When I begin working with couples, I start with the agreement that I will teach how to respectfully communicate and listen with one another so that decisions are thoughtful and responsive instead of reactive. I do not tell you if you should stay together. I will facilitate the opportunity to use those tools, which should enable the opportunity for the two of you to decide on what is best for your relationship and family. Often I work with couples that have someone with a mood disorder such as depression or bipolar disorder. When working with those couples, I begin with teaching the couple about the mood disorder, the symptoms, and how it affects the brain, as current research describes it. This education has been proven to be essential for couples to understand the reasons behind behavior and to help each other identify symptoms earlier in episodes. I then usually focus on improving communication skills. Although communication seems simple, it is a complex skill with unique differences among individuals. With this foundation, I am then able to help couples solve their problems together.