Get Better, Together

Online Group Therapy for Eritreans, Wherever You Live.

Whether you connect from Asmara, Keren, or a village along the Red Sea coast, Grouport gives Eritreans access to licensed US-trained therapists through weekly online group sessions. For $32 per session, groups of six to twelve members meet by secure video in English. You can join a group right away, so you can start well before the typical nine-week wait for in-person care.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

The State of Mental Health in Eritrea.

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

Mental Illness Prevalence

12.9% of Eritrean adults live with a mental health condition each year, reflecting the ongoing need for accessible therapy options.

Wait Time

9 weeks the average wait to secure a first mental health appointment in Eritrea's public system, an interval during which symptoms often deepen.

Median Household Income

$2,380 median household income in Eritrea, shaping what households can allocate to private mental health care.

Percentage Who Need Therapy

90.0% of Eritrean adults with a mental health condition do not receive formal specialist treatment.

Provider Shortage

70% of Eritrea's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

15.2 per 100,000 mental health workers in Eritrea, a density that shapes availability, wait times, and access across the country.

Eritrea's mental health workforce sits at 15.16 professionals per 100,000 people, meaning a population of roughly 3.5 million shares fewer than 550 trained providers across every discipline combined. Regional WHO Mental Health Atlas figures suggest more than nine in ten African adults with a treatable condition never reach formal care, and Eritrea's mixed public-private landscape reflects that same treatment gap. World Bank income data places the country in the low-income bracket, which shapes how services are funded, priced, and physically distributed.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

Understanding Mental Health Access in Eritrea.

The Problem

Formal mental health infrastructure in Eritrea is concentrated in a handful of facilities, with the country's referral psychiatric services centered in Asmara. WHO reports 15.16 mental health workers per 100,000 Eritreans, a figure that includes psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and social workers combined. For a population of about 3.5 million, this leaves entire zobas (regions) served by only a small rotation of specialists. Group-format outpatient care is rare outside the capital, and continuity of care can be interrupted by staff transfers, medication supply cycles, and the sheer distance patients travel to reach a clinician.

The Impact

The nine-week average wait for a first appointment in Eritrea translates to real consequences: a worker in Massawa who books in July may not sit with a clinician until October. Families in Debub or Anseba zoba often absorb transportation costs, lost wages, and overnight lodging in Asmara for a single 45-minute session. When follow-ups require the same trip, many people quietly discontinue. The 55% urbanization rate hides a stark split, because the urban share is heavily weighted toward Asmara itself, leaving semi-urban towns with limited specialist coverage.

The Solution

Online group therapy sidesteps the geographic bottleneck. A Grouport session runs entirely over encrypted video, so an Eritrean member in Mendefera joins the same circle as one in Assab without either leaving home. The group format also expands supply: one licensed therapist supports six to twelve members per session, which is a materially different math than one-to-one care in a country with 15.16 workers per 100,000. Sessions are conducted in English, which aligns with Eritrea's secondary-education medium of instruction and the working language of much of the diaspora.

70% of Eritrea's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Grouport's model addresses several Eritrea-specific frictions directly. Matching happens right away after intake, means you can join right away. There is no travel to Asmara, no overnight stay, and no clinic parking. The $32 per-session price is set in US dollars and billed through international card rails, which sidesteps Nakfa liquidity constraints that complicate cross-border health payments. Because groups meet on a fixed weekly cadence, members in Keren or Barentu can plan sessions around load-shedding schedules and mobile-data top-ups rather than around clinic hours.

Access and Availability Across Eritrea.

Eritrea's mental health service map is compact and hospital-anchored, with the bulk of specialist capacity attached to referral facilities in Asmara. For a country of 3.5 million people spread across six zobas and a long Red Sea coastline, the density of 15.16 mental health workers per 100,000 leaves substantial gaps between where clinicians work and where patients live.

Geographic Barriers

Distance is a defining feature of the Eritrean access problem. A resident of Assab on the southern coast is more than 1,000 kilometers by road from Asmara's psychiatric services, and travel across the highland-to-lowland corridor can take a full day even in good conditions. Northern Red Sea and Gash-Barka zoba residents face similar journeys. Fuel availability, checkpoint schedules, and the seasonal condition of secondary roads all factor into whether a patient can actually keep a specialist appointment booked weeks in advance. Online sessions eliminate the trip entirely, requiring only a stable internet or mobile-data connection.

Extended Wait Times

The nine-week wait for an initial therapy appointment in Eritrea reflects both the low provider count and the concentration of specialists in tertiary facilities. Nine weeks is enough time for a stressor to compound: a job loss in early July becomes chronic sleep disruption by September, and by the time a first session finally occurs, the presenting concern has shifted. Group therapy delivered online collapses that interval to immediate from intake to matched therapist, which changes the shape of the intervention from crisis triage back to preventive support.

