Get Better, Together

Online Group Therapy in the Central African Republic, join right away.

Grouport places new members into a small English-language group led by a licensed therapist right away, over HIPAA-compliant video. For a country with 4.37 mental health workers per 100,000 people and effectively one psychiatric hospital in Bangui, the model routes around the domestic 16-week wait and the need to travel to the capital, at a flat $32 a session.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

The State of Mental Health in the Central African Republic.

Understanding the landscape of mental health care access and the challenges
residents face across the state.

Mental Illness Prevalence

Elevated post-conflict rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD are reported across CAR, driven by prolonged armed conflict and displacement.

Wait Time

16 weeks typical wait for a first appointment through CAR's public and NGO-supported mental health services.

Median Household Income

$1,340 GNI per capita PPP, CAR is classified as low income, one of the lowest in the world.

Percentage Who Need Therapy

Roughly 90% of Central Africans with a mental health condition receive no formal clinical treatment estimates for low-income conflict settings.

Provider Shortage

4.37 per 100k mental health workers nationwide, among the lowest densities on the African continent.

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

~22,000 per 100k Central African adults are estimated to live with a diagnosable mental health condition, elevated by conflict and displacement exposure.

These figures draw on workforce indicator, World Bank GNI data, and WHO African Regional Office mental health reporting. For a population of about 5.33 million with roughly 233 mental health workers nationwide and per-capita GNI of $1,340 PPP, the arithmetic produces one of the sharpest access gaps in the world, even before geography and conflict displacement are factored in.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

Understanding Mental Health Access in the Central African Republic.

The Problem

The Central African Republic has one of the smallest mental health workforces on record: 4.37 workers per 100,000 people HWF_0006 indicator. Formal psychiatric care is concentrated almost entirely at the Hopital de l'Amitie in Bangui, the country's only dedicated psychiatric inpatient facility, serving a population of roughly 5.33 million spread across 623,000 square kilometers. Outside Bangui, specialist care is effectively a rounding error; most non-capital psychosocial support is delivered by MSF, WHO, ICRC, and other NGOs integrated into primary care.

The Impact

The practical result is a 16-week wait, four months, for a first appointment through public or NGO channels, and often no realistic pathway at all in regions like Vakaga, Haute-Kotto, or Mbomou. For a resident of Berberati, Bouar, or Bambari, the alternative is a several-hundred-kilometer trip to Bangui over roads that are seasonally impassable and, in parts of the country, insecure. With GNI per capita at $1,340 PPP, private consultation fees and psychotropic medication (supply of which is frequently disrupted) compete directly with food and school costs in most households.

The Solution

Online group therapy in English shifts the constraint from geography and workforce to bandwidth. Grouport's format, six to twelve members, a licensed therapist, weekly 60-minute video sessions, was designed for settings where in-person specialist care is scarce. A Bangui-based UN or MSF staffer joins on the same footing as a working professional in Douala or a Central African graduate student overseas, provided the connection holds and English is comfortable enough to participate.

4.37 per 100k mental health workers nationwide, among the lowest densities on the African continent.

You can join a group right away. There is no clinic address, no travel to Bangui, and no dependence on the local supply chain for psychotropic medication (Grouport is a talk-therapy service, not a pharmacy). Because the platform is hosted outside CAR and HIPAA-compliant, sessions do not rely on Ministry of Health IT capacity or the intermittent electricity common outside the capital, a mobile hotspot with adequate signal is enough. For Central Africans in the diaspora, the same account works across borders.

Access and Availability Across the Central African Republic.

CAR's access map is defined by three unforgiving numbers: 4.37 mental health workers per 100,000, 44.1% urbanization, and a 16-week wait. Together they mean that for roughly 56% of the population, those outside cities, a licensed specialist appointment is essentially theoretical. Grouport's availability does not vary by prefecture or by road condition.

Geographic Barriers

With 44.1% urbanization, more than half of Central Africans live in rural areas served by dirt roads that flood in the wet season and, in several prefectures, remain affected by armed group activity. The country is landlocked, and internal transport to Bangui from cities like Berberati (western CAR), Bouar, or Bambari can take one to three days by road. Air travel within the country is limited to UN and humanitarian flights for most. Online sessions collapse this geography: the only local requirements are a private space, a device, and a connection stable enough for a 60-minute video call.

