III. Industry Analysis
The past few years have seen a revolution in the counseling industry. The importance of mental health and the benefits of talking with a counselor to cope with life’s challenges is on the rise. Now more than ever, people are eager to work with a therapist as they navigate their challenges and improve their quality of life. This is creating a greater demand for therapists and counselors.
Furthermore, we saw some major shifts in marriage and divorce rates over the past few years. Divorces escalated during the pandemic, and marriages have been in decline for decades. We have also seen the rise of diverse families, such as families with same-sex parents and blended families. All of these changes create family, relationship, and marriage challenges that were far more diverse than decades past. Luckily, the stigma around therapy is dissolving, so more people than ever before are looking to counseling for help with their relationship or family matters.
Another recent change in the industry is the transition to remote services. Many people get their counseling sessions online through phone or video chat therapy, and this trend is expected to continue. However, now that the pandemic is over, more people want to go back to in-person sessions. Clinics that can provide both options will have more resilience in the future.
A significant challenge that private practices face is major online therapeutic services. These services connect clients with therapists online from anywhere in the world. These essentially are “gig” opportunities for therapists and have gained popularity for several years for their affordable cost and convenience.
However, there has been significant pushback against these services due to the lack of quality counseling received and shady payment practices. As a result, many clients are returning to private practices to find therapists they can develop a true relationship with.
