research

The conversation about mental health in America has never been louder—or more complicated—than it is in 2026. On social media, therapists are posting daily videos alongside ads for AI tools promising to replace them. In the news, politicians are weighing in regularly on who should get care, how they should…

Despite the rise of therapist influencers, online reviews, and AI chatbots, new Thriveworks research reveals that primary care doctors are the No. 1 referral source when Americans decide to seek therapy. Thriveworks surveyed over 2,000 U.S. adults who are currently in therapy, recently received care, or plan to start within…

Have you ever paused mid-conversation and wondered if you’re using a mental health term correctly? Maybe you’ve described feeling “triggered” by something at work, or found yourself questioning whether a situation was really “toxic” or just frustrating. These moments of uncertainty have become part of a cultural shift where mental…

As a leader in mental healthcare delivery for over 15 years, Thriveworks has seen mental healthcare demand skyrocket and explosive growth in behavioral health solutions. Despite this growth, lack of both access and affordability continue to plague consumers while trust in the system erodes.  Themes from the stage at the…

Gaining work experience is often viewed as a positive process, something we grow and learn from. But what about negative experiences in our work history?  Could toxic work environments and professional relationships leave us with “post-traumatic job stress?”  To find out, Thriveworks recently conducted a research study into how many…

A new research study from Thriveworks shows that more Americans are engaged in parasocial relationships than they care to admit. Humans naturally form one-sided connections to media personas and public figures, even genuinely mourning their deaths. These parasocial relationships are usually harmless, though 9% of people report lasting mental health…

It’s hard for me to imagine a world in which I don’t wake up, pour beans into a grinder, and wait patiently for that first cup of warm, life-giving goodness to rush through me. Nothing starts the day off quite like that first cup of coffee. And yet I’ve heard…

It’s impossible to delegate an entire people’s history to one month—but it is possible to use February as a way to focus on the contributions and achievements of Black individuals and those of African descent. Black people in the US have left an undeniable impact on our country’s heritage, with…

According to new research* from Thriveworks, over a third (34%) of Americans believe that their romantic relationships (current or previous) are the leading cause of their mental health concerns. Love, attachment, and intimacy can all trigger buried fears, past traumas, and self-esteem issues. And yet we still seek connection with…

Willpower is often thought of as an “x” factor—an unquantifiable, but powerful force that, if only we could capture it, could allow us to conquer our vices and achieve our goals. Willpower is perhaps the most romanticized of all psychological traits, but rarely have we stopped to pose the question:…

Thriveworks conducted an in-depth analysis of over 54,000 data points to identify the Top Mental Health Terms for 2021, determined by how each term has grown in usage over the past five years. This research assessed how 71 mental health terms were used across online, print, and broadcast sources. The…

What memories are at the forefront when you think back on your pandemic year? Maybe you really got into home workouts, started to bake bread, and found some deep cuts on Netflix you’d never have discovered otherwise. In some ways, maybe it wasn’t so bad for you. But for many…