It’s natural to wonder about the marriage counseling success rate before investing time, energy, and money. Why commit to something that might not work? Knowing the potential outcome can help couples make informed decisions about whether to proceed with therapy¹.
Our Success Rate: 90%
At our practice, 90% of couples who come to us considering divorce decide to stay together after completing our program. We calculate this rate based on couples who explicitly reported they were considering ending their marriage when they began counseling, and who, by the end, chose to remain together.
We cannot speak for other therapists or counseling centers. If you’re curious about another provider’s track record, ask them about their success rate. While not all counselors track this data, transparency is valuable when making such a significant decision².
Is There a Universal Marriage Counseling Success Rate?
There is no single, universally accepted figure. Success rates can vary widely depending on the counselor’s training, methodology, and level of specialization in couples work³.
Research suggests that marriage counseling using evidence-based models—such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) or Imago Relationship Therapy—can result in improvement for 70–75% of couples⁴. However, generalist therapists without advanced couples training may see much lower success rates⁵.
In our experience, the high success rate we see is due to:
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Neutral facilitation — We don’t take sides; both partners are heard equally.
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Structured dialogue — One partner speaks while the other listens and mirrors back, reducing shaming, blaming, and escalation.
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Safety and respect — Sessions are designed to create an emotionally secure environment.
This structure allows couples to address underlying issues without the destructive patterns that may have defined past attempts at communication.
Key Points Summary
- There is no universal success rate—it depends heavily on the counselor’s training and approach.
- Evidence-based methods show the best outcomes, often in the 70–75% improvement range.
- Our 90% success rate is calculated based on couples entering therapy on the brink of divorce and choosing to stay together after counseling.
- Ask about a counselor’s training and track record before committing to therapy.
- Structured, safe dialogue is key to rebuilding trust and emotional connection.
Sources
- Gurman, A. S., & Fraenkel, P. (2002). The history of couple therapy: A millennial review. Family Process, 41(2), 199–260.
- Geiss, S. K., & O’Leary, K. D. (1981). Therapist ratings of frequency and severity of marital problems: Implications for research. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 7(4), 515–520.
- American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (n.d.). Marriage and Couples Counseling Outcomes.
- Johnson, S. M., Hunsley, J., Greenberg, L., & Schindler, D. (1999). Emotionally focused couples therapy: Status and challenges. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6(1), 67–79.
- Baucom, D. H., Shoham, V., Mueser, K. T., Daiuto, A. D., & Stickle, T. R. (1998). Empirically supported couple and family interventions for marital distress and adult mental health problems. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(1), 53–88.
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