Gen Z's Trauma Therapy Compared to Millennials, Boomers

Newsweek

2 days ago

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Gen Z may have a reputation for being the weakest generation, but their trauma therapy habits indicate they are not too different from their millennial and Gen-X elders. Baby Boomers, however, show a reluctance to seek help for traumatic experiences.
In a new report from Rula Health, Americans' therapy habits were analyzed by generation. Baby Boomers' reluctance for trauma therapy may be defined by their upbringing.
"Their reluctance to seek trauma therapy reflects a generation that was told to suck it up, repress everything, and call it strength," Driscoll told Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Gen Z, which includes those aged roughly from 12 to 28, has been reported as more likely to deal with mental health issues, with some employers and elders seeing them as a "softer" generation.
A survey by Talker Research for Traditional Medicinals found that 19 percent of respondents under 18 had taken a mental health day in the past few weeks alone. Meanwhile, 65 percent of Baby Boomers said they had never called in sick due to stress.
Additionally, a 2023 Gallup survey found that just 15 percent of Gen Zers reported their mental health as excellent, a substantial drop from the decade before when 52 percent of millennials in the same age range reported their mental health as excellent.
Elyssa Thelin, a substance use disorder counselor and art therapist at the Cielo Treatment Center, talks about how people use art as therapy for their feelings and trauma at the Cielo Treatment Center for drug...
Elyssa Thelin, a substance use disorder counselor and art therapist at the Cielo Treatment Center, talks about how people use art as therapy for their feelings and trauma at the Cielo Treatment Center for drug addiction rehabilitation and mental health in Portland, Oregon on January 24, 2024. More
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
What To Know
When it comes to the generations and trauma therapy, there are fewer differences than one might expect.
The new Rula Health report found those aged 18 to 24 (considered older Gen-Zers) sought therapy due to trauma 31.6 percent of the time, with those aged 25 and 34 (oldest of Gen-Z and the younger half of millennials) also seeking help for trauma at 30.8 percent.
Even in the older age group of 45 to 54 (Gen-X), 30.1 percent reported they were going to therapy for trauma. The number only significantly dipped off at age 55 to 64 (the oldest of Gen-X and younger Boomers), when only 16.9 percent were in therapy for trauma, and even less, 10.3 percent of those aged 65 and older (Baby Boomers) said they went to therapy due to trauma.
This reflects that Baby Boomers are the real outlier when it comes to their views on trauma and therapy, said Bryan Driscoll, an HR consultant who specializes in generational differences.
"Their reluctance to seek trauma therapy reflects a generation that was told to suck it up, repress everything, and call it strength," Driscoll told Newsweek. "But unaddressed trauma doesn't go away - it just turns into bad parenting, addiction, rage, and broken families. Boomers don't dodge therapy because they're tougher than younger generations. They dodge therapy because they've been shamed out of it."
Relationship therapist Joy Berkheimer, who is also the founder of Joy Collective, echoed this sentiment.
"The reluctance among many Boomers to seek therapy reflects deeper cultural, societal, and historical contexts," Berkheimer told Newsweek. "They were raised in a time where mental health stigma was stronger, and seeking help could be seen as a sign of failure or weakness."
Across the board, 54 percent of those in therapy were seeking it for help with anxiety, with 52.9 percent going due to depression. A similar rate to those in therapy for trauma (26.8 percent) were seeing a professional for stress or burnout at 33.1 percent.
Those aged 45 to 54 reported the highest rates of anxiety and burnout, while those aged 55 to 64 showed the highest rates of depression.
What People Are Saying
Bryan Driscoll, an HR consultant who specializes in generational differences, told Newsweek: "This data doesn't show Gen Z and other younger generations are weak. It shows they're more self-aware and more willing to confront pain head-on, rather than bury it under a 'just deal with it' mentality. What people too often label as weakness is actually emotional literacy. Older generations were raised to believe therapy was for people who were broken. Gen Z knows it's for people who want to break cycles."
Monica Cwynar, a licensed counselor and social worker with Thriveworks, told Newsweek: "Baby boomers (ages 55–64) and older generations show much lower rates of therapy-seeking behavior, particularly at only 16.9 percent. Their lower rate of engagement can reflect a cultural background shaped by different societal norms around mental health, where there has traditionally been a stigma associated with seeking help. Boomers are more likely to emphasize resilience, self-reliance, and the belief that personal struggles should be handled privately, that seeking help is a weakness, resulting in a hesitance to seek external support like therapy."
Relationship therapist Joy Berkheimer, also the founder of Joy Collective, told Newsweek: "The data clearly does not support the narrative that Gen Z is 'weaker.' Instead, it shows that all generations are increasingly recognizing the importance of mental health, though their methods and comfort levels differ. What we're witnessing is a shift in cultural norms: more openness, less stigma, and greater access."
What Happens Next
Berkheimer said on a larger level, Gen Z is breaking down the stigmas around mental health and trauma, which could impact how people engage with therapy moving forward.
"This generation is more likely to openly seek therapy, prioritize emotional well-being, and engage in practices that emphasize healing and self-awareness... In contrast, older generations may have been conditioned to view therapy as a last resort or a sign of weakness, often due to cultural and societal taboos rooted in stigma and distrust."