Get Better, Together

Group Therapy Across the Maldives, Delivered Online.

With only 2.15 mental health workers per 100,000 residents and treatment waits stretching to 8 weeks at IGMH in Male, Maldivians on Addu, Fuvahmulah, and outer atolls rarely find local group therapy. Grouport connects you to licensed therapists over HIPAA-secure video for $32 per session, with matching completed right after intake.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Mental Health Access in the Maldives by the Numbers.

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

Mental Illness Prevalence

10.0% of Maldivian 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 the Maldives' public system, an interval during which symptoms often deepen.

Median Household Income

$13,697 median household income in the Maldives, shaping what households can allocate to private mental health care.

Percentage Who Need Therapy

88.0% of Maldivian adults with a mental health condition do not receive formal specialist treatment.

Provider Shortage

96% of the Maldives' mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

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

These figures come from the WHO Global Health Observatory and World Bank country indicators for 2023-2024. They describe a population of roughly 521,000 people spread across a 90,000-square-kilometer ocean territory, served by a mental health workforce that would fit inside a single school classroom. Grouport's online delivery model is designed for exactly this geography: any resort island, guesthouse island, or capital apartment with 3G coverage can host a session.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

Why the Maldivian Geography Blocks In-Person Group Therapy.

The Problem

The Maldives is the most geographically dispersed nation in South Asia, with 187 inhabited islands and no road connecting any two of them. Clinical psychology practice is concentrated at IGMH and ADK Hospital in Male, plus a handful of private clinics in Hulhumale. For a resident of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, attending a weekly group session in the capital requires a domestic flight costing $150-$250 round trip, plus overnight accommodation, plus lost workdays. Records zero community-based group therapy programs operating outside Greater Male in 2024.

The Impact

The impact is measurable in help-seeking rates. The National Mental Health Policy 2019-2023 estimated that fewer than one in five Maldivians experiencing depression or anxiety ever contact a mental health professional, and the National Bureau of Statistics 2023 suicide data showed clusters in outer atolls where no psychologist has ever been posted. When treatment does begin, dropout is high: a 8-week wait for an intake appointment often means the presenting crisis has escalated or the person has emigrated for work by the time a slot opens.

The Solution

Grouport removes the boat, the plane, and the queue. Sessions run on HIPAA-compliant video that works on the mobile-data networks Dhiraagu and Ooredoo have deployed to essentially every inhabited island. The $32 per session rate, billed as $140 monthly, is denominated in USD and payable by any international Visa or Mastercard issued by BML, MIB, or SBI Maldives. There is no referral gate, no capital visit, and no queue behind IGMH's 8-week backlog.

96% of the Maldives' mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Groups meet weekly for 60 minutes with 6 to 12 participants and one licensed therapist. Because the roster spans multiple time zones, Grouport can schedule sessions that land in the Maldivian evening (GMT+5) without requiring participants to take time off from resort shifts, fishing rotations, or school runs. The format is closed-cohort process group work, meaning the same people meet each week, building the continuity that outer-atoll residents have historically had to travel for.

Access and Availability Across 26 Atolls.

Grouport is available to any adult resident of the Maldives with a stable internet connection and a private space for 60 minutes weekly. Intake is a 15-minute online questionnaire, and matching to a group typically completes right away. There is no waitlist analogous to IGMH's 8-week queue.

Geographic Barriers

Geographic isolation is the defining feature of Maldivian mental health access. A resident of Haa Alif Atoll in the far north sits 320 kilometers from Male by sea; a resident of Addu City in the south sits 540 kilometers away. Domestic flights operate to only 17 airports, and inter-atoll ferries run on schedules measured in days, not hours. Every one of these barriers disappears when the therapy room is a video window. Grouport participants in Kulhudhuffushi, Thinadhoo, and Hithadhoo attend the same session as participants in Male without any of them boarding a boat.

Extended Wait Times

The 8-week reported wait at IGMH is not the whole story. Follow-up appointments after an initial psychiatric consultation are often spaced 8 to 12 weeks apart because of caseload volume against a workforce of 2.15 mental health workers per 100,000. Grouport's weekly cadence, guaranteed by the closed-cohort structure, delivers roughly 13 times more clinical contact hours per quarter than the public system can offer a new patient. That density matters for the anxiety, depression, and adjustment concerns that make up the bulk of presenting problems.

Systemic Challenges

The 2023 Mental Health Act established the Mental Health Center of the Maldives and formalized a licensing framework, but implementation has been slowed by workforce shortages the WHO country cooperation strategy explicitly identifies as the primary constraint. Most Maldivian psychologists trained abroad in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, or Australia, and retention rates after return are low.

Urban-Rural Divide

With 42% of the population urban (concentrated in Male, Hulhumale, Villimale, and Addu City) and 58% distributed across some 180 outer islands, the rural-urban gap in provider access is stark. Male-based clinicians rarely conduct outreach to atolls further than Kaafu, and telemedicine within the public system remains limited to specific pilot programs. Grouport treats every Maldivian address the same, whether the participant lives in Maafannu ward of Male or on a 400-person island in Laamu Atoll.

