A marriage doesn’t have to be in distress to bring in the help of a counselor. Marriage counselors can help newlyweds start out on the right foot or help established couples fine-tune their marriages.

Counseling can help in a number of ways:

* Decrease conflicts that lead to fights.

* Provide communication strategies for men and women.

* Suggest new ideas for reconnecting.

* Identify potentially problematic areas that may be easily resolved or require further attention.

Couples should interview prospective counselors to determine the best fit and the one they feel most comfortable with. Not all counselors are the same, and some have specific areas of relationship expertise. There also may be counselors who work with both couples and families. (MS)