Demand for couples counseling rising rapidly
The number of registered couples and family therapists in the Netherlands has increased nearly 2.5-fold since 2015, AD reports.
Data from the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) shows 2,070 therapists are now active, compared with 878 a decade ago, with two new practitioners added weekly.
The highest numbers are in Noord-Holland (418) and Zuid-Holland (348), while Zeeland saw the fastest growth, increasing to 33 therapists. Utrecht has the most therapists per capita, with one per 5,577 residents, and Friesland the fewest, one per 13,238 residents.
Therapists report a growing influx of young, highly educated adults seeking what is often described as a “relationship check-up” or “relatie-apk.”
“In the past year, requests from young adults increased, and 9 percent report relationship difficulties linked to psychological problems,” Erna Snellen, founder of Praktijk Liefdespijn, which operates in five Dutch cities, told AD.
The trend reportedly marks a shift in perception: couples therapy is no longer seen as a last resort. Tila Pronk, a relationship researcher and associate professor at Tilburg University, told AD that couples therapy has moved out of the taboo space, though many couples still arrive only after serious problems emerge.
“Couples often have never had the conversation about their issues. By the time they do, one partner may already want to leave,” she explained.
Therapists agree that counseling is effective. Pronk noted, “Even if therapy does not save a relationship, it almost always provides insight into what happened and why.” Sessions typically cost between 150 and 200 euros, with couples needing an average of five to ten sessions, according to Langedijk.
