Get Better, Together

Group Therapy for Uruguay, Delivered Online in English.

Uruguay has one of the most severe mental health workforce shortages in the Americas, just 0.61 workers per 100,000 residents, against a 20-week average wait for a first appointment in the public system. Grouport connects residents from Montevideo to Rivera with licensed therapists and small groups of 6-12 peers, matched right away and billed at $32 per session ($140 monthly) in US dollars.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

The State of Mental Health in Uruguay.

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

Mental Illness Prevalence

21.4% of Uruguayan adults report a diagnosable mental health condition annually, Region of the Americas estimates.

Wait Time

20 weeks average wait for a first therapy appointment in Uruguay's public and mutualista systems.

Median Household Income

$29,140 GNI per capita (PPP) in Uruguay, the highest in South America alongside Chile.

Percentage Who Need Therapy

68% of Uruguayan adults who needed mental health treatment did not receive it in the past year.

Provider Shortage

0.61 per 100k mental health workers in Uruguay, among the lowest densities recorded in the Americas region.

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

21,400 per 100k Uruguayan adults living with a diagnosable mental health condition.

Uruguay's Ley de Salud Mental 19,529 (2017) mandated a shift from asylum-based to community care by 2025, but WHO's Human Resources for Health data still records only 0.61 mental health workers per 100,000 people, a figure that puts Uruguay near the floor of the Americas region despite its high-income status. With roughly 3.4 million residents concentrated overwhelmingly in Montevideo and the coastal south, that around two-thirds of adults who need care go without it in any year. World Bank puts Uruguay's 2024 GNI per capita (PPP) at $29,140, on par with Chile.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

Understanding Mental Health Access in Uruguay.

The Problem

Uruguay funds mental health through the Sistema Nacional Integrado de Salud (SNIS), split between ASSE for public patients and Instituciones de Asistencia Medica Colectiva (IAMC) mutualistas that cover roughly six in ten Uruguayans. Both routes are constrained by the same workforce: WHO records 0.61 mental health workers per 100,000, and PIT-CNT surveys have flagged waits of four to five months for a first appointment. Individual private consultas in Montevideo typically run 2,500-4,500 UYU per session (roughly USD 62-113 at 2026 rates), and English-language practitioners are rare outside a small pool in Pocitos and Punta Carretas.

The Impact

The workforce shortage bites hardest in the 18 interior departamentos. A resident of Artigas, Tacuarembo, or Cerro Largo may find one or two licensed psychologists in the departmental capital and no English-speaking option at all. Because 95.6% of Uruguayans live in urban areas, the practical challenge is not distance to a city but distance to a provider, many small ciudades have populations of 20,000-40,000 and a single mutualista office covering the entire mental health caseload. The 20-week wait is not an outlier; it is the modal experience described in patient surveys across ASSE and the IAMCs.

The Solution

Online group therapy detaches the appointment from the local workforce entirely. Grouport places Uruguayan residents into a group of 6-12 peers led by a licensed therapist, meeting weekly over HIPAA-compliant video for $140 per month ($32 per session). Matching runs right away, compared to the 20-week wait recorded in Uruguay's domestic system. No mutualista referral, no ticket moderador, no cross-departmento drive to see a specialist.

0.61 per 100k mental health workers in Uruguay, among the lowest densities recorded in the Americas region.

Uruguay's fibre-to-the-home rollout through ANTEL has been one of the most complete in the region, and 95.6% urbanization means most homes have workable broadband, the practical prerequisite for a weekly video group. Sessions run in English, which fits expats along the Rambla, dual-nationals returning from years abroad, and Uruguayans who studied or worked in English-speaking countries and prefer therapy in that language. Billing in US dollars at $32 per session gives a stable monthly cost, insulated from UYU fluctuations that reprice local mutualista tickets each year.

Access and Availability Across Uruguay.

The 0.61 mental health workers per 100,000 figure that WHO recorded for Uruguay in 2023 is small enough to be worth restating: across the entire country, that translates to roughly 20-22 workers meeting the WHO occupational definition. Availability turns almost entirely on where in the country you sit and which segment of SNIS you belong to.

Geographic Barriers

Uruguay covers 176,215 square kilometers organized into 19 departamentos, but the workforce concentrates in Montevideo and the immediately surrounding Canelones and Maldonado. A single departamento like Flores has under 30,000 residents and correspondingly thin specialist coverage; Treinta y Tres, Rivera, and Artigas along the Brazilian border rely heavily on mutualista rotations from Montevideo. Even Salto and Paysandu, the two largest interior cities, have long waits for non-emergency psychiatric consults. English-language therapy is functionally a Montevideo product, and even there the practitioner list is small.

Extended Wait Times

Twenty weeks is a long time to wait when sleep, appetite, or work are already suffering. That figure is the reported average across ASSE and the IAMCs for a first non-emergency mental health appointment; specific mutualistas like CASMU, Circulo Catolico, and Medica Uruguaya publish shorter target waits but member complaints filed with the Ministry of Public Health show real-world delays clustering in the 3-6 month range. Grouport's immediate group start means a member who signs up on a Monday is typically in a first group session by Thursday or the following week.

Systemic Challenges

Ley 19,529 was a substantive reform, it mandated closure of asylum-model institutions by 2025 and required community-based alternatives, but implementation has lagged the calendar. The Comision Nacional de Contralor de la Atencion en Salud Mental has documented gaps in outpatient capacity, particularly for continuing therapy rather than acute stabilization. IAMC coverage includes a limited number of mental health sessions per year, with copays (tickets) that grew in 2025. Public ASSE coverage is free at point of use but subject to the same workforce ceiling.

Urban-Rural Divide

Uruguay's 95.6% urbanization rate, is the highest in South America and among the highest globally, but that does not translate to even access. Montevideo departamento alone holds around 40% of the national population and a majority of the specialist workforce; the 18 interior departamentos share what remains. A resident of Melo or Trinidad may live in a formally