When things aren’t going right in your relationship, you might consider calling it quits. Whether you bicker all the time, can’t stand your partner’s family, or have a hard time communicating, these symptoms are often the consequences of a deeper underlying issue. Are you just not compatible? Have you fallen out of love? Is there anything that can fix your relationship?

While some people break it off, others are willing to give it another shot through couples therapy. This kind of therapy serves the purpose of providing a neutral mediator to bridge the gap between you and your partner. The therapist will use techniques aimed at isolating the problems you and your partner have individually through guided questions. Then, the therapist will try to open communication between you and your partner to get to the bottom of the strife and provide advice for improvement. It’s going to be a little awkward and uncomfortable, but if both of you are in it to save your relationship, you’ll have to keep that goal in mind.

However, couples therapy is not the same for everyone. While research reports an overwhelming majority of couples that were satisfied by their therapy, still 38% of couples get divorced within 4 years after completing marriage counseling.

So, is it worth it?

Our answer is, it depends. Couples therapy will only work if both parties are determined to make it work. Therapy is one part about the therapist, but mostly about the participants. If you and your partner believe you can work it out, chances are, you will. But if one side is trepidatious, that will impact your success.

If you’re questioning whether couples therapy is right for you, consider the things about your partner that are causing problems. Can these things be changed with a new attitude, or are they unchangeable personality traits? With a realistic evaluation, you’ll be able to save your relationship, or move on to the next one.