Many couples opt to try legal separation to determine if filing for divorce is the right option for them. Legal separation does not change your marital status and a legal separation begins immediately, there is no waiting period like in a divorce case. In addition, there are no constraints on what you can and cannot do with your spouse during a legal separation in California. Therefore, attending marriage counseling with your spouse to see if you two can work out your differences will cause no problem in your legal separation case. For more information about the legal effect of a legal separation, visit http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-divorce.htm.Also, read http://www.freelegalaid.com/nav/california/divorce-and-family-law/article/legal-separation-california for details regarding how to initate a legal separation in California.