Get Better, Together
Group therapy for Italy, without the twenty-week queue.
Grouport’s online group therapy in Italy pairs residents with licensed therapists in small English-language groups of six to twelve members. Sessions cost US$32 each (US$140 monthly), and most people can join a group within days, giving English speakers in Milan, Rome, or a small town in Basilicata an alternative to the twenty-week wait typical of a first appointment through a public Centro di Salute Mentale (community mental health centre).
Consistently Recognized as the #1 Online Group Therapy pick
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The State of Mental Health in Italy.
Understanding the landscape of mental health care access and the challenges
residents face across the state.
Mental Illness Prevalence
16.0% of Italian adults live with a mental health condition each year, reflecting the ongoing need for accessible therapy options.
Wait Time
11 weeks the average wait to secure a first mental health appointment in Italy's public system, an interval during which symptoms often deepen.
Median Household Income
$27,949 median household income in Italy, shaping what households can allocate to private mental health care.
Percentage Who Need Therapy
70.3% of Italian adults with a mental health condition do not receive formal specialist treatment.
Provider Shortage
97% of Italy's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.
Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents
1.41 per 100,000 mental health workers in Italy, a density that shapes availability, wait times, and access across the country.
Italy’s Legge 180 (the 1978 Basaglia law) dismantled the asylums and shifted care into community-based Departments of Mental Health, an internationally admired reform on paper. Four decades on, workforce numbers tell a starker story: Italy has only 1.41 mental health workers per 100,000 residents by one count, a fraction of the OECD average. Combined with 17% annual prevalence and a GNI per capita of about US$55,220 (PPP), the country is high-income but structurally under-staffed for mental health care.
UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE
Understanding Mental Health Access in Italy.
The Problem
Italian mental health care runs through two barely connected channels. The public health service’s Community Mental Health Centres (Centri di Salute Mentale), coordinated by regional Departments of Mental Health, deliver publicly funded psychiatry and psychology consultations at nominal ticket cost, but capacity is famously constrained. A 2023 Court of Auditors (Corte dei Conti) report on mental health flagged average waits of around twenty weeks and a workforce that has contracted since the pandemic. In parallel, a private market of independent professionals charges EUR 60 to 120 per session, and the 2022 psychologist bonus (Bonus Psicologo), capped at EUR 1,500 per applicant with an income ceiling, was oversubscribed within weeks. The need for English-speaking clinicians thins supply further.
The Impact
Twenty weeks is about five months. A researcher on a fixed-term contract in Trieste, a parent in the hinterland of Naples, or a professional in Milan’s Porta Nuova who reaches out in September may not sit with a clinician until spring. ISTAT’s 2023 mental health survey reported that only about one in four adults with depressive symptoms had discussed them with a health professional in the prior year, and the national mental health observatory attributes much of the gap to the mismatch between need and available appointments. Waiting itself can become clinical: symptoms consolidate, coping strategies erode, and the initial reach for help fades.
The Solution
Grouport’s online group therapy in Italy addresses the two constraints Italian residents most often name: time and language. The model, six to twelve members meeting weekly over secure video with a licensed clinician, typically shortens intake to a few days and delivers care in English. Groups are organised around specific concerns (anxiety, depression, DBT skills, grief, relationships, OCD, trauma), so a new member joins a room already calibrated to what brought them in, rather than waiting for the community mental health centre to route them to a generalist first.
97% of Italy's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.
For someone based in Italy the practical wins are concrete: no trip to a clinic across town, no need to go through a family doctor for a referral, and no need to negotiate English capability with a therapist trained principally in Italian. Secure video means a member in Trento can sit in the same kind of group as one in Palermo without either boarding a train. For expats, dual-national families, staff at multinationals with offices in Assago or EUR, and English-medium university students in Bologna or Milan, the language match narrows a barrier that the public health service cannot address at scale. Grouport’s online group therapy in Italy is built for exactly those members.
Access and Availability Across Italy.
At 1.41 mental health workers per 100,000 residents by one count, Italy sits well below both the EU average and its immediate neighbours. That headline number understates the disparity, because the workforce that does exist clusters in the centre and north (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Veneto), while the south operates with even thinner ratios.
Geographic Barriers
Extended Wait Times
Systemic Challenges
Urban-Rural Divide
Affordable Group Therapy Costs for Italy Residents.
Affordability and Income
Italy’s 2024 GNI per capita of about US$55,220 (PPP) puts Grouport’s online group therapy in Italy, at US$140 a month, at roughly 3 percent of average monthly income. For members of the English-speaking community who would otherwise pay Milan or Rome private-practice rates, commonly EUR 80 to 120 per weekly session with an English-speaking psychologist in areas like Porta Venezia or Trastevere, the annual difference can exceed EUR 3,000, though that compares group care with one-on-one care. Unlike the psychologist bonus (Bonus Psicologo), there is no income cap, no annual ceiling, and no application window. Unlike public care, there is no referral to obtain.
Hidden Cost and Barriers
In-person therapy in Italy carries costs that never appear on the receipt. A Milan transit pass, a regional train ticket, restricted-traffic-zone (ZTL) fees, or parking near a studio in a historic city centre add up across a year of weekly sessions. Time off work matters especially for employees on rigid schedules and for freelancers whose billable hour is their income. For residents of small towns, the arithmetic can be forty minutes each way to a community mental health centre that then reschedules for want of staff. Grouport’s online group therapy in Italy removes most of that transit ledger, with sessions from home or any private space with a stable connection.
Immediate Availability
Where the CSM pathway asks a patient to wait roughly twenty weeks for a first evaluation and often longer before regular psychotherapy begins, Grouport's matching runs on a right away clock. For someone who has already crossed the internal threshold of deciding to seek help, that difference, a day or two versus most of a semester, determines whether momentum carries into treatment or dissipates before care begins.
