Are Therapists In Demand Post-COVID?

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of traditional mental health services and outpatient health clinics dropped considerably. Social distancing requirements, staff redeployment, and the conversion of inpatient beds to COVID units all contributed to declining health service-related activities. The healthcare turmoil caused by the pandemic was felt globally, and researchers became concerned that its impact on mental and physical well-being could lead to a “mental health tsunami” as the average person’s mental health declined. 

Sure enough, data from 2022 and onward indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic—which continues to represent a significant threat, particularly to immunocompromised individuals—likely caused a significant increase in the incidence of mental health concerns worldwide. One study published in The Lancet estimated that cases of depression and anxiety increased by over 25% globally, likely spurring a higher demand for treatment. The answer to the question, “Are therapists in demand post-COVID” is yes, but there’s more to it than that. Let’s explore the deeper nuances of the effects of this ongoing pandemic on mental health and the mental health care industry.

Has COVID impacted your mental health?

Talk to a counselor for support

The pandemic’s impact on mental health treatment

It is now widely reported that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a substantial increase in mental health care referrals and requests for treatment. However, the reasons behind this increase are nuanced and complex. Many are content to accept the simplified argument that lockdowns, social distancing, and politicization of the pandemic increased average stress levels considerably, spurring many to seek counseling or therapy. While that is a fair general overview of the pandemic’s impact, it does not capture the subtleties of its implications. Let’s explore some of these here. 

Mental well-being and treatment during the height of COVID-19

Many researchers were initially concerned that the need for therapeutic services would increase substantially after the pandemic was officially declared. In reality, treatment-seeking dropped at first—but then it rose sharply. The greatest increase happened between 2020 and 2021, indicating a substantial delay between the pandemic’s onset and increased demand for psychological services. Research indicates that the likely reasons for the delay include decreased intakes in the early days of the pandemic, reduced referrals, and delayed mental health effects that only emerged after the acute phases of lockdowns.

Contracting COVID-19 itself can also cause cognitive issues, such as the characteristic “brain fog” that is widely reported in those overcoming the virus—which could affect a person’s emotional health. There is also a strong link between COVID, anxiety, and depression. So once more people contracted the virus or contracted it multiple times, its mental health effects may have grown.

In addition to the reasons cited above, interest in therapy may also have increased because awareness and availability of therapeutic services—particularly alternative formats such as online therapy—increased rapidly in the early days of the pandemic. Forced to contend with strict social distancing requirements to keep themselves and their clients safe, many practitioners offered services remotely to maintain their practices and continue helping people.

The substantial increase in those utilizing internet-based therapy during the pandemic may indicate that the overall mental well-being of people nationwide and worldwide declined considerably. However, it may also indicate an increased willingness of clinicians to provide services remotely and decreased stigma around seeking care. Clients may have also been more willing to try seeing a professional online when in-person services were unavailable. 

Mental health services after the pandemic’s peak

At the time of this writing, the COVID-19 pandemic is past its acute phase, but its effects continue to be felt across the world. Researchers are working to identify trends as many of the challenges associated with lockdowns and social isolation subside, so much of this data is not yet available. The most recent reliable figures were collected in 2021, which may reflect some of the more acute effects of the pandemic.

While it is not possible to predict future trends with complete accuracy, evidence suggests that awareness and demand for treatment are still high and are likely to remain high. Preliminary data indicates that the number of US adults experiencing a mental illness remained stable at around 19% from 2022 to 2023. Although the total number of mental disorders did not climb substantially, a survey of psychological practitioners published by the American Psychological Association revealed that they noted a substantial increase in the severity of their clients’ mental health symptoms since 2022, and nearly half reported that the number of sessions required to treat a client successfully had increased. 

Can the increased demand for therapists be met?

Requests for mental health support continue to grow, likely prompted not just by increased need, but also by greater awareness of mental health and continued reduction of social stigma surrounding psychotherapy. Evidence suggests that the average person is increasingly likely to investigate and confront potential mental health concerns. 

For example, the Online Screening Program from Mental Health America (MHA), a service that provides preliminary screening tools for various mental disorders, experienced a significant increase in utilization following the pandemic's start. In 2020, MHA saw a 103% increase in the number of people using their screeners compared to 2019. In 2021, that increase had grown to over 500%.

While increased awareness of mental health concerns and a willingness to seek help are positive developments, many practitioners report difficulty meeting the increased demand for their services. In 2021, 41% of psychologists reported working at or beyond capacity and being unable to take on new patients, an increase of 11% from 2020. Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation also suggests that, as of 2022, 47% of the US population was living in a behavioral health workforce shortage area, indicating a severe shortage of practitioners as demand continues to rise. 

Addressing the practitioner shortage

Again, trends indicate that demand for therapy services will likely continue to increase. The first measure to address the shortage of qualified professionals—the increased utilization of telehealth services—is well underway. Evidence suggests that providing services remotely may be an effective way to increase availability and reduce practitioner load. However, experts also point out that teletherapy alone is not a permanent fix, since, for example, it may be less effective for children and for those experiencing a more severe mental illness. 

Addressing the practitioner shortage to support treatment for all will likely require key public policy changes moving forward. The Kaiser Permanente Institute of Health Policy issued some long-term recommendations for these, including:

• Increase research on the trends of this sector, as they’re likely to continue evolving rapidly
• Boost funding for training programs to increase the availability of qualified mental health practitioners 
• Support diversification of the workforce, as those most affected by the practitioner shortage tend to be the most vulnerable—like those living in poverty or those with more severe conditions—and more diversity, training, and awareness are required to effectively serve these populations
• Continue to promote the use of technology to meet demand when possible, such as teletherapy

Getting support for mental health after the pandemic’s peak

As demand for behavioral health care rises, it’s increasingly difficult to find appointments with a professional in person. One potential solution is to utilize online therapy services like BetterHelp, which will match you with a licensed therapist who you can meet with virtually—via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging.

Licensed online therapists use the same evidence-based treatments as their traditional in-person counterparts. They can treat a variety of mental health challenges and conditions including depression and anxiety—two illnesses that saw major increases during the pandemic—using the same techniques as traditional therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a research-backed psychotherapeutic approach that’s been demonstrably effective in treating a variety of conditions. Furthermore, evidence suggests that it can be just as effective when administered online as in person.