Searches for these services rose to 41 percent in 2023, compared to the previous year, revealed Fixando in an analysis conducted throughout the month of February, which registered more than 5,700 requests on the platform of contracting services.

The analysis foresees that these counselling services could grow by 35 percent during 2024, maintaining the trend. With regard to the demand for lawyers to manage divorces, there was a halt in the hiring of legal services, as in the year 2023, this demand rose only 3 percent.

This trend reflects a greater willingness of the Portuguese to try to resolve the problems in their marriage before opting for separation, namely, through external help.

The statistics show that the majority of couples seek marriage counselling together (65 percent) and only 18 percent search for this type of support without their partner’s knowledge.

In financial terms, marriage counselling sessions have an average cost of €40, an investment that many consider costly, but which is justified given the potential benefits for the relationship.

“An analysis of this data revealed an interesting shift: in 2021, the ratio of these seeking marriage counselling divorce lawyers was ten to eight. However, last year this ratio changed dramatically, with just two requests to hire divorce lawyers for every 10 who opted for marriage counselling”, explained Alice Nunes, director of new business at Fixando.