Before you call a marriage counselor, you will want to outline for yourself the issues that your marriage faces, so that you can communicate them to your prospective counselor. This also helps you to know what it is that you are hoping to get out of the counseling. For example, if one of your marital problems is fighting over money, then you wish to gain the ability to discuss money rationally, and not end up in a fight. Also, outlining your issues helps you to find a marriage counselor that is qualified to deal with them. For example, if many of your marital problems stem from your children (for example, putting your children before your spouse) then you would want a counselor that is familiar with children involved issues.

The next thing you want to do when choosing a marriage counselor is know their fees. If you can't afford them, there is no point is going further with this particular counselor. So, decide what you can afford to pay a marriage counselor. Then, get answers to the following questions:
 How much does the counselor charge per session?
 Does the counselor charge according to income (sliding scale)?
 Is there a policy concerning vacations and missed or canceled sessions? Is there a charge?
 Will your health insurance cover you if you see this counselor?
 Will the counselor want you to pay after each session, or will you be billed periodically?
 What methods of payment do they accept?
This will help you determine whether or not this counselor can work for you financially.

Once you have determined which marriage counselors have the experience to meet your specific needs, and fees to meet your budget, it is time to get down to the questions for the counselor. You will want to get answers to the following:
 How many times a week will the counselor want to see you?
 How long is a typical session?
 How long does the counselor expect treatment to last?
 What are some of the treatment approaches likely to be used?
 Does the counselor accept phone calls at the office or at home?
 When your counselor is out of town or otherwise unavailable, is there someone else you can call if an emergency arises?
 Are there any limitations on confidentiality?
The answers you get need to be comfortable to you. So, if you need someone who is willing to see you three times a week, then you can eliminate the possibility of those that can't or won't. There is not one right answer to each of these questions, rather, whatever makes you most comfortable.

After the previous step you should have your list of potential marriage counselors pretty well narrowed down. So, other than how well you mesh with them (chemistry), the other thing you will want to look at is their credentials. Believe it or not, marriage counselors' academic degrees are different. The following is a brief explanation about what the letters in their titles mean, and how that effects you:

M.S.W.: Master of Social Work
These are like social workers. They apply social work theory, knowledge, methods and ethics to increase social functioning of individuals, couples, families, and groups, as well as organizations and communities. So, if you marital problems arise from social related issues (such as bad manners) this marriage counselor would be a great choice.

M.F.C.C.: Marriage, Family and Child Counselor
An MFCC counselor has earned a Master of Science degree in counseling with a specialization in marriage, family and child issues. MFCC's are probably one of your best counselor choices for your marital problems especially if you have children as they are trained to understand problems from both individual and family systems perspectives.

M.F.T.: Marriage and Family Therapist
A marriage and family therapist has earned a master's degree in social work with a particular emphasis on relationships. Thus, they are great for giving you advice on yours. This counselor mostly focuses on your roles within your current and past contexts. Marriage and family therapy applies therapeutic techniques and focuses on issues of human development, communication skills, and interpersonal relationships. This is a great choice if your marriage struggle comes from lack of definition in social and marital roles, or if you have communication issues.

L.C.S.W.: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
The LCSW is a state licensed practitioners with a master's or doctoral degree in social work. These types of marriage counselors are generally used when relationships in troubled homes need help.

Ok, so now you know what their letters mean, and what the means to you, so what else do you have to do when choosing a marriage counselor? Call around! You want to make sure that this counselor is right for you. Many marriage counselors will give you a brief phone consultation, which is a very effective way to determine if this counselor is one you will mesh well with.