Get Better, Together
English-Language Group Therapy for Residents of China.
Grouport’s online group therapy in China connects English-speaking residents with licensed therapists in small online groups of 6 to 12. Sessions cost US$32 each on average, matching typically happens within days, and everything takes place over secure video, so wherever you live between Shanghai’s high-rises and the rural western provinces, you can join without a local referral, a psychiatric intake queue, or a trip into a Tier-1 city hospital, as long as you have a stable connection.
Consistently Recognized as the #1 Online Group Therapy pick
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The State of Mental Health in China.
Understanding the landscape of mental health care access and the challenges
residents face across the state.
Mental Illness Prevalence
13.4% of Chinese adults live with a mental health condition each year, reflecting the ongoing need for accessible therapy options.
Wait Time
8 weeks the average wait to secure a first mental health appointment in China's public system, an interval during which symptoms often deepen.
Median Household Income
$17,800 median household income in China, shaping what households can allocate to private mental health care.
Percentage Who Need Therapy
91.7% of Chinese adults with a mental health condition do not receive formal specialist treatment.
Provider Shortage
68% of China's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.
Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents
39.6 per 100,000 mental health workers in China, a density that shapes availability, wait times, and access across the country.
These numbers draw on the WHO Global Health Observatory workforce database, World Bank income indicators, and national epidemiological work published in The Lancet Psychiatry. Set against a population of about 1.41 billion, even a lifetime prevalence of around 16.6 percent translates into well over a hundred million people who will meet criteria for a mental disorder at some point. The psychiatric workforce has grown since the 2015 to 2020 National Mental Health Work Plan, but it still concentrates heavily in coastal metropolitan hospitals rather than distributing across the country’s 34 provincial-level regions.
UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE
Understanding Mental Health Access in China.
The Problem
China’s mental health system has expanded quickly over the last decade, but the underlying arithmetic remains tight. With about 39.63 mental health workers per 100,000 residents (all cadres counted), the country is reported to trail the OECD median, and the distribution is uneven in ways the national figure hides. Psychiatric beds and licensed psychotherapists cluster around Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and a handful of provincial capitals, while many prefecture-level cities in Gansu, Guizhou, and the western autonomous regions operate with a much lower per-capita ratio. Demand keeps rising, particularly among urban knowledge workers and university students.
The Impact
For someone in China deciding whether to seek help, a wait reported at around 8 weeks for a first outpatient psychiatric appointment at a Tier-3 (top-tier) hospital is only the beginning. Many patients report several additional weeks between the initial intake, often a brief 10 to 15 minute medication-focused consultation, and any structured talk therapy, which is frequently referred out to private clinics charging CNY 600 to 1,500 per session. English-language provision is thinner still: outside a small circle of international clinics in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen, finding a therapist who can conduct sessions in fluent English can mean travelling to another city or accepting a long queue at an expat-focused practice.
The Solution
Online group therapy in China re-slices the problem. Instead of matching one clinician to one patient in a specific building, a small group of 6 to 12 people meets weekly over video with a licensed therapist trained in evidence-based approaches such as CBT, DBT skills, or interpersonal process work. The format costs less per person, can reach past geographic bottlenecks, and, for the English-speaking segment of China’s population, including expats, returnees, and internationally educated professionals, can work around the shortage of English-fluent local clinicians. Grouport structures each group around a specific focus (anxiety, depression, relationships, grief) so members join people working on similar terrain.
68% of China's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.
Grouport’s online group therapy in China is built around the friction points that make in-person care hard to reach. Matching typically happens within days rather than 8 weeks. Sessions are conducted in English, so residents don’t need to filter for the narrow subset of local providers who work in the language. There’s no travel to a Tier-1 city hospital, no morning queue for a limited-number registration ticket (挂号, guàhào), and no requirement to be physically present in a particular municipality’s catchment area. Pricing is US$32 per session on average on the US$140 monthly plan, and sessions run over secure video, so members joining from Chengdu, Xiamen, or Ürümqi can take part in the same format, with a stable connection.
Access and Availability Across China.
Access to mental health care in China varies enormously depending on which tier of city you live in. A resident of central Shanghai has options a resident of a rural county in Yunnan does not, and this gap may have widened even as national spending on mental health has grown. Grouport’s online group therapy in China was designed for English-speaking residents in that gap, anywhere in the country’s 9.6 million square kilometres, who need care they can reach, provided they have a stable connection.
Geographic Barriers
Extended Wait Times
Systemic Challenges
Urban-Rural Divide
Affordable Group Therapy Costs for China Residents.
