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.