a way to leave the relationship.
Best Regards,
Jeffrey Murrah
