Questions to Ask a Marriage Therapist

Counselors on The National Registry of Marriage Friendly Therapistssm should be able and willing to answer the following.

"How do you see the importance of keeping a marriage together when there are problems?"

If the therapist responds only with the language of consumer self-interest ("I just try to help both parties decide what they need to do for themselves"), then follow up with a question about whether the therapist holds any personal values about the importance of marital commitment. If the therapist just repeats the mantra of people doing what they have to do for themselves, then go elsewhere if your values differ.