Dempsey admits marriage counselling

Grey's Anatomy heart-throb Patrick Dempsey regularly visits a marriage guidance counsellor to keep his relationship with wife Jillian steady.

The actor, 41, admits his priorities have shifted from career success to maintaining a happy family life in recent years, and he credits therapy sessions with helping him achieve domestic bliss.

He tells Life magazine: "We go in for checkups and go: 'Hey, here's what we need to work on.' We've had a very good relationship from the beginning, but you run into things you have to work through.

"Being a father makes you look at yourself. You look at your marriage and go 'How do I improve this? How do I keep growing and create a stable environment for my children?'"

The couple have a four-year-old daughter, Talula. They are also expecting twin sons this year.