Systemic Challenges

Eritrea's health system operates primarily through public facilities administered by the Ministry of Health, with limited private practice and no widespread private insurance market for mental health. Care is often paid out of pocket even in the public system, and specialist services command higher fees relative to general outpatient visits. There is no domestic teletherapy market at scale, so most digital mental health access flows through international platforms. Grouport's flat $32-per-session pricing gives Eritrean members a predictable monthly cost of $140 without the surcharges typical of specialist referrals in the region.

Urban-Rural Divide

Eritrea's 55% urbanization figure is misleading in isolation, because Asmara alone accounts for a disproportionate share of the urban population and hosts the majority of trained mental health professionals. Towns like Keren, Mendefera, Dekemhare, and Massawa carry the "urban" label but have thin specialist coverage, and rural districts in Debub, Anseba, and Southern Red Sea zoba can go years between visiting-clinician rotations. Online group therapy neutralizes this concentration by letting members from every zoba join the same session on equal footing.

Grouport is a good fit for Eritreans who want consistent, English-language mental health support without the logistics of in-country specialist travel. The service is remote, session-priced, and matched quickly, which addresses the three main barriers that dominate the Eritrean access picture: distance, wait time, and provider scarcity.

Affordable Group Therapy Costs for Eritrean Residents.

Affordability and Income

Eritrea's GNI per capita PPP sits near $2,380 based on World Bank which places the country in the low-income category. A $140 monthly Grouport membership represents roughly 2.9% of that annual per-capita figure, distributed across four to five weekly sessions. Because pricing is fixed in US dollars and does not vary by session length or therapist seniority, members avoid the cost stacking that typically accompanies referrals within Eritrea's tiered public system. The subscription model also means members can pause or cancel without the sunk cost of prepaid packages.

Hidden Cost and Barriers

The visible price of an in-person session in Eritrea often understates the true cost. A resident of Keren attending an Asmara clinic may spend a full day traveling by bus, incur meal and lodging expenses, and lose a day of wages, all for a 45-minute appointment. Multiply that by weekly cadence and the annual hidden cost dwarfs the consultation fee itself. Online group therapy removes travel, lodging, meals, childcare gaps, and clinic parking from the equation, leaving only the session fee and the cost of the data connection that carries it.

Immediate Availability

Grouport matches members to a therapist right after intake. Compared to the nine-week Eritrean baseline, that is a compression of roughly 60 days, which for many members is the difference between beginning care while a concern is still manageable versus starting only after it has intensified. Groups run continuously, so new members join open cohorts rather than waiting for a fresh cycle to launch.

Mental health pricing in Eritrea is not standardized publicly, and much of what people pay is a combination of consultation fees, medication costs, and travel expenses to Asmara. Against that backdrop, Grouport's flat $32 per weekly group session (billed as $140 monthly) gives Eritrean members a fixed, predictable line item they can budget around without surprises at the point of care.

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 Eritrea.

Grouport's Eritrean members join groups addressing anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, trauma recovery, stress management, and dialectical behavior therapy skills. Groups are organized by focus area rather than geography, so a member in Asmara sits alongside others working through similar experiences from across the diaspora and inside Eritrea. Facilitators are licensed clinical social workers, psychologists, or counselors who bring evidence-based frameworks including CBT, DBT, and interpersonal group therapy to each cohort.

Find your groupa group of nine people chatting online

Get Help for:

Self harm

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

  • 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.

Every Grouport group is led by a licensed therapist, holding an LCSW, LMFT, LPC, PsyD, or PhD credential. Sessions run in English, which aligns with the language of instruction used in Eritrean secondary schools and universities. While Grouport therapists are not necessarily Eritrean, they are experienced in facilitating groups whose members bring different cultural, linguistic, and geographic contexts to the circle, and the group format itself allows Eritrean members to share and hear perspectives that resonate with their own environment. All groups are HIPAA-compliant and fully confidential.

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 Eritrea.

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.

leadership-team-group-svgrepo-com

Group Therapy

$35/session
billed at $140/month

Get Started

User profile

Individual Therapy

$112/session
billed at $448/month

Get Started

or Learn More

Partnership

Couples Therapy

$123/session
billed at $492/month

Get Started

or Learn More

User Profile

Family Therapy

$160/session
billed at $640/month

Get Started

or Learn More

IOP Therapy

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

Get Started

or Learn More

Frame

Teen Therapy

$112/session
billed at $448/month

Get Started

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."

Get Started

Common Questions About Group Therapy in Eritrea.

In a country where stigma is strong and specialists sit almost entirely in Asmara, does a group format actually fit Eritreans in Keren or Massawa?