Affordability and Income
At China's 2024 GNI per capita (PPP) of $17,800, Grouport's $140 monthly cost represents roughly 0.5% of the average annual income, and $32 per session sits well below what a private English-speaking therapist in Shanghai or Beijing typically bills for a single hour. Because groups run weekly, the effective per-person clinician time compounds, four facilitated sessions a month for a total that would cover perhaps half of one individual session at a Puxi expat clinic.
Hidden Cost and Barriers
The sticker price of in-person care in China understates the real cost. Traveling to a Tier-3 hospital in a major city can mean high-speed rail tickets, a day of lost work, and sometimes overnight accommodation for residents from smaller cities or rural counties. Registration ticket scarcity has created a secondary market where scalpers (号贩子) resell appointment slots at multiples of face value. And once inside, patients typically pay separately for consultation, medication, and any auxiliary services. Grouport's flat monthly fee absorbs all of that: no travel, no ticket queue, no add-on billing.
Immediate Availability
Grouport matches members to a group right after signup, a meaningful contrast with the standard 8-week wait for a first outpatient psychiatric appointment at a public tertiary hospital, or the multi-week queue for a slot at a well-known private clinic. For someone in the middle of a difficult stretch, the ability to be in a real clinical session by next week rather than mid-next month is often the deciding factor.
Talk therapy pricing in China stretches across a wide range. Public hospital outpatient consultations are inexpensive on paper, often ¥50-300 for a brief psychiatric appointment, but structured, sustained psychotherapy is rarely delivered in that setting. Private clinics and international practices typically charge ¥600-1,500 per 50-minute individual session, and English-language providers sit toward the top of that band. Against those numbers, Grouport's $32 per session ($140 for a full month of weekly groups) is materially different math.
How it Works
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.
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!
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.
Mental Health Conditions We Treat in China.
Grouport runs groups covering conditions that often bring English-speaking residents of China to seek care: generalized and social anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship and communication difficulties, adult ADHD, trauma responses, and skills-based work drawing on DBT for emotion regulation. The format is small-group process therapy or structured skills training, matched to what each member is working on, including presentations that can show up among expats, returnees, and urban professionals navigating high-pressure work cultures far from family support networks.
Get Help for:
Anxiety Disorders
Mood Disorders
Trauma & Stress Related Disorders
Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders
Personality Disorders
Eating & Body Disorders
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Life Challenges
Relationship Issues, Codependency, Attachment Issues, Divorce, Loneliness, Anger Management, Self-Esteem, Grief & Loss, Chronic Illness, Gender Dysphoria, Infertility, Fertility Treatment & IVF Support, Pregnancy Loss & Miscarriage, Couples Issues, Parenting, Supporting a loved one, LGBTQIA Support
Other Disorders
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
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 therapists, LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCs, and licensed psychologists, trained in group process work and evidence-based approaches such as CBT and DBT. All sessions run in English. Some of our facilitators have experience supporting internationally mobile clients, third-culture adults, and members navigating cultural transitions, which can map closely onto English-speaking life in China: bicultural families, foreign nationals on long-term assignments, returnees (海归, hǎiguī) reintegrating after years abroad, and Chinese professionals working in globally oriented industries. The therapist you’re matched with is licensed and continues to practise under the clinical standards of their licence, wherever their group members log in from.
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
Affordable Group Therapy & Care Options in China.
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.
Group Therapy
$35/session
billed at $140/month
Get Started
Individual Therapy
Couples Therapy
Family Therapy
IOP Therapy
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Teen Therapy
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.”
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."
Common Questions About Group Therapy in China.
What are the best online group therapy services in China?
The best online group therapy services combine licensed clinicians, small weekly groups, and a clear focus. Grouport's members in China join live video groups of up to 12 people led by a licensed therapist, with credentials including PhD, PsyD, LCSW, LMHC, and LMFT. Topics include anxiety, depression, and trauma and PTSD. Groups meet weekly on a HIPAA-secure link, and you can browse available groups to choose a clinician and a time that suit you. Small groups keep sessions very personal.
Where can I join therapist-led group therapy in China online?
From wherever you have privacy, as long as you have a screen and a working connection. Browse the available groups, pick a group led by a licensed therapist (PhD, PsyD, LCSW, LMHC, or LMFT), and enroll online. Sessions run weekly by video, so there is no commute and no waiting room. If you would rather talk first, a care coordinator can match you to a group and clinician. Most members are placed within a few hours, or within 24 to 72 hours at most.
Which providers offer professional online group counselling in China?
Grouport offers therapist-led online groups for people in China, with features that matter:
- Licensed therapists as facilitators, not peer moderators
- Weekly video sessions of about 60 minutes at a consistent time
- Groups capped at 12 members so everyone can participate
- HIPAA-compliant video from any device with a camera and microphone
Browse available groups to see topics and times, or ask a care coordinator to match you. Ask a coordinator to confirm the language and topic of any group you consider, then pick a time.