Extended Wait Times

Sixteen weeks, four months, is the typical wait for a first mental health appointment through CAR's public system, and in practice many regions have no queue at all because there is no provider to queue for. For someone experiencing insomnia, panic, or the aftermath of a displacement event, four months is a period during which the problem generally intensifies. Grouport's immediate therapist match compresses the interval between deciding to seek help and joining a first group into days, not seasons.

Systemic Challenges

The Central African Republic does not operate a functioning national health insurance system. Public services at facilities like the Hopital de l'Amitie are nominally free, but chronic understaffing means households routinely pay out of pocket for medication, consultations, and supplies. Formal insurance coverage is negligible. Most of the country's mental health capacity outside Bangui exists because of MSF, WHO, ICRC, and MINUSCA programming rather than a domestic insurance market. Grouport operates outside this structure entirely: members pay directly in US dollars on a monthly subscription, with no referral, no insurance intermediary, and no facility fee.

Urban-Rural Divide

The 44.1% urban figure masks how concentrated specialist care actually is. Bangui alone hosts effectively the entire licensed psychiatric workforce of the country; regional centers like Berberati, Bouar, Bambari, Bossangoa, and Bangassou depend on visiting NGO teams and traditional or faith-based healers. An online group with a licensed therapist gives a client in Haute-Kotto access to the same clinician as a member in Bangui's PK5 neighborhood, the internet connection is what varies, not the standard of care.

For English-speaking Central Africans and the substantial expatriate community in Bangui, UN peacekeepers, diplomats, MSF and ICRC staff, international journalists, Grouport is a way to work around the workforce gap rather than wait for it to close.

Affordable Group Therapy Costs for Central African Republic Residents.

Affordability and Income

Against CAR's GNI per capita of $1,340 PPP, $140 a month is significant in absolute terms for local households and realistically accessible mainly to salaried professionals, diaspora members, and the expatriate community earning in USD or EUR. For that audience, UN and NGO staff, journalists, business expats, and Central Africans working abroad, the price is a small fraction of what equivalent English-language care costs in Europe or North America, and it removes the medication supply-chain risk of purely local treatment.

Hidden Cost and Barriers

The hidden costs of Central African mental health care are almost entirely logistical. A regional resident seeking care at the Hopital de l'Amitie can face a multi-day road trip to Bangui, transport paid in FCFA, an overnight stay, lost work days, and, in insecure corridors, the practical need to travel in convoy. The direct consultation fee is often the smallest line item. Online sessions eliminate every one of these costs; the requirement is a private room, a device, and a connection that holds for an hour.

Immediate Availability

Because Grouport matches members to a therapist right after intake, the cost of the 16-week domestic wait, deteriorating symptoms, missed work, family strain, exposure to further displacement, is taken out of the calculation. The value is not just the per-session price, but the compressed time-to-first-session.

Private specialist consultations in Bangui, where they can be arranged, involve out-of-pocket fees plus medication costs in an environment where psychotropic supply is often disrupted. Grouport is $32 per session, or $140 per month for weekly attendance, a flat US-dollar price disclosed before signup, with no separate assessment, referral, or facility fee.

How it Works

Community

Choose your online therapy group

Choose your desired online therapy group and sign up for our weekly plan. Most of our groups are $35/session, but our skills groups are $25/session.

Networking

Personalized match

We’ll ensure you're matched to an online therapy group that best fits your mental health challenges and schedule. Don’t worry if you’re not entirely sure which group is right for you, as after signing up, a care coordinator can help make sure you get started in the group that’s right for you. We typically match you to a group right away!

Video call

Meet weekly with your group

Join your group over video chat at the same time each week for 60-minute sessions. You’ll meet with the same members & therapist with a group of up to 12 members. Additional membership perks can include weekly handouts, symptom tracking, and one-off workshops.

Find Your Group

Mental Health Conditions We Treat in the Central African Republic.

