Get Better, Together

Group Therapy for Saint Helena, Delivered Online.

Living on a 122-square-kilometre volcanic island in the South Atlantic means the nearest mainland psychiatrist sits over 1,900 kilometres away in Cape Town. Grouport connects Saint Helena residents to licensed therapists through HIPAA-secure video groups of 6 to 12 peers for $32 per session, you can join a group right away.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Mental Health Access Data for Saint Helena.

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

Mental Illness Prevalence

22.0% of Saint Helenian adults live with a mental health condition each year, reflecting the ongoing need for accessible therapy options.

Wait Time

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

Median Household Income

$26,884 median household income in Saint Helena, shaping what households can allocate to private mental health care.

Percentage Who Need Therapy

65.0% of Saint Helenian adults with a mental health condition do not receive formal specialist treatment.

Provider Shortage

97% of Saint Helena's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

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

The numbers above come from WHO Global Health Observatory reporting for the WHO African Region and Saint Helena Government Health Directorate operational data. A 1.4 per 100,000 workforce density combined with a 6-week average wait defines a market where online delivery is not a convenience but the difference between receiving care and going without it entirely.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

Why the South Atlantic Location Blocks In-Person Care.

The Problem

Saint Helena's geography is the single largest barrier to specialist mental health care. The RMS Saint Helena was retired in 2018 and replaced by weekly flights from Johannesburg via the airport at Prosperous Bay Plain, but a return ticket still costs upwards of £900 and requires a Saturday-to-Saturday commitment. Referral to a South African psychiatrist therefore triggers a minimum one-week absence from work and school, plus accommodation in Johannesburg, plus the consultation fee itself.

The Impact

For a Saint who earns the local median wage of roughly £14,000 per year, a single off-island psychiatric visit can consume more than a month of take-home pay before the clinical fee is even paid. Families in Longwood, Blue Hill and Sandy Bay routinely defer referrals until symptoms become acute, at which point the visiting UK-contracted psychiatrist becomes the only realistic option and the 6-week queue lengthens further.

The Solution

Grouport removes the flight, the hotel and the week of missed work from the equation. A resident of Half Tree Hollow joins the same licensed therapist and the same peer group each week from a laptop, tablet or phone connected to the island's Sure satellite broadband service, paying $32 per session instead of the £900 airfare that a mainland referral would demand.

97% of Saint Helena's mental health workforce falls short of what is needed to fully meet population demand for specialist care.

Because sessions run over HIPAA-compliant video rather than in-person infrastructure, the 1,900-kilometre distance to the nearest mainland clinic becomes irrelevant. Groups of 6 to 12 members meet on a fixed weekly slot chosen to fit the GMT time zone the island observes year-round, so a Saint in Jamestown attends the same 7pm session as a peer in another territory with no ferry, no charter flight, and no waiting list.

Access and Availability for Saint Helena Residents.

Access to mental health care on Saint Helena is shaped by a workforce of roughly 62 mental health workers per 100,000 across the WHO African Region overall, but only 1.4 per 100,000 on the island itself. Grouport treats that gap as its starting condition, not an obstacle to work around later.

Geographic Barriers

The island's 122 square kilometres are served by one hospital in Jamestown and a handful of district clinics reached by roads that wind through St Paul's, Levelwood and Blue Hill. Even for residents inside the 55% urban catchment, a psychology appointment can mean a 40-minute drive from Sandy Bay to Jamestown along the Briars Ridge road. Grouport removes that internal transit entirely: the same weekly group is joined from a kitchen table in Half Tree Hollow or a farmhouse in Longwood, provided a broadband or 4G connection is available.

Extended Wait Times

The 6-week wait for a routine first appointment reflects a system in which one visiting UK-contracted psychiatrist rotates through the island alongside a small locally recruited nursing team. When that clinician is off-island, urgent cases are triaged by tele-psychiatry from South Africa and the routine queue effectively pauses. Grouport's immediate group start window means a Saint who enrols on a Monday is typically in a group by Wednesday of the same week, means you can join right away.

Systemic Challenges

Saint Helena's health service is funded through UK grant-in-aid and prioritises acute physical care, obstetrics and the island's ageing population's chronic disease burden. Talking therapies for anxiety, low mood, grief and relationship strain are recognised needs, but the SHG Health Directorate has publicly acknowledged that community-based counselling capacity is limited. This leaves working-age Saints, particularly returners from the UK offshore workforce, without a structured route into non-crisis care.

