Get Better, Together

Online Group Therapy Reaching Every Province of Laos.

Laos counts fewer than 14 mental health workers for every 100,000 residents and concentrates almost all specialist services around Vientiane. Grouport connects Lao residents to English-speaking licensed therapists in weekly 6-to-12-person video groups, priced at $32 per session, you can join a group right away, not the nine-week wait typical of the domestic public system.

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The State of Mental Health in Laos.

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

Mental Illness Prevalence

9.3% of Lao adults live with a mental health condition each year, reflecting the ongoing need for accessible therapy options.

Wait Time

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

Median Household Income

$5,630 median household income in Laos, shaping what households can allocate to private mental health care.

Percentage Who Need Therapy

92.0% of Lao adults with a mental health condition do not receive formal specialist treatment.

Provider Shortage

73% of Laos's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

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

These figures pull from the WHO Global Health Observatory workforce dataset and World Bank national accounts for 2024. Laos remains largely rural, with just 39.6% of its population living in urban centers, and its specialist mental health services are concentrated at Mahosot Hospital and a handful of Vientiane facilities. That geographic concentration, layered on a small overall workforce, produces one of the wider access gaps in the WHO Western Pacific Region.

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UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

Understanding Mental Health Access in Laos.

The Problem

The Lao PDR maintains roughly 13.64 mental health workers per 100,000 residents, community mental health staff, and social workers together with the country's small pool of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. In a country of 7.6 million people, this translates to a specialist workforce numbering only in the low thousands across all categories, with the psychiatrist count in particular sitting in double digits nationally. Provinces like Phongsaly, Sekong, and Attapeu often operate without a resident psychiatrist at all.

The Impact

For a resident of Luang Prabang or Savannakhet seeking talk therapy, the practical result is a nine-week average wait for a first appointment at a public facility, and often a return trip to Vientiane if the referral requires specialist input. A young professional in the Vientiane Capital economic zone or a teacher in Pakse dealing with anxiety, insomnia, or grief is rarely in a position to hold that timeline. Private counseling in Vientiane exists but is thin, expatriate-oriented, and priced beyond the reach of most households earning near the country's $9,570 GNI per capita PPP.

The Solution

Online group therapy changes what counts as capacity. Instead of depending on how many licensed clinicians happen to practice within reach of a given Lao province, Grouport gathers members with similar concerns into small facilitated video groups led by licensed therapists. One trained facilitator working with six to twelve members multiplies weekly access without requiring the country to first grow its domestic training pipeline, a model that fits Laos's specific shortage more cleanly than any incremental expansion of in-person clinics could.

73% of Laos's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Grouport's approach steps around both bottlenecks that shape Lao mental health care: workforce scarcity and geography. Intake and matching complete right away, sessions run over HIPAA-compliant video from a laptop or phone with a reliable connection, and delivery is in English, which lines up with how many Lao professionals, NGO staff, hospitality workers, and international-school families already operate. A client in Luang Namtha and a member in Champasak can share the same weekly group without either leaving home.

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Access and Availability Across Laos.

Formal mental health care in Laos is anchored by the psychiatric department at Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane and a small network of provincial hospital services. Between that formal capacity and the informal support many Lao families rely on, there is a substantial middle band of unmet need, the kind of everyday anxiety, low mood, workplace stress, and relationship strain that group therapy is specifically designed to address.

Geographic Barriers

Laos covers roughly 237,000 square kilometers of mountainous, river-cut terrain, with only 39.6% of the population living in urban centers. That leaves about 4.6 million Lao residents in rural districts, many hours by road from the nearest provincial hospital psychiatric service and much further from Vientiane. Northern provinces such as Phongsaly, Luang Namtha, and Oudomxay face particularly long overland journeys, and rainy-season conditions between May and October can make weekly in-person attendance genuinely impractical. A video group joined from home removes the geography from the equation.