Grouport's groups cover the conditions most commonly presented by members in CAR and by adults globally: depression, generalized and social anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD and complex trauma, grief and bereavement, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and relationship and interpersonal difficulties. CAR's history of prolonged armed conflict and internal displacement has made trauma-related presentations particularly prominent in WHO AFR reporting, and trauma-focused groups are a standing part of the schedule.

Find your groupa group of nine people chatting online

Get Help for:

Self harm

Self-Harm, Suicidal Ideation, Self-injury, Suicide Survival

Common Treatments

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Exposure Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Narrative Therapy, Schema Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Somatic Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Behavioral Activation

  • OCD
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Trauma & PTSD
  • Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Narcissistic Abuse 
  • Eating Disorders
  • Body Dysmorphia 
  • Agoraphobia 
  • Anger Management
  • ADHD
  • Substance Abuse & Addiction
  • Postpartum depression or anxiety
  • Panic
  • Phobias
  • Grief & Loss
  • Relationship Challenges
  • Couples Issues
  • Parenting
  • Supporting a loved one
  • Work stress & burnout
  • Self-harm, Self-injury, Suicidal ideation
  • Chronic Illness
  • Divorce
  • Teen/Adolescent Groups 
  • Gender identity 
  • LGBTQIA Support

Common Treatments:

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) 
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Emotion-focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Exposure Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing 
  • Interpersonal Therapy
Vector Heart
USA

Meet Our Therapists

Our therapists represent a wide range of clinical specialties & diverse backgrounds. They all undergo the most stringent credentialing process. Grouport therapists are caring, expert mental health professionals with years of experience helping people get the tools they need to see long-lasting change.

Grouport's clinicians are licensed, LCSWs, licensed psychologists, and licensed marriage and family therapists, who facilitate groups in English. Several have direct experience with humanitarian workers, immigrant and refugee populations, and francophone African clients, and matching considers cultural fit alongside clinical presentation. Sessions are in English, so working proficiency is required; therapists routinely work with clients for whom English is a second or third language after French, Sango, or another mother tongue.

FIND YOUR MATCH

a healthier future starts right here

Grouport’s Results

80% of our members start with moderate to severe mental health symptoms

70% of our members feel significantly better within just 8 weeks

50% of our members achieve remission levels within just 8 weeks

80%
of our members start with moderate to severe mental health symptoms

70%
of our members feel significantly better within just 8 weeks

50%
of our members achieve remission levels within just 8 weeks

Find your Group

girl with chart on face

Affordable Group Therapy & Care Options in the Central African Republic.

Group, individual, couples, family, IOP, and teen therapy — all online, all therapist-led. Mix and match care options to fit your needs — and get discounted pricing when you bundle.

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Group Therapy

$35/session
billed at $140/month

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Individual Therapy

$112/session
billed at $448/month

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Partnership

Couples Therapy

$123/session
billed at $492/month

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or Learn More

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Family Therapy

$160/session
billed at $640/month

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or Learn More

IOP Therapy

$337/week
billed at $1,348/month

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or Learn More

Frame

Teen Therapy

$112/session
billed at $448/month

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or Learn More

Meaningful Results

Check out how our services have helped our members see life-changing results

Stephanie

“Grouport is time flexible and affordable and if it didn’t exist, I don’t know where I would go. I had looked into other places before Grouport and there really wasn’t any option like it.”

Michael

“I highly recommend this to anyone who is struggling with anxiety or depression. The therapists are top notch and have made me feel really comfortable and my anxiety has improved tremendously in only a few sessions!”

Isabel

"I joined Grouport to work on myself and to heal. I’m learning so much at every session! The change I see not only in myself but in my fellow group members is abundantly encouraging and profoundly fulfilling. Group therapy with Grouport is a powerful healing tool."

Sheldon

“I was feeling very down at the end of 2020 and I was ready to do something drastic that I know I'd likely regret. The group definitely helped show me that there are people who feel the same way as I do.”

Nancy

“The therapy from Grouport is high quality and convenient. I am becoming much more self aware and am liking myself more. My relationships at work are better and I’m much happier.”

Emily

“I like the connection you can make with total strangers and the confidentiality it comes with.”

