Function

• Marriage and individual counseling provides couples with insight about the manner in which they interact with their spouse, with a goal of attaining improved understanding, behavior and communication skills.
  
  

Considerations

• Couples may consider individual counseling, in which each person meets with a therapist alone to work through personal problems complicating a relationship or marriage with the goal of self-improvement.
  
  

Types

• Therapy focuses on various types of issues that may be challenging within a relationship such as communication problems, substance abuse, infidelity, child-rearing conflicts, anger management and sexual difficulties.
  
  

Benefits

• Pre-marriage counseling precedes a couple's wedding, allowing couples to discuss and align a future together by communicating about child-rearing philosophies, family involvement, life goals, career aspirations and spirituality.
  
  

Effects

• Marriage counseling provides couples with a treatment plan based on goals, time frames and analysis of the relationship. Plans may include medication for individuals or couples experiencing mental illness such as mood disorders.