Extended Wait Times

A nine-week wait for a first psychiatric consultation in Laos's public system is only the beginning of the timing problem. Follow-up appointments often sit two to three months apart under caseload pressure on such a small specialist workforce, so a course of care that would run three months elsewhere can stretch across most of a year in Laos. For someone dealing with grief, work burnout, or a difficult transition, the natural window for early support has usually closed by the time a second session lands. Grouport members meet the same therapist and cohort weekly, restoring a treatment rhythm the domestic system struggles to sustain.

Systemic Challenges

Laos operates a National Health Insurance Scheme that has expanded significantly in recent years, but psychotherapy and structured counseling are not reliably covered services under it. Most Lao residents seeking talk therapy pay out of pocket, and the small number of private counselors in Vientiane price sessions at levels aimed at expatriate and diplomatic clientele. That leaves the working middle, civil servants, teachers, hotel and tourism staff, small-business owners, without an affordable local option for sustained weekly care. Grouport's flat $140 monthly rate covers all four weekly group sessions and does not depend on insurance status.

Urban-Rural Divide

With urbanization at 39.6%, Laos is one of the more rural countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region. Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang, Pakse, and Savannakhet together hold most of the country's specialist mental health capacity, while the remaining 4.6 million Lao residents live in districts where seeing a psychiatrist requires overland travel measured in half-days rather than hours. Weekly in-person specialist care simply is not a viable schedule for the majority of the. Online delivery erases the distance a member happens to live from a clinic.

For Lao residents comfortable working in English, Grouport reframes a workforce shortage as a scheduling matter. A stable internet connection and one weekly hour is the entire access requirement, no travel to Vientiane, no waiting through a rainy season, no dependence on how many psychiatrists happen to serve a given province.

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Affordable Group Therapy Costs for Laos Residents.

Affordability and Income

Set against Laos's 2024 GNI per capita PPP of $9,570, a $140 monthly Grouport membership works out to roughly 1.5% of average annual income per capita on a purchasing-power basis. That share sits substantially below what an equivalent course of weekly private counseling in Vientiane would consume from a comparable household budget, and the monthly rate stays flat rather than climbing session by session as most hourly-billed private clinics do. The predictability matters as much as the absolute figure for households planning care over months rather than weeks.

Hidden Cost and Barriers

The published fee at an in-country clinic understates the real cost of Lao mental health care. A member commuting from Vang Vieng or Thakhek to a counselor in Vientiane loses a full working day per session to travel, waiting, and the appointment itself. Bus fares, songthaew rides, and lost wages accumulate over a full course of care, and for workers paid by shift or by the day, missed income can exceed the session fee. A video group joined from home, a workplace office, or a quiet room strips those surrounding costs out and leaves only the session itself.

Immediate Availability

Because Grouport completes immediate start of intake, the practical difference for a Lao resident is starting care within the same week rather than the same fiscal quarter. That timing matters most for the concerns, grief, work stress, sleep disruption, relationship strain, where the first few weeks of support shape how the following months unfold rather than simply managing symptoms after the fact.

Private counseling options in Vientiane are limited and typically oriented toward the expatriate community, with session fees frequently sitting between $50 and well over $100. For a household earning near the country's $9,570 GNI per capita PPP, sustained weekly private therapy at those rates is not a realistic budget line. Grouport prices group therapy at $32 per session, billed as $140 per month with unlimited attendance across the four weekly sessions.

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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.

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Mental Health Conditions We Treat in Laos.

Grouport groups serving Laos focus on the concerns most commonly raised at intake across the WHO Western Pacific Region: generalized anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, workplace burnout, social anxiety, panic, trauma recovery, and adjustment following major life transitions such as migration, career change, or the end of a relationship. Groups are organized by shared concern, so members join a cohort working on the same theme rather than a general mixed group.