Olivia

“My weekly group helps me get through the week. Best experience ever!”

Danielle

"Grouport can help you with your issues. Their therapists are well trained to work with you on your issues. I felt my anxiety greatly improve after only a few sessions. I highly recommend it!"

Glenn

"Grouport's approach to DBT is a real strength. This approach provides tools and methods for working with difficult emotions and getting a handle on them. It has given me hope where other approaches have failed."

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Common Questions About Group Therapy in the Central African Republic.

How does the cost of Grouport compare with local therapy options in the Central African Republic?

Private psychotherapy inside the Central African Republic is limited, and where available through expatriate clinicians or NGO-linked practitioners, sessions are often billed in euros or U.S. dollars at rates that can range from roughly USD 50 to USD 120 per individual session, plus travel to Bangui for many clients. Grouport's weekly online group therapy is billed at a flat USD subscription that works out to a small fraction of a typical private individual session, and every week includes a live 60-minute session with a licensed therapist plus five to eight peers working on similar issues. Because sessions are delivered by video, there are no transport, lodging, or in-person clinic fees layered on top. Payment is handled in U.S. dollars by international credit or debit card, which sidesteps local currency conversion friction for most clients paying from CAR.

Why is online group therapy a practical option for people in the Central African Republic?

The Central African Republic has roughly 4.37 mental health workers per 100,000 people, one of the lowest ratios worldwide, and in-country wait times for specialist care commonly stretch to around 16 weeks. Grouport removes the geographic bottleneck by running English-language video sessions you join from a laptop or phone anywhere you have a stable connection, so you are not limited to providers in Bangui or a handful of NGO-run programs. Weekly small-group meetings are led by licensed clinicians using structured CBT and DBT frameworks, and matching typically happens within days rather than months. For clients where local outpatient psychotherapy is scarce or focused on acute crisis response, this offers a consistent, ongoing therapeutic setting for issues like anxiety, depression, grief, and stress-related concerns without leaving home.

