If your marriage seems to be on the rocks, you may be wondering if ending your marital union is the right choice. You may not quite be ready to serve your husband or wife with divorce papers, though. Asking your spouse to join in marriage counseling may help you make your decision.
According to Psychology Today, modern marriage counseling is about 75% effective. That is, approximately 75% of couples who go through counseling together decide to remain in their marriages. Even if divorce ultimately is in your future, marriage counseling may be beneficial for a couple of reasons.
Having an amicable divorce
During marriage counseling, you and your husband or wife meet with a licensed counselor. This professional has experience working through marital disputes. If your disagreements are insurmountable, however, marriage counseling may put you on the path toward an amicable divorce.
When you talk with your spouse during marriage counseling, you each have an opportunity to address your concerns. You also can work collaboratively on solving problems. If ending the marriage is right for you, this cooperation may be good practice for divorce settlement negotiations.
Protecting your children
Divorce has the potential to take a devastating psychological toll on the young ones in your family. With marriage counseling, you demonstrate to your kids that you have tried to make your marriage work. This fact alone may make your eventual divorce easier to handle.
When it comes to marriage counseling, there is usually no harm in trying. Because this type of therapy also may help you better prepare for your divorce, it may be beneficial to gauge your spouse’s willingness to participate in it.
