Does couples therapy actually work??

My boyfriend flipped out on me because I was watching this series on Netflix and I think it has something to do with the fact the other night he got physical with me. And now he thinks I'm getting ideas to get him in trouble. Which I'm not. We were both heated, he hit me, I hit back, and then he choked me. I don't ever put my hands on him first but I'll be damned if I'm gonna sit there and just take it anymore. And I can already see the comments saying I'm abusive too. Let me just start with saying I don't in anyway hit this man unless he hits me and yeah I'll slap back. But I'm 5'6 and 110 pounds soaking wet, he's 5'9 and 235 pounds. I used to just sit there and let him hit me. Nothing major just a slap in my mouth if I'm being mouthy. But now if he slaps me, I'll slap him back. This was the first time it ever escalated to being choked. Anyway, the cops pulled us over and he's begging me not to say anything and I said I won't. Cop asks if we knew anything about a couple fighting in vehicle. He says "yea we were arguing." They get me out of the car and want to ask me questions. I said it was just a verbal altercation nothing physical I'm good. Asked for my number to call when he wasn't around me. My heart seriously hurt for him when he was begging me not to tell them, I felt horrible and just wanted to hold him. I know call me pathetic but I can't help it. I know his childhood was absolutely horrific and I hurt for him and all he's ever known is abuse. Now my therapist says some people can't break the cycle. And I believe that, luckily I was one that broke the cycle because at such a young age I was in and out of foster care. Biological parents abused me and chose drugs over me. Finally when I was adopted I was emotionally abused and mentally. The woman I called mom constantly played victim and as I got older I realized I never wanted to be like her and honestly wished she never adopted me. She was horrible. The man I called dad was always there for me, he'd come visit me when I moved out at 18 with the guy I'm with now. He understood why i didn't live there. I mean heck ever since i was 14 he made his own little place in the basement and slept down there just to get away from her. I am now 22 years old and all I have is my boyfriend. And I swear he's the sweetest man but when he snaps, he snaps. And I take it until he cools off because that was normalized to me growing up. I just wish somehow he could realize he didn't have to be in fight or flight mode with me..I'm not the one against him in anyway. I just wonder if couples therapy would work.. I just want to show him that not everybody is out to hurt him and he doesn't have to lash out. He promised he'd never choke me again and he was really sorry and got me throat drops and ice packs. He said he'd go to therapy and get help. That's all I want just for him to get help. We can't help how our minds work and as long as someone is helping themselves to be and do better then I can work with that. I just wanna throw this out there, he has 2 amazing daughters and they love their daddy to death. He has never once treated them bad in anyway. And the oldest will be 7 this year. Him and the mother of his children do not get a long what so ever. She's super vindictive and still to this day she'll send this man videos and pictures of her doing other guys. Which now he doesn't even get phased by it. I just don't want y'all to think he's absolutely horrible and jump to him being abusive to kids. Because no. this man can't even watch a movie if a kid is being abused. And he loves and cares for his daughtersdearly. The mother just got charged with meth so he sees them a lot more now at their grandparents, which I know that helps him. Because I know not being able to see your kids because you didn't want to be with a woman that cheated on you would probably put a strain on life. Sometimes I think he thinks I'm going to do him how she did and I've tried showing him I'm not. I'll just be glad when he starts therapy.