Dating has always been a bit of a minefield, hasn’t it? And it seems like we’ve got a new factor to consider. Recently, Pure, a dating app, decided to poke around and see what’s up with singles and therapy. They talked to 1,000 folks from the U.S., making sure they got a mix of ages, sexual orientations, and backgrounds.
Guess what? A whopping 92% of those folks said they’re into dating people who’ve spent some time on a therapist’s couch. Yeah, you heard that right – it’s the hot new thing!
Now, it’s not just about checking off a box saying, “Yep, I’ve been to therapy.” About 70% of singles are totally cool with chatting about mental health from the get-go, and half of them even think it’s pretty sexy if therapy comes up on the first date. It’s kind of like saying, “Hey, I’m in touch with my feelings and I’ve worked on my stuff.” Pretty cool, right?
Pure says that for a lot of people, this whole therapy preference comes from past dating experiences. Around 23% of folks believe that those who’ve had a little therapy are less likely to pull some weird moves, like ghosting.
Therapy, they say, gives us the tools to talk things out and really connect with our own emotions and other people’s too. But it’s not all sunshine and roses.
Esther Perel, a big-name psychotherapist, pointed out in a Vanity Fair interview that while it’s great we’re all being more open about our mental health, there’s a downside. Some people might just throw around therapy jargon to avoid real talk or to push people away. “Oh, you disagree with me? You’re gaslighting me!” It’s like a conversation ender right there.
So, while therapy can be awesome for a lot of people, giving them real insights and help, for others, it might just be about picking up some fancy new words.
Pure wraps it up by saying, “Hey, don’t write off someone great just because they haven’t been to therapy. And if you haven’t been, don’t stress – your love life is not doomed.” If therapy isn’t your thing, or you’re just not there yet, that’s totally okay. You’re still a catch!
