Why So Many Millenials Are Trying Couples Therapy

More newly dating millennial twosomes are snuggling up on therapists’ couches. If you’re gunning for long-term love, this could be the smartest move you make.

- Rachel Simon

My boyfriend Kurt and I knew it sounded crazy. We were unmarried and in our 20s, had only been dating for six months, and were already in couples counselling. That’s why we didn’t tell anyone. We were nervous enough about it—I was legit shaking during our first visit—and we were worried people would think it meant that our relationship was falling apart fast.

Except, it wasn’t. Kurt and I had only one issue, really: I eventually wanted kids and he didn’t. We were hoping a professional could help us figure out a compromise, because otherwise, what was the point of continuing to date?

Turns out, we didn’t need to be so hush-hush about our appointments. It’s not just common for couples in their 20s and 30s to go to therapy— it’s also on the rise. According to a recent survey of engaged, married, and divorced people by MidAmerica Nazarene University, some 51% of millennials have undergone couples counseling; 23% of all respondents went before putting a ring on it.