Find your group

Get Help for:

Anxiety (GAD), Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Phobias, Sexual Performance Anxiety

Depression (MDD), Bipolar Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Postpartum Depression, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex PTSD, Narcissistic Abuse Recovery, Dissociative Disorders, Adjustment Disorder, Stress Management, Burnout, Imposter Syndrome

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Trichotillomania, Excoriation Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Antisocial Personality Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Dependent Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), Paranoid Personality Disorder, Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Eating Disorders, Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, Schizophrenia

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

Substance Use & Addiction, Insomnia & Sleep Issues, Somatic Symptom Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder

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

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 serving Laos is facilitated by a licensed therapist, holding credentials such as LCSW, LMFT, LPC, or PhD/PsyD in clinical psychology. Sessions are delivered in English, which fits members already operating in English-language environments - Laos's tourism and hospitality sector, international NGOs and development agencies concentrated in Vientiane, hydropower and mining project staff, university faculty, and expatriate families in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Facilitators bring cross-cultural experience and adapt discussion to the range of member contexts.

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

Affordable Group Therapy & Care Options in Laos.

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.

$112/session
billed at $448/month

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Meaningful Results

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

Stephanie

Depression

“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

Borderline Personality

“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

Trauma & PTSD

"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

Depression

“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

Anxiety

“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

Anxiety

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

Olivia

Grief & Loss

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

Danielle

Anxiety

"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

DBT

"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 Laos.

With so few psychiatrists in Vientiane, is a group format really the right fit for me in Laos?

With roughly 13.64 mental health workers per 100,000 Lao residents and most concentrated at Mahosot and Mittaphab hospitals, individual English-language therapy is essentially unavailable outside the capital. Grouport's weekly video groups of 6 to 12 members turn that scarcity into a strength: you get consistent access to a licensed therapist plus peers navigating similar challenges. At $32 per session versus cross-border trips to Bangkok, you can join right away from anywhere in Laos with internet, on a HIPAA-secure platform.

How does Grouport's communication style compare to consulting monks or traditional healers in Laos?

In Laos, families often begin with a monk or traditional healer, whose guidance is spiritual and indirect. Grouport offers a different register: licensed therapists lead weekly video groups of 6 to 12 members using structured, evidence-based conversation in English. Sessions are direct but warm, focused on skills like cognitive reframing and emotion regulation. For Vientiane expats, NGO staff, and Lao urban professionals fluent in English, this clinical style complements cultural resources at $32 a session, HIPAA-secure, with immediate group start.

What's a superbill and how do I use it?

A superbill is a detailed receipt with information your insurance needs for reimbursement. You submit this to your insurance company's out-of-network claims process. They review it and reimburse you based on your plan's out-of-network mental health benefits.

What if I'm experiencing workplace discrimination?

Workplace discrimination based on gender, race, age, disability, religion, or other factors happens in many countries. Employment protections vary, but the mental health impact is real. Therapy helps you cope with the stress of workplace discrimination and navigate difficult challenges and decisions.

Can therapy help if I'm experiencing political instability or conflict?

Living through political instability, protests, violence, or conflict is traumatic. Therapy provides support during crises, helps you process ongoing stress and fear, and addresses trauma. If you're in danger, therapy also helps with safety planning and deciding whether to leave.

Can I be in multiple therapy groups simultaneously?

Absolutely, it’s common that people are partaking in multiple therapy groups at once. This can be if they want to work on different things as different groups can focus on different areas, or they want to have extra focus on important relevant skills, or they want to benefit from different therapist approaches, or they need more intensive care. It’s common that people are doing 2-4 groups per week and if they need something more intensive, our IOP can be helpful since it includes 9 groups per week. It’s totally based on what feels right for you, so trust your gut. You can always increase the amount of groups you’re doing or decrease at any time.

What if I want to work on issues but don't want to share details?

You don't need to share every detail to benefit from group. You can participate meaningfully without sharing every detail of your life. You can keep it high level by talking about patterns, feelings, or what you're struggling with conceptually. Ultimately, you totally control your level of disclosure. Many people surprise themselves by sharing more than expected once trust builds. By recognizing the commonalities people experience in the group, most people ultimately feel comfortable sharing more than what they would have though they’d feel comfortable sharing. It is precisely being vulnerable with others and confiding in others, which serves as a major driver of improved therapeutic outcomes and why online group therapy is so successful.

Can I join a group if I'm already in crisis?