Urban-Rural Divide

The 55% urban / 45% rural split matters less than usual because Grouport delivers the same session quality to every postcode. A resident of Sandy Bay on the windward side, a farmer in Longwood near the Napoleonic residences, and a shop worker in central Jamestown all connect to the identical licensed clinician and the identical peer cohort. The historical disadvantage of living outside the Jamestown-Half Tree Hollow corridor disappears at the point of joining a video group.

The combined effect is a service designed for a jurisdiction where 4,439 people share a single visiting psychiatrist. By moving matching, scheduling and delivery entirely online, Grouport turns Saint Helena's isolation into a neutral factor rather than a rationing mechanism, and puts a weekly therapist-led group within the same 48-hour reach a Londoner would expect.

Cost and Value Compared to Off-Island Care.

Affordability and Income

Saint Helena's median household income sits in the World Bank's middle-low bracket, and the local labour market is dominated by SHG public sector roles, tourism, fishing and remittances from offshore workers on Ascension and the Falklands. A £110 monthly commitment fits inside a typical Saint household budget in a way that a £900 flight to Johannesburg simply does not. There are no travel insurance premiums, no accommodation costs and no lost wages from a week off-island.

Hidden Cost and Barriers

An off-island referral carries costs that do not appear on the medical invoice: visa-free entry to South Africa still requires a yellow-fever check depending on routing, luggage allowances constrain how much medication and supporting documentation can be carried, and the weekly Airlink flight schedule means a missed connection extends the trip by seven days. Grouport's $32 per session is the total cost. There is no add-on for the group facilitator, no cancellation penalty for a rescheduled Airlink flight, and no supplemental fee for the HIPAA video platform.

Immediate Availability

Because matching is completed inside immediate, a Saint who decides on Monday to start therapy is typically in a session by mid-week rather than joining the 6-week local queue. The economic value of that speed is significant: earlier intervention for anxiety, grief or workplace stress reduces the risk of the acute presentation that would otherwise trigger a costly emergency referral off-island.

At $32 per session or $140 per month, Grouport prices weekly group therapy at roughly £110 per month at current exchange rates. That figure sits below the cost of a single return taxi from Longwood to Jamestown General plus a private consultation fee, and it is a small fraction of the £900-plus airfare required for a Cape Town or Johannesburg specialist appointment.

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 Saint Helena Members.

Grouport runs licensed therapist-led groups for anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, workplace stress, trauma recovery, adolescent and teen concerns, and dialectical behaviour therapy skills. For Saint Helena members, the most common presenting concerns cluster around isolation, separation from family working overseas on Ascension or the UK, and adjustment stress tied to the island's small, closely networked community.

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 clinician is licensed and vetted for group facilitation experience. Saint Helena members are matched to a therapist whose specialism fits their presenting concern and whose scheduled group slot aligns with the island's GMT observance, so evening sessions land at a workable hour rather than the middle of the night that a US-time-zone service would impose.

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 Saint Helena.

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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or Learn More

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Family Therapy

$160/session
billed at $640/month

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or Learn More

IOP Therapy

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

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or Learn More

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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Saint Helena Group Therapy Questions Answered.

In a 4,400-person community where everyone knows everyone, how does Grouport keep therapy private from family and neighbors?

Grouport meets over a HIPAA-secure video platform from your own home, so there is no visit to Jamestown General Hospital and no one on the island sees you arriving for an appointment. Your group of 6-12 members is drawn from across Grouport's client base, not from Saint Helena, so you are never sitting across from a relative or neighbor. Licensed therapists enforce strict confidentiality ground rules, and you can join a group right away for $32 per session.

Can Grouport help Saints in Jamestown with anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma when the island has no resident consultant psychiatrist?

Yes. Grouport runs weekly video groups of 6-12 members for anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma, each facilitated by a licensed clinician, so Saints can get consistent condition-specific support without waiting for an off-island referral to Cape Town or the UK. Sessions are $32 each, HIPAA-secure, and delivered in standard English on GMT, which fits Saint Helena's schedule exactly. You can join a group right away rather than sitting on the community mental health team's list for weeks.