Onboarding requires only an email address, a form of payment, and answers to the intake questionnaire. Sessions can be joined from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and the video platform is optimized to work on connections as low as 500 kbps, which is well within the range of standard mobile data across the archipelago.

Cost and Value in Maldivian Context.

Affordability and Income

Against a 2024 gross national income per capita of $11,890, a Grouport monthly membership represents about 1.4% of average annual income, or 14% of one month's average earnings. Compared with 4-8 sessions of private Male-based therapy at market rates, which can consume 6-15% of a middle-class household's monthly income, the group format delivers weekly clinical contact at roughly one-third the per-session cost. For resort employees on rotational contracts, whose incomes often exceed the national average but whose schedules preclude in-person capital appointments, the math is even more favorable.

Hidden Cost and Barriers

The invisible costs of Maldivian in-person care are substantial. A single psychiatric follow-up at IGMH for a resident of Fuvahmulah or Addu typically involves a domestic flight ($150-$250), a night in a Male guesthouse ($40-$80), meals, and 1-2 lost workdays. Add the appointment itself and the true cost of one visit approaches MVR 5,000 to MVR 8,000. Grouport eliminates every one of these line items. There is no travel, no lodging, no lost shift, and no need to explain a mainland trip to family or employer.

Immediate Availability

Value in this market is measured in weeks-to-first-session as much as in dollars. Grouport's immediate group start window compresses what would otherwise be a 8-week IGMH intake queue or a multi-week private-clinic scheduling process into two business days. For someone in acute distress, that compression is not a convenience feature. It is the difference between beginning treatment this week and beginning treatment in the fourth quarter.

Grouport's $32 per session price, billed as $140 per month for four sessions, sits in a specific place on the Maldivian mental health cost curve. Public IGMH consultations are subsidized under Aasandha, but access is capped by the 8-week wait. Private psychology sessions in Male range from MVR 800 to MVR 2,500 (roughly $52 to $162 USD) per hour, often with additional charges for follow-ups.

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

What Grouport Groups Address for Maldivian Participants.

Grouport runs process-oriented groups for anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. These map onto the presenting concerns most commonly reported in Maldivian primary care settings: work stress from the tourism sector, family conflict linked to inter-atoll migration, adjustment issues among returning students, and mood symptoms in populations underserved by the 2.15-per-100,000 workforce.

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.

All Grouport therapists hold current clinical licenses (LCSW, LMFT, LMHC, or PhD-level psychology) and complete Grouport's specific training in process group facilitation. The clinical model is evidence-based, drawing on cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, and psychodynamic traditions. Therapists are not Maldivian nationals and do not offer clinical consultation in Dhivehi; sessions run in English, which is the language of secondary and tertiary education across the country.

FIND YOUR MATCH

a healthier future starts right here

Grouport’s Results

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find your Group

girl with chart on face

Affordable Group Therapy & Care Options in the Maldives.

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

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Group Therapy

$35/session
billed at $140/month

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Individual Therapy

$112/session
billed at $448/month

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Partnership

Couples Therapy

$123/session
billed at $492/month

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Family Therapy

$160/session
billed at $640/month

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IOP Therapy

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

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Frame

Teen Therapy

$112/session
billed at $448/month

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or Learn More

Meaningful Results

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

Stephanie

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

Michael

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

Isabel

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

Sheldon

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

Nancy

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

Emily

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

Olivia

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

Danielle

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

Glenn

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

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Frequently Asked Questions from Maldivian Participants.

With only about 2.15 mental health workers per 100,000 Maldivians, does a weekly group actually fit better than trying to book one-on-one therapy in Male?

For many Maldivians it does. The local specialist workforce is small, individual appointments often carry a 16-week wait, and reaching IGMH from an outer atoll can mean a ferry or seaplane trip. Grouport's weekly video groups of 6 to 12 members give you consistent time with a licensed therapist plus peers working through similar concerns, for $32 per session on a HIPAA-secure platform. The off-island format also adds a layer of privacy that can be harder to protect in small-island communities. You can join right away.

I'm an expat working in Maldivian tourism or hospitality, does Grouport work if my employer insurance doesn't cover local therapy?

Yes. Grouport is a direct-pay service at $32 per session, so you do not need employer coverage or Aasandha eligibility to join. Weekly video groups of 6 to 12 members meet on a HIPAA-secure platform, which means you can log in from a resort island, guesthouse, or Male apartment without traveling to IGMH. Sessions run in English with licensed therapists, and MVT at UTC+5 lines up cleanly with evening slots for staff finishing daytime shifts across the atolls. You can join right away.