For many Eritreans outside the capital, group video sessions fit better than one-to-one care that would require travel to Asmara or a visit to a psychiatric facility neighbors might notice. A Grouport room of 6 to 12 peers, guided by a licensed therapist over a HIPAA-secure link, keeps you at home in Keren, Massawa, or Assab and lets you hear others working through similar pressures. Sessions run in English on a weekly schedule that aligns with East Africa Time evenings, and you can join right away.

How much is Grouport's $32 session in Eritrean nakfa, and is that realistic for professionals in Asmara?

At the official rate of roughly 15 nakfa to the dollar, a $32 Grouport session comes to about 480 Nfk. For English-educated professionals, NGO staff, and returning diaspora based in Asmara, that is a predictable weekly figure that avoids the informal costs, referrals, and travel tied to reaching Saint Mary Neuropsychiatric Hospital. You get a weekly 60-minute video group of 6 to 12 members led by a licensed therapist, on a HIPAA-secure platform, with the ability to join right away rather than waiting weeks for an outpatient slot.

What happens if I cancel my subscription—do I get a refund?
If you cancel mid-month, your access continues through the end of your billing period (you've already paid for that month). You're not typically refunded for unused portions of the current month. Monthly subscriptions mean you're paying month-to-month, so cancellation stops future billing but doesn't refund the current month.
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.
Can therapy help me even if my problems seem small?
You don't need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. "Small" problems still affect your wellbeing. General stress, dissatisfaction, wanting personal growth, relationship maintenance, are all valid reasons for therapy. Therapy isn't just for severe mental illness. It's for anyone who wants support to improve their life. #
Can groups help with chronic illness or medical challenges?
Living with ongoing chronic health challenges is isolating and many people don't get what it's like. Being in group therapy with others managing chronic conditions reduces that isolation significantly. You’ll also get practical coping strategies from people who actually live the same or similar reality. Groups help members live fully despite limitations their chronic illness may present.
What if group members give conflicting advice?
Multiple perspectives can be actually valuable. You're getting different viewpoints, then deciding what resonates with your situation. First consider what others are saying, and then find what works for you. Like anything in life, take what helps for you, and anything that’s unproductive disregard.
Can I participate if I don't have consistent internet for online groups?
Reliable internet is essential for online group therapy since technical difficulties disrupt the group and limit your participation. So, you definitely need reliable internet for video sessions to work. If your internet is spotty, either find a more reliable location, use a different device or get your wifi fixed, or you can use cellular data. If connection issues are persistent, online therapy may not be viable currently. Discuss with a care coordinator about your internet situation so they can help you gauge what might be the best option for you.
What if my insurance covers individual therapy but not group therapy?
Group therapy at $25/session - $35/session is likely cheaper than your insurance copay for individual therapy would be anyways. You can submit receipts for out-of-network reimbursement if your plan offers it. The value and cost-effectiveness of group therapy often exceeds insured individual therapy with copays.
How long does therapy take to work?
Most clients begin noticing improvements within 8-12 sessions, though this varies based on your goals and situation. Grouport research shows that 70% of clients improve significantly within 8 sessions. Some issues (like learning specific coping skills for anxiety) may show progress quickly, while others (like healing from trauma or changing long-standing relationship patterns) take longer. Your therapist will discuss realistic timelines and measurable goals during your first few sessions, and you'll regularly review progress together to ensure therapy remains effective and on track with your goals.
Is my payment information secure?
Yes, all payment information is processed through secure payment systems that meet banking industry security standards. Your credit card information is encrypted and stored by our payment processor. Grouport staff never see or have access to your full card details, we only see the last 4 digits for billing purposes. The same security protocols used by major retailers and banks protect your payment data. You can safely update your payment method on file at any time.
What if I have technical problems during a session?
If you experience technical difficulties, first try refreshing your browser or reconnecting to your internet. If that doesn’t work, try a private browser, a different web browser, or try joining from another device. Your therapist will be there while you try to reconnect. If problems persist, contact our technical support team by emailing them at support@grouporttherapy.com. We can often resolve issues quickly. We also recommend testing your connection a couple of minutes before your session to prevent any issues.

Group Therapy Available Across Eritrea.

Counties

Central (Maekel), Anseba, Gash-Barka, Southern Red Sea (Debubawi Keih Bahri), Northern Red Sea (Semenawi Keih Bahri), Debub (Southern)

Cities

Asmara, Keren, Massawa, Assab, Mendefera, Dekemhare, Barentu, Adi Keih, Ak'ordat, Tessenei, Ghinda, Nakfa

Zip Codes

Grouport serves all zip codes across Eritrea. If you have an address in Eritrea, 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 British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d'Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau 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 Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
See all areas we serve →

Ready To Get Started?

Let’s find the right therapist match for you, so you can get consistent & effective care.

Laptop

Source Citation