Is therapy worth the cost if I'm just dealing with normal life stress?
That's a personal decision. You don't need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Some people view therapy as preventive care or personal development investment. Others only go when problems are severe. Consider this though, therapy costs money, but so does letting problems fester. Damaged relationships cost you. Missed work costs you. Physical health impacts from stress. Crisis interventions later. Preventive therapy can be cost effective long term.
Can therapy help with mental health stigma in my country?
Many countries have strong stigma around mental health care. Therapy might be seen as shameful or only for crazy people. This is far from the truth. Online therapy offers privacy, you can get help without anyone in your community knowing. Working through internalized stigma with your therapist is part of the process. Seeking help is actually a sign of strength.
How much does Grouport cost in my currency?
Pricing is in US dollars. Group therapy sessions range from $25-$35 USD per session, and individual therapy averages $103 USD per session. Your bank will convert the charge to your local currency. Exchange rates affect the final amount you pay, but those are the amounts you can expect to pay for group therapy and individual therapy. The rates for family therapy, couples therapy, virtual IOP, self guided programs, or bundles combining different types of therapy at different levels of intensiveness varies. Whenever you are doing more than one session per week, there are always discounts included.
Can I suggest topics for the group to discuss?
Yes, groups are driven by member experiences. So definitely bring what’s going on in your life as that can impact the topic of discussion. The therapist facilitates the flow of conversation and what time of group focuses on what, but you and other members bring in what matters to work on and that certainly gets paid attention to and becomes a focus in conversation. By bringing in your own experiences, this makes the group more relevant and enables others to chime in and present skills that could be relevant to that specific situation.
What if I'm struggling financially and can't afford online group therapy anymore?
Grouport's online group therapy is already one of the most affordable therapy options out there at $25 - $35 per session ($140/month), depending on the group you’re in. That's significantly cheaper than almost any other type of therapy out there. Maybe you can use receipts to get out of network insurance reimbursement, or use HSA/FSA funds. When paying quarterly or biannually, you also do receive discounts. While we try to make our services as affordable as possible, we understand that cost is a reality that people face and everyone's financial situation is different. Sometimes taking a planned break with the intention to return when finances improve helps. The goal is supporting your treatment access with what is financially viable for you.
Can I bring up something that happened outside group?
Bringing outside experiences into group therapy is central to therapy. Whatever's happening in your life is material for group. However, dominating every session with outside content without engaging within the confines of group process limits benefits so it’s important to balance between bringing outside issues, listening to others in the group, and participating in group's here and now interactions. The therapist facilitates using outside examples productively, focusing on relevant skills that require time to go over, while maintaining group cohesion. Your life outside group is always relevant material and you should certainly incorporate things that happen in your life into group as that is why you are there.
What if I feel worse after group sessions?
Temporary discomfort after group can happen, especially initially or after intense sessions. Sometimes processing difficult stuff is uncomfortable initially. Emotions can get elevated. If you consistently feel worse, discuss with the group therapist, perhaps they can adjust the approach, or you may need additional individual support which we can help you with, or assess whether this group is the right fit. Most people find initial discomfort decreases as groups become familiar. The goal is growth through challenge and the therapist monitors carefully to ensure group is therapeutic and not harmful. Therapy shouldn't leave you consistently feeling worse, but sometimes hard work is in fact a sign of healing and it can come before you feel better.
What conditions do your licensed therapists treat?
Grouport licensed therapists treat a wide range of mental health conditions and life challenges, including: anxiety disorders, OCD, depression and mood disorders, relationship and family conflicts, grief and loss, trauma and PTSD, anger management, borderline personality disorder (BPD), bipolar disorder, stress management, life transitions, parenting challenges, communication issues, self-esteem concerns, chronic illness, DBT skills for emotion regulation and more. Whatever you’re dealing with, we’ll have a therapist fit who specializes in your needs and would be the right fit for you. We have plenty of therapist and online group therapy options to choose from. Our licensed therapists utilized evidence based techniques where appropriate like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Interpersonal Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). If you need help finding care for your specific challenges, contact us, and we’ll be sure to assist you and relay the relevant therapy options.
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.
How do you protect my information from data breaches?
We use multiple layers of security to protect your information: (1) All data is encrypted both when stored and during transmission. (2) Our systems are HIPAA-compliant and regularly audited by third-party security experts. (3) Access to client data is strictly limited to essential staff with multi-factor authentication required. (4) We use intrusion detection systems to monitor for unauthorized access attempts. (5) Regular security training for all staff members. (6) Secure backup systems to prevent data loss. In the unlikely event of a breach, we're legally required to notify affected clients immediately and take corrective action.

Where on Saint Helena Grouport Serves.

Counties

Jamestown district, Half Tree Hollow, Longwood, Saint Paul's, Blue Hill, Levelwood, Sandy Bay, Alarm Forest.

Cities

Jamestown, Half Tree Hollow, Longwood, Saint Paul's, Alarm Forest, Blue Hill, Levelwood, Sandy Bay.

Zip Codes

Grouport serves all zip codes across Saint Helena. If you have an address in Saint Helena, 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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