How much does online therapy typically cost?
It varies a lot. Grouport's individual therapy costs less than traditional in-person therapy, which typically runs $150-$300+ per session depending on where you live. For example, Grouport’s individual therapy sessions average $103/session. Online group therapy is more affordable, Grouport's group therapy is $25- $35/session or $140/month total, that’s less than the cost of one in person individual therapy session. What surprises a lot of people is that self-pay rates are usually cheaper than going through insurance after you factor in copays and deductibles. Online platforms often cost less than in-person because there's no office overhead to pay for. Not to mention, Grouport offers discounts when you combine sessions together or are doing more than one session per week.
How much does Grouport cost in my currency?
Pricing is in US dollars. Group therapy sessions range from $25-$35 USD per session, and individual therapy averages $103 USD per session. Your bank will convert the charge to your local currency. Exchange rates affect the final amount you pay, but those are the amounts you can expect to pay for group therapy and individual therapy. The rates for family therapy, couples therapy, virtual IOP, self guided programs, or bundles combining different types of therapy at different levels of intensiveness varies. Whenever you are doing more than one session per week, there are always discounts included.
How do time zones work for international clients?
Our therapists are located all over the world and work various hours to accommodate different time zones. Depending on where you live, sessions might be in your morning, afternoon, evening, or night. We'll work with you to find times that fit your schedule and our therapists' availability.
Can I access Grouport if I don't live in the US?
Yes. Grouport serves clients all over the world. We work with people in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Europe, Middle East, Asia, and elsewhere. As long as you have internet access and can attend sessions during available times, you can use Grouport. We offer session times at all times of the day for both individual and group therapy, so we can get you set up with sessions at times that are convenient for your schedule.
What size are the online therapy groups?
Grouport’s online therapy groups typically have 6-10 members on average. This size is ideal because it's small enough that everyone can participate in each session and receive individual attention, yet large enough to provide diverse perspectives and peer support. It’ll feel like your group of people that you consistently meet with each week, and this is tremendously helpful as its a reliable space of people you can confide in on a regular basis.
What if I don't want to hear about other people's problems?
This concern is understandable as when you're struggling, it seems counterintuitive that listening to others' problems can help you. However, online group therapy works differently than expected as hearing others describe similar struggles reduces isolation and shame, observing others' progress provides hope and practical strategies that you can implement, giving support to others builds confidence and purpose, and different perspectives help you see your situation more clearly, and witnessing others' challenges often provides needed perspective on your own. Online Group Therapy isn't just venting about problems, but rather it's active problem-solving and skill-building together. If group feels like it's dragging you down rather than helping, perhaps it’s a matter of the group fit and it's worth exploring a different group fit, or individual therapy might be a better fit. But most people find that supporting and learning from others is surprisingly beneficial, and that is why the majority of our members do online group therapy as a primary part of their treatment plan.
How is online group therapy different from online individual therapy?
Online Group therapy differs from individual therapy in several ways in that you share therapist attention with other members versus exclusive focus on you, you receive feedback from multiple perspectives not just the therapist, you learn by observing others' experiences and progress, and you practice interpersonal skills in real-time with peers. Groups create this whole other dimension as you get multiple perspectives and see how others handle similar problems which helps you feel less alone. Cost per session is typically lower than individual therapy, as groups cost about $25 - $35 per group session. Group provides community and reduces isolation in ways individual therapy cannot. However, individual therapy offers personalized attention, and exploration of issues you might not share in groups. Many people benefit from both simultaneously, group for skill-building and support and individual therapy for deeper personal work. Neither is better, they serve different functional needs but have complementary purposes. Many people find group therapy to be more powerful than individual therapy because of the connection factor.
What is online group therapy?
Online Group therapy is mental health treatment where 6-12 people with similar concerns meet regularly with a licensed therapist over video chat. Unlike individual therapy's one-on-one format, online group therapy leverages peer support and shared experiences for healing. Members share challenges, give and receive feedback, practice new skills together, and learn from others' perspectives and progress. Groups may focus on specific issues like anxiety, depression, grief, DBT skills, CBT, OCD, trauma & PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar, anger management and more. Groups can also be general process groups addressing various concerns. The therapist facilitates group dynamics, teaches skills, and guides productive interactions. Research shows group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for many issues and provides unique benefits individual therapy cannot address. Because of this, Online Group Therapy has complimentary benefits, and is often a major driver of improved therapeutic outcomes for people who feel stuck as learning through others' experiences gives the accountability and adherence needed to stick with treatment and keeps you on track with what successful treatment looks like.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, etc..) and debit cards for payment. Your card is securely stored and automatically charged on your monthly billing date. We also accept HSA (Health Savings Account) and FSA (Flexible Spending Account) cards, which many clients use to pay for therapy with pre-tax dollars. You can update your payment method at anytime.
How does online therapy work?
Online therapy with Grouport works through video sessions where you meet with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your home. After you sign up, we match you with a therapist within 24-48 hours based on your needs, schedule, and preferences. Sessions are conducted via our HIPAA-compliant video platform - you simply log in at your scheduled time and connect with your therapist. You'll receive the same evidence-based treatment and professional care as in-person therapy, with the added convenience of attending from anywhere.

Group Therapy Available Across the Central African Republic.

Counties

Bangui, Ombella-M'Poko, Lobaye, Sangha-Mbaere, Mambere-Kadei, Nana-Mambere, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Nana-Grebizi, Kemo, Ouaka, Bamingui-Bangoran, Vakaga, Haute-Kotto, Basse-Kotto, Mbomou, Haut-Mbomou.

Cities

Bangui, Bimbo, Berberati, Bouar, Bambari, Bossangoa, Carnot, Bangassou, Kaga-Bandoro, Bria, Sibut, Mbaiki, Bozoum, Nola.

Zip Codes

Grouport serves all zip codes across Central African Republic. If you have an address in Central African Republic, Grouport can serve you regardless of your zip code.

Online Group Therapy Available Worldwide

Grouport offers online group therapy available globally for people in 200+ countries. Find a group led by a licensed therapist that fits your needs.

Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Cook Islands Costa Rica Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
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Let’s find the right therapist match for you, so you can get consistent & effective care.

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