If you look up the phrase “therapy generation”, dozens of articles will pop up. Most of them focus on how Millennials grew up in a world learning to accept both mental health struggles and therapy as normal. 

Millennials have since grown into full-fledged adults. As adults, they’ve taken it upon themselves to spearhead a mental health movement. Buzzfeed even dedicates a week to the topic each year. Thanks to Millennials, the days of hiding your emotions in favor of appearing strong are beginning to fade.


Though the conversations on how to end the therapy stigma continue today, we seem to finally be nearing a consensus. 

 

4 in 5 adults interviewed in a recent poll recognize the connection between mental health and physical health, and the vast majority support insurance coverage for mental health care. 

Now that we pretty much all agree that therapy is beneficial, it’s time to move forward with the conversation. We need to focus on the many structures still barring people from seeking the treatment they need. 

 

Just because it’s considered socially acceptable for people to go to therapy in the 21st century, that doesn’t mean that everyone who needs help is getting it. 

 

For many people, the high cost of treatment and a lack of coverage (even with health insurance) is the biggest obstacle to accessing mental health services. Even in countries with universal healthcare, the additional (and often unforeseen) costs associated with mental health treatment make it inaccessible for a lot of people. 

 

As huge of an issue as it is, cost isn’t the only barrier keeping people out of a therapist’s office. 

For people of color and the disabled, reaching out for help during a mental health crisis comes with its own set of risks. 

 

Here are some sobering facts for you.

 

 

In spite of the fact that they’re usually the first community resource called on, police training is woefully lacking when it comes to safely and effectively dealing with someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Combine that with a culture that is often rife with barely concealed racism, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. It’s no wonder some in these communities feel it’s safer to live with the repercussions of untreated mental illness than it is to ask for help.

 

The real kicker? Even when people of color do reach out for help, they may find themselves face-to-face with a doctor who doesn’t believe them. Modern medical training still suffers from racial bias. This bias leads to unequal treatment, leaving patients to wonder if treatment is worth the fight. 

The issues we face now have nothing to do with the stigma that used to be associated with seeking help for mental health issues. These are much larger issues, ingrained in the fabric of our society.

With the majority of western society now believing in the value of therapy, the mental health revolution that began with the “therapy generation” has stalled out. Sure, we can talk about therapy and mental illness, but that is not enough anymore. Stigma should no longer be the focus of our fight. The social changes have happened, but the necessary structural changes have not followed.  

We live in a world that believes in the importance of mental health but is completely ineffective at treating it. 

 

Change isn’t going to happen just because we’ve deemed therapy as socially acceptable. It is time for a new narrative surrounding mental health, this time one that is aimed at our lawmakers. Accessible therapy is only going to exist if we claim it as a lawful right.

 

Thanks to the “therapy generation”, Gen Z has grown up knowing that therapy is okay. Now we’re asking for it, but we’re going to have to focus on those who can create universal and tangible change.Luckily, Gen Z is a generation that is already famous for starting revolutions. It may be a long, upward fight to make therapy affordable and accessible for all. With the power of both Generation Z and Millennials, we will be a force to be reckoned with.