Marriage counseling works best when both partners are willing to show up, even if one of you is more skeptical than the other. You do not have to agree on everything. You just have to be willing to try.
It can help if you are stuck in the same arguments, if communication has broken down, if trust has been damaged, or if a major life change has put strain on your relationship. It can also help when nothing is dramatically wrong but the closeness you used to have has faded.
One important note: Marriage counseling is not appropriate when there is active domestic violence, physical threats, intimidation, or emotional abuse. If you are in this situation, individual therapy is a safer starting point. For physical abuse or threats, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.