It Takes a Village
The phrase "it takes a village to raise a child" is one that is commonly heard and of course, agreed upon resoundingly. Even so, fewer people give thought to the fact that it also takes a village to maintain a marriage. While some would argue that this is less true than child-rearing, the fact of the matter is, a big party of why people get married and have ceremonies to which they invite friends and family is that this ceremony is more than just a ritual for the couple, it is also one for the community. A marriage celebration includes asking for the support of the community, and on a level just beginning to be studied by scientists, it produces the necessary chemicals and hormones within the attendees to do just that!
Support for a marriage, whether it is from a friend or in the form of marriage therapy Apex, NC or elsewhere, is part of what makes the whole pattern work. As a social species, we continue to need one another even after pairing off!