This may sound presumptuous, but if you are asking the question, "Do I need a marriage counselor?", you probably do.  Asking this question means that you are at the very least unsatisfied with some part of your relationship.  Problems in a marriage could be any issue, but common ones include money, sex, affairs, work, in-laws, friends, housework and play.

Couples tend to use therapy as a last-ditch effort to save the marriage.  The earlier a couple comes to therapy the more likely the success of the counseling.  If the two of you find that you cannot resolve conflicts on a consistent basis then early intervention would be wise.

If you answer, "yes" to any one of the following questions, marital therapy would be advised.

• Do you have the same arguments over and over with no resolution?
• Do you seldom or never argue but still feel there are unresolved problems in the marriage?
• Do you find yourself thinking about divorce?
• Do you find yourself simply thinking about leaving?
• Is the threat of divorce or leaving raised in arguments?
• When arguing, do ether of you verbally try to hurt the other? 
• Is there any physical threat or action taken against ether spouse in a conflict?
• (If you are afraid of your spouse, you should first seek individual counseling to assess your risk and the best course of action.  For further information contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline, ndvh.org.)