An SSN psichiatra consultation through a CSM is largely covered by the ticket sanitario (typically €0-€36 depending on regione and ISEE), but access is bottlenecked by the twenty-week queue. Private-practice sedute with a psicologo run €60-€120 in northern cities, and psychotherapy schedules generally require weekly attendance. At $32 per session (roughly €29 at recent EUR/USD rates), Grouport sits below the out-of-pocket cost of nearly every private option.
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 Italy.
Grouport runs online groups for anxiety, depression, DBT skills, grief and loss, relationship issues, obsessive-compulsive patterns, trauma processing, teen concerns, and men’s issues. The concerns most often cited in Italian national mental health indicators and health ministry reporting, depressive disorders, generalised anxiety, and workplace burnout, overlap with several of these groups. Members choose the group aligned to the material they want to work on, without being routed through a generalist first.
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 psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists who conduct sessions in English and work regularly with members outside the United States. For clients in Italy this means a therapist accustomed to hearing about Italian workplace culture, extended-family dynamics, the particular loneliness of relocating to a country whose language you speak only functionally, and the practical realities of a public health service that cannot meet demand. Training reflects US graduate standards, and cultural familiarity comes from caseloads that include expatriate communities in Europe.
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 Italy.
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 Italy.
What are the best online group therapy services in Italy?
The best online group therapy services combine licensed clinicians, small weekly groups, and a clear focus. Grouport's members in Italy 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 group therapy in Italy with a licensed therapist?
From wherever you have privacy, as long as you have a screen and a decent 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 English-speaking group therapy in Italy?
Grouport offers therapist-led groups for English speakers living in Italy, with features that matter:
- Sessions conducted in English by licensed therapists
- 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 of any group you are considering, then pick a topic and weekly time that suit you.
Where can I book private online group counselling in Italy?
You can book private online group counselling through Grouport and join from any quiet room, with no travel and no one seeing you enter a clinic. Sessions run on a HIPAA-compliant video platform with end-to-end encryption, and nothing is recorded or stored unless you request it. Each group is led by a licensed therapist, and you control your camera and what you share. Browse available groups, choose a weekly time, and a care coordinator can help you finalize the match.
Can I access virtual group therapy in Italy from any region?
Yes, in practice, because sessions run over video rather than from a local office. Whether you live in a big city, a hill town, or on one of the islands, you join the same groups. What matters is your connection: at least 3 Mbps is recommended, and you can switch to audio-only if the video struggles. Find a private spot, browse the available groups, and choose a licensed therapist and time. Test your signal first, since coverage varies. Your coordinator can help.
Which English-speaking online therapy groups are available for expats in Rome or Milan?
Expats in Rome, Milan, or elsewhere can join English-language groups on topics that come up often abroad:
- Anxiety and stress from work, visas, and paperwork
- Depression and low mood during a big move
- Grief and loss while far from family
- Relationship and life-transition support
Each is led by a licensed therapist. Browse available groups for current options. Sharing a move abroad with people who understand it can ease the isolation. Ask a coordinator which group fits your situation and time zone, and you can switch later if needed.
Where can I find condition-specific online groups for anxiety, depression, trauma or OCD?
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, and OCD groups with exposure-based strategies. Each one is facilitated by a licensed therapist and meets weekly by video. Browse the available groups to see current topics, times, and clinicians, then join the one that fits. Browse the topics and choose the group closest to your main concern.
How much do online group therapy sessions in Italy cost?
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. See cost and billing for plan details and the recurring billing policy for renewals and cancellation. Your bank may add its own conversion charges. Pricing is clear.
How do I enroll in Grouport's online group therapy for Italy 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.
What if my insurance covers individual therapy but not group therapy?
Grouport does not accept insurance directly, since it is out of network, but you still have options:
- Detailed receipts are available on request for out-of-network reimbursement
- Reimbursement depends on your own plan's out-of-network mental health benefits
- Call your insurer to ask what applies before you enroll
- Group sessions average about $32 each, billed at roughly $140 per month
A care coordinator can explain billing, and cost and billing has the details. Keep every receipt and ask your insurer what documents it needs.
Can I do online group therapy if I'm already seeing another therapist?
Yes, and many people do. Group therapy offers connection, perspective, and a place to practice skills, while individual therapy adds focused one-on-one attention. Some members combine group with another clinician they already see, and some add more sessions during a hard stretch. Telling both professionals what you are working on keeps everyone aligned. A care coordinator can help you plan the right mix, and individual sessions at Grouport average about $103 each if you want to add them. Ask for guidance.
What if I need more intensive treatment than weekly group therapy?
You have room to step up. Many members combine weekly groups with individual therapy, or add more sessions during a difficult period. For a higher level of support, Grouport also offers a virtual intensive outpatient program, which blends nine group sessions with one to three individual sessions each week, depending on the plan. A care coordinator can help you work out which level fits, and you can change course later as your needs evolve. Nothing locks you in, and you can adjust later.
Group Therapy Available Across Italy.
Counties
Lombardia, Lazio, Campania, Sicilia, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte, Puglia, Toscana, Calabria, Sardegna, Liguria, Marche, Abruzzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Basilicata, Molise, Valle d'Aosta.
Cities
Roma, Milano, Napoli, Torino, Palermo, Genova, Bologna, Firenze, Bari, Catania, Venezia, Verona, Messina, Padova, Trieste, Brescia, Parma, Taranto, Prato, Modena, Reggio Calabria, Perugia.
Zip Codes
00100, 00186, 00187, 00195, 20121, 20122, 20154, 10121, 10122, 40121, 50122, 80121, 80132, 90121, 70121, 16121, 35121, 37121, 34121, 09121, 09045
If you have an address in Italy, 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.