It depends on the crisis type and severity. Severe crises typically require more intensive treatment like IOP, PHP, or hospitalization before group therapy by itself is appropriate as groups can't provide crisis-level support. In a crisis you typically need more intensive care. You can always join a group after crisis stabilization. If you're in crisis during group membership, a care coordinator can help you get additional individual support, more frequent intensive care that combines multiple group sessions with individual therapy, perhaps medication management, or connects you with appropriate crisis resources while maintaining your group participation if safe and appropriate. Often groups help stabilize you through connection and support, but sometimes you need more intensive work first. An assessment conversation with a therapist can help figure out the best treatment plan.

Can group therapy help me become more assertive?

Group therapy is particularly effective for assertiveness building because you practice in real-time. In group sessions you can practice speaking up, saying what you need, setting boundaries, and disagreeing respectfully. You get immediate feedback and can try again the following session for consistent practice. Real-time practice beats talking about assertiveness in theory. Assertiveness is learned through doing, not just discussing and groups offer a perfect practice environment to build these skills. Skills learned in group transfer to outside relationships and work situations and people often notice how it impacts that rather quickly for the better.

Can I record my therapy sessions?

No, therapy sessions are not allowed to be recorded for confidentiality reasons. However, if you want to remember specific exercises or coping skills from your session from material that is being referenced during the session, you can ask your therapist to have our administrative staff email you the resources after your appointment if the therapist is willing to provide such materials to email to you. Certain types of sessions, like our DBT groups, come with reading manuals that we universally provide and you can review on your own time at your own pace outside of sessions. You can also take notes during sessions.

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.

Can I do online therapy if I'm already seeing another therapist?

Absolutely, many people see multiple therapists at the same time to work on different challenges, or they combine group therapy with individual therapy due to its complimentary benefits, or if they need more intensive and a higher frequency of care. So, it's totally up to you and it's common to see multiple therapists or do multiple therapy sessions at once. We're happy to discuss your specific situation to determine what makes sense for your care.

Group Therapy Available Across Laos.

Counties

Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, Champasak, Xiangkhouang, Bolikhamsai, Khammouane, Bokeo, Oudomxay, Luang Namtha, Phongsaly, Houaphanh, Xaisomboun, Salavan, Sekong, Attapeu, Xayabury

Cities

Vientiane, Pakse, Savannakhet (Kaysone Phomvihane), Luang Prabang, Thakhek, Xam Neua, Phonsavan, Vang Vieng, Muang Xay, Luang Namtha, Ban Houayxay, Attapeu, Sekong, Salavan, Xayabury

Zip Codes

01000, 01001, 01004, 01005, 13000, 16000

If you have an address in Laos, 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

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Source Citation

Sources: WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank Open Data for Laos, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO), UN World Population Prospects.

Online Group Therapy Reaching Every Province of Laos.

The State of Mental Health in Laos.

Mental Illness Prevalence

Wait Time

Median Household Income

Percentage Who Need Therapy

Provider Shortage

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

Understanding Mental Health Access in Laos.

The Problem

The Impact

The Solution

Access and Availability Across Laos.

Geographic Barriers

Extended Wait Times

Systemic Challenges

Urban-Rural Divide

Affordable Group Therapy Costs for Laos Residents.

Affordability and Income

Hidden Cost and Barriers

Immediate Availability

How it Works

Choose your online therapy group

Personalized match

Meet weekly with your group

Mental Health Conditions We Treat in Laos.

Get Help for:

Anxiety Disorders

Mood Disorders

Trauma & Stress Related Disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders

Personality Disorders

Eating & Body Disorders

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Life Challenges

Other Disorders

Self harm

Common Treatments

Common Treatments:

Meet Our Therapists

Grouport’s Results

Affordable Group Therapy & Care Options in Laos.

Group Therapy

Individual Therapy

Couples Therapy

Family Therapy

IOP Therapy

Teen Therapy

Meaningful Results

Common Questions About Group Therapy in Laos.

Group Therapy Available Across Laos.

Counties

Cities

Zip Codes

Online Group Therapy Available Worldwide

Ready To Get Started?

Source Citation