Where can I find English-speaking group therapy in China?
Grouport primarily offers therapy in English, and its group sessions are predominantly in English, which suits expats, international students, returnees, and professionals who prefer to discuss feelings in English. Some therapists are bilingual, so let a care coordinator know what language support you want. Groups are led by licensed therapists and meet weekly by video. Browse available groups to see topics and times. Being comfortable in English matters more than being perfect at it, and a good therapist works through small gaps.
Which virtual group therapy programs in China match members by condition and schedule?
Grouport does. After a short intake, a care coordinator follows up by email or phone to understand your goals and the weekly times you can keep, then walks you through suitable available groups and licensed therapists. Groups are typically organized around a topic, such as anxiety, trauma and PTSD, or OCD, or around a method such as DBT or CBT. You make the final choice, and switching groups later is free. Nothing is final until you are comfortable, and the coordinator can answer questions first.
Where can I book weekly online group therapy sessions in China?
Right online. Booking is simple, and time zones deserve a quick check:
- Browse the available groups, choose a group, and complete a short intake
- Each group meets once a week for about 60 minutes with the same members and therapist
- Group times may be listed in US time zones, so convert them to China Standard Time
- A care coordinator can confirm the exact local time
No particular time slot is guaranteed. Recheck the conversion whenever US clocks change, and ask early.
Which online providers offer anxiety, depression, trauma or DBT groups in China?
Grouport runs therapist-led groups organized around the concerns members raise most, so you meet people facing something similar. Options include anxiety groups using CBT-based tools, depression groups focused on routine and connection, trauma and PTSD groups for processing hard experiences, and DBT skills groups that teach emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Each one is facilitated by a licensed therapist and meets weekly by video. Browse the available groups to see current options. Ask about current starts, times, and clinicians.
How much does online group therapy cost in China?
Group therapy at Grouport averages about $32 per session, or roughly $140 per month, for one weekly group. Prices are in US dollars and stated upfront, with no hidden fees and no long-term contract. Billing can be monthly, quarterly, or biannual. Cards are accepted, but check that yours is enabled for international online payments, since some cards issued in China are restricted, and your bank may add conversion charges. See cost and billing for plan details and the recurring billing policy for renewals and cancellation.
Can I switch online therapy groups if my first match is unsuitable?
Yes, and it is a normal part of finding the right fit. If a group is not helping after six to eight sessions, raise it with the group therapist first, and with a care coordinator, because a small adjustment can sometimes make a big difference. If you are certain it is not right, you can switch groups at any time, with no fee. Coordinators will work with you until you are satisfied. You can browse other available groups whenever you like.
How do I enroll in Grouport's online group therapy for China residents?
Enrolling takes a few minutes. Start at grouporttherapy.com, choose group therapy, and complete a short intake form about your goals and preferences. A care coordinator then follows up by email or phone to walk you through available groups and scheduling, and you make the final choice about your group, clinician, and weekly time. Once you are confirmed, you attend by video. Unsure where to begin? Schedule a call and describe what you are dealing with. Nothing locks you in at all.
Can I join an online therapy group if I have social anxiety?
Yes, and group therapy can be especially effective for it:
- Feeling anxious about joining is normal and expected
- The group is a safe place to practice the very thing that worries you, with support
- Social anxiety improves through experience, not avoidance
- Most people find the fear is worse than the reality
Talk to a care coordinator about anxiety groups, and your therapist can help you ease in at your own pace. Ask early, ask anything, any time you like, always.
What if someone in the group triggers me?
Bring it up with the group. The therapist manages group dynamics and is trained to handle conflict and difficult emotions. Sometimes a trigger shows you something important to work on, and being uncomfortable is not the same as being harmed. The therapist keeps the group safe while allowing growth. If it becomes constant and stops being helpful, discuss it with the therapist or a care coordinator, and you can switch to another of the available groups. Ask early, ask anything.
Group Therapy Available Across China.
Counties
Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Sichuan, Hubei, Fujian, Hunan, Henan, Hebei, Liaoning, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Guangxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Shanxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Hainan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Qinghai, Tibet, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR.
Cities
Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing, Tianjin, Xi'an, Suzhou, Qingdao, Dalian, Xiamen, Kunming, Changsha, Zhengzhou, Hefei, Fuzhou, Ningbo, Jinan, Harbin, Shenyang.
Zip Codes
100000, 100010, 100022, 100025, 200000, 200003, 200070, 518000, 518028, 510000, 510610, 610000, 610041, 300000, 300201, 110000
If you have an address in China, Grouport can serve you regardless of your zip code.
Ready To Get Started?
Let’s find the right therapist match for you, so you can get consistent & effective care.
