Couples Therapist: Is your time up?

Cabin Fever, Digital Cure

Imagine being in a Norwegian cabin and having a nice dinner with the one you love. After a good start the conversation changed direction, and turned from prospects to problems. Leaving the couple sulking in separate rooms. The communication was broken. Being miles away from public transport, and a few glasses of wine away from being able to drive, one of them started chatting to ChatGPT. The response was relayed to the other. The partner, intrigued, did the same.

"I have never felt so understood in my whole life," one admitted. The AI helped translate tangled feelings into words that were sharable. Ironically, they had already been to couples therapy. However, in that remote cabin without any real-life third party available, it was AI that sparked the breakthrough.

The Global Love Economy

Our cabin couple isn't the only one who has turned to therapy to improve their relationship. Couples therapy is an industry worth about $12.9 billion in 2024, with a steady global growth projected [1].

Prices differ by region, but surveys show sessions range between about $75–$250 USD, with an international average near $139 USD [2]. That's a romantic dinner in Lisbon, maybe two in Mumbai, or just drinks in London.

The appetite for relationship help is rising. A 2023 survey found that about 37% of U.S. adults had attended couples therapy at some point [3].

Enter the Digital Era

AI-powered chatbots like Wysa, Woebot, and Youper have demonstrated clear effectiveness in individual mental health. Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials confirm they can reduce depression and anxiety symptoms and extend access to support in regions where professionals are scarce [4][5][6]. However, here's the critical distinction: these results are for individuals, not couples. What it shows however, is that AI has entered the therapy arena.

The Sign Reader

Couples therapy isn't only about words. Therapists catch sighs, silences, and side-eye glances that carry more meaning than any transcript.

The "Lie Detector Skill" — knowing when "I'm fine" means "I am absolutely not fine" — remains firmly human. So does the art of turning a fight about laundry into a conversation about childhood attachment.

The Humans Strike Back

Attrition is another hurdle. Digital mental health tools often suffer steep engagement drop-offs; many users chat briefly, then disappear [7]. Couples therapy requires sustained commitment, and high attrition rates could be a significant downside with digital therapy.

Additionally, human therapists can pivot: crack a joke, sit in silence, or deliver the eyebrow raise that says both of you know what's happening here. That's improvisation AI can't download.

The Cabin Returns

Back to our cabin couple. The AI provided the spark, but the healing happened when they finally sat face-to-face. Talking, asking for understanding and forgiveness, and finding a path forward. The whole intricate analog experience.

In this case AI was the immediate translator. The rest was up to them, and they returned to a real-life couple therapist a few weeks later.