Grow Therapy 2023 Provider Partner Survey: National Report on Mental Health

This report summarizes the results of a national survey of Grow Therapy’s Provider Partners conducted from February 28 to March 22, 2023. A total of 266 therapists completed the survey, representing a range of specialties, professional titles, years of experience and geographic locations across the United States. The survey was designed to capture therapists’ observations about mental health trends in America in 2023 and to surface insights that can inform providers, patients and organizations working to expand access to care.

Survey scope and purpose

The survey gathered frontline impressions from practicing clinicians about who is seeking therapy, the most common presenting problems, the impact of current events and social media on mental health, and strategies for reducing stigma. It also explored therapists’ perspectives on running a private practice and the benefits of partnering with an administrative and technology-focused platform like Grow Therapy.

Major findings

• Demand for therapy is increasing: 83% of therapists reported an uptick in patients seeking therapy for the first time during the survey period.
• Millennials are the largest client group: More than half of therapists (53%) said clients aged 27–42 make up the majority of their caseload.
• Primary reasons for seeking care: Anxiety and stress were the most common reasons clients sought help (34%), followed by depression (15%), trauma (9%) and romantic relationship issues (8%).
• Media and mental health: Nearly all respondents (99.6%) indicated that the news can negatively affect mental health, and 100% said social media consumption can have a negative impact.

Reducing stigma around therapy

Therapists identified several approaches they believe will help normalize seeking professional mental health care:

• Open conversations: Roughly half (47%) emphasized the importance of honest discussions with family, friends and peers, including on social media, to normalize therapy.
• Framing mental health like physical health: 24% of therapists agreed that comparing mental health to physical health can reduce stigma.
• Education and public awareness: 14% pointed to increased education through public service announcements and school-based programs as important for stigma reduction.

Recommendations for improving mental health outside therapy

When asked what clients can do to support mental well-being outside of formal treatment, therapists most frequently recommended:

• Regular exercise (23%)
• Spending time with loved ones (22%)
• Time in nature (17%)
• Meditation or scheduled time alone (16%)
• Joining a support group (11%)

Advice for first-time therapy clients

Therapists offered practical guidance for people beginning therapy:

• Find the right fit: 15% emphasized the importance of locating a therapist who matches your needs and style.
• Be open-minded: 14% encouraged clients to engage with the process and be willing to try different approaches.
• Set clear goals: 13% recommended defining what you want to achieve in therapy.
• Be patient: 14% reminded clients that therapy takes time.
• Expected timeline for outcomes: 87% of therapists reported that tangible outcomes typically appear within about 2–10 sessions in most cases.

Therapists’ perspectives on private practice and partnerships

Respondents weighed in on obstacles and opportunities associated with running a private practice:

• Access to care remains a barrier: Therapists cited limited options for patients to use insurance and other factors that increase out-of-pocket costs as ongoing obstacles to access.
• Benefits of partnering with an administrative platform: Many therapists reported that working with a partner like Grow reduces time spent on administrative tasks (24%), allows more focus on meaningful clinical work (23%), supports professional development (14%) and improves work-life balance (18%).
• Practice opportunities for the year: Therapists identified better control of schedules to improve work-life balance (23%) and growing their practices to reach more patients (22%) as key opportunities.

About Grow Therapy’s marketplace

Grow Therapy operates a marketplace that helps patients find therapists by filtering for insurance type, state, specialty, gender, virtual or in-person availability, and appointment times. Therapists who join the marketplace receive administrative support such as billing and credentialing, access to a telehealth platform and a custom-built electronic health record, membership in a private peer community, and access to discounted health insurance. These supports aim to reduce administrative burden so clinicians can spend more time on patient care and practice growth.

Overall, the survey indicates rising demand for mental health services, a significant presence of millennial clients, and persistent concerns about the negative effects of news and social media on well-being. Therapists emphasized practical strategies to normalize care, support clients outside of therapy, and improve access through partnerships that minimize administrative work and enable clinicians to focus on outcomes and growth.