We hear many stories of marriages ending in divorce and people staying in unhappy marriages or partnerships, and we find ourselves wondering, “what happened? Why do people decide to get divorced or go their separate ways after many years of being together? Couples grieve the loss of the marriage or the partnership they thought they would have and are forced to embrace a new reality. Couples therapy can be the last resort or the last strand of hope to make things work. This blog post, written by Space Between Counseling Services, located in Baltimore, Maryland, explores the common concerns couples reach out for support and seek couples therapy.
Has Anything Changed? Addressing the National Shortage of Couples Therapists
In 2021, Space between counseling posted a blog addressing the national shortage of couple therapists. Did anything change? Are there more couple therapists now? Since the pandemic hit, therapists, counselors, psychologists, and social workers have been seeking to address the concerns and needs of couples with relational concerns. But what happened? Why was the pandemic a catalyst for relational problems? It seems the pandemic, and subsequent shelter-in-place mandates, have served as a catalyst for relational issues and in some way forced couples to spend time with their emotions.
In this blog post, we explore some of the reasons for a shortage in couples therapists, reveal evidence based theoretical orientations for relationship counseling, advise clients on how to search for an ideal fit couples therapist, and provide resources and recommendations for those who are stuck on waiting lists to be seen.
Addressing the National Shortage of Couples Therapists
Since the pandemic hit, therapists, counselors, psychologists, and social workers have been seeking to address the concerns and needs of couples who have relational concerns. It seems the pandemic, and subsequent shelter-in-place mandates, have served as a catalyst for relational issues. While the increase in demand for therapists may be universal, there is a unique national shortage of couples therapists. While the percentage or raw numbers of therapists who practice couple or relational work is not known, it is important to note that this number is surely considerably lower than the number of practitioners who provide individual counseling.
In this blog post, we explore some of the reasons for a shortage in couples therapists, reveal evidence based theoretical orientations for relationship counseling, advise clients on how to search for an ideal fit couples therapist, and provide resources and recommendations for those who are stuck on waiting lists to be seen.