Is online therapy cheaper than in-person therapy?
Generally yes. In-person private practice therapy in cities often costs $200-400+ per session. Grouport costs less because there's no office rent, smaller geographic markets to draw from, and efficiency of scale. You also save on transportation costs and time. Online therapy has made affordable therapy accessible to people who couldn't afford traditional in-person rates.
What if I'm struggling with loneliness where I live?
Loneliness happens anywhere. Maybe you're new somewhere and don't have community yet. Maybe cultural differences make friendships hard. Maybe you're isolated for other reasons. Online therapy provides consistent human connection and helps you work on building community where you are.
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 leave a group if it's not working for me?
Yes, but planned endings benefit both you and the group. If the group isn't helping after 6-8 sessions, discuss concerns with the therapist first as well as a care coordinator and sometimes the therapist can ultimately make adjustments that will result in a major difference for you. If you're certain the group isn't the right fit, you can always switch groups as fit is important and dictates the quality of your experience in group. This is why we provide the flexibility to switch groups at any time, and our care coordinators will work with you to make sure you’re satisfied with whichever group fit you’re in.
What if someone in the group triggers me?
Bring it up to your group. The therapist helps manage group dynamics and navigate these kinds of things. Sometimes triggers in group therapy sessions are actually useful material to work with since they're showing you something important. Therapists are trained to handle conflict and difficult emotions arising in group settings. Being uncomfortable isn't the same as being harmed and groups work through that challenge. The therapist ensures safety while allowing growth-promoting discomfort as long as it's in fact therapeutic. If ultimately, it becomes constant and it is no longer helpful for your progress, you can always discuss it with the group therapist or switch to another group that would be a better fit.
Can I be in an online therapy group if I have social anxiety?
Yes, and actually online group therapy is highly effective for social anxiety specifically. Initial anxiety about joining is normal and expected. It's practice in a safe environment and you get to work on the very thing that scares you with support right there. Most people with social anxiety find that the fear of group therapy is way worse than the reality. Social anxiety only improves through experience and not avoidance, so group provides a structured opportunity for this. Many people who have social anxiety find that group therapy is the number one driver of their improvement.
What if I'm the only one with my specific problem?
You don't need identical problems to benefit from online group therapy. So while your exact situation might be unique, you'll be with people who have similar struggles. Even really different problems often share underlying patterns like isolation, fear, shame, difficulty trusting. Those commonalities matter more than identical circumstances. If you have a particular diagnosis then diagnosis-specific groups would be helpful and that’s why groups are typically structured around certain diagnoses like a trauma group, eating disorder group, OCD group, a BPD group, or it can be a group that focuses on a particular type of treatment like DBT, CBT, EMDR that’s helpful for certain things or it might be a general group for folks who have commonalities of some sort.
Is the video platform for online therapy sessions secure and HIPAA-compliant?
Yes, Grouport uses a fully HIPAA-compliant video platform with end-to-end encryption to protect your online therapy sessions. This means your video and audio are encrypted from your device to your therapist's device, preventing anyone from intercepting or viewing your sessions. Our security measures meet or exceed healthcare industry standards and are regularly audited for compliance. Your session data is never recorded or stored unless you specifically request it, and all transmitted information is protected by the same security used by banks and healthcare systems.
Is online therapy confidential?
Yes, online therapy with Grouport is completely confidential and protected by the same privacy laws (HIPAA) as in-person therapy. Everything you discuss with your therapist remains private unless you give permission to share information or there's a legal requirement (such as risk of harm to yourself or others). Our video platform uses bank-level encryption to protect your sessions from unauthorized access. Your therapist maintains the same professional confidentiality standards as traditional in-person therapy, and all our systems are HIPAA-compliant to ensure your information stays secure.
Do you offer sliding scale pricing?
Grouport's online format already provides significant cost savings - 40-70% below traditional therapy rates. While we don't offer individual sliding scale adjustments, our group therapy option provides the most affordable access at just an average of $32 per session ($140/month). We also accept HSA/FSA cards, which reduce costs by 20-30% through tax savings, and can provide receipts for out-of-network insurance reimbursement. You’ll also receive discounts if you pay quarterly or biannually or anytime you do multiple sessions together there are discounts automatically included in those plans.

Geographic Coverage Across the Maldives.

Counties

Haa Alif, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Lhaviyani, Kaafu, Alif Alif, Alif Dhaalu, Vaavu, Meemu, Faafu, Dhaalu, Thaa, Laamu, Gaafu Alif, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, and Seenu atolls, plus the capital region encompassing Male, Hulhumale, and Villimale.

Cities

Male, Addu City (Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo), Fuvahmulah, Kulhudhuffushi, Thinadhoo, Naifaru, Eydhafushi, Mahibadhoo, Dhidhdhoo, Hinnavaru, Villimale, Hulhumale, Guraidhoo, Manadhoo, Ungoofaaru, Funadhoo, Kudahuvadhoo, and Fonadhoo.

Zip Codes

20026, 20038, 20260

If you have an address in Maldives, 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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Let’s find the right therapist match for you, so you can get consistent & effective care.

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