These days, more couples are seeking counseling. No, we are not just talking about married couples. Even those who are still in the early stage of their relationship are now more open to couples therapy. Do you have any idea which generation is more welcoming of relationship counseling? As it turns out, millennial couples are actually the ones changing everyone’s point of view when it comes to such matters.
According to a study, the Gen Y generation is more open to counseling. Communication issues, affairs, money matters, and parenting style—these are just some of the reasons millennial couples feel the need to undergo couples therapy. But why is it that millennials are more open to counseling?
Baby Boomers Wait Too Long Before Turning to Counseling
Millennials and Baby Boomers have a different attitude when it comes to relationships. The older generation believes that once you commit to a relationship, you should stick with it as much as possible. Sure, some Gen-Xers are splitting up after many years of marriage. PEW Research Center claims that in the past 25 years, the divorce rate of Baby Boomers doubled in numbers. But then, the older generation is more patient and will try to hold on for years before admitting that they need professional counseling.
Generation Y Couples Are More Inclined to Relationship Counseling
One reason millennials are more into counseling than Baby Boomers is that this option is more available now than it was before. In the past, one would need to personally find a marriage counselor just to find help in fixing their marriage. But now, one can easily book an appointment or even opt for a telehealth or teletherapy service online. This makes counseling easier, more convenient, and more private.
Millennials are also known to embrace “slow love.” According to The New Psychology of Love, Gen-Yers are taking their time before finally tying the knot. It is also due to financial reasons they are taking time to work on their relationships early on. They know that getting counseling early is a better option than going through a divorce because of the same reasons.
Millennials: Teaching Us to Embrace Couples Therapy
Millennials are more courageous and open-minded when it comes to relationships. If something is wrong, they tend not to keep a blind eye and a deaf ear. What they do is that they find ways to start resolving their issues. Instead of blaming games and dragging their relationship issues for months or years even, they seem to consider taking accountability for their actions.
For Gen-Yers, to make a relationship work, one needs to understand their partner more. This can mean taking time to talk with their significant other just to get to the bottom of things and start trying to work things out early in the relationship. If they can’t do this one their own, they will do their research and seek help from the pros.
Indeed, we can learn many things from different generations. But when it comes to relationships, millennials prove to have a deeper understanding regarding the importance of counseling. They are changing the way people view marriage therapy and the thinking that one should not wait too long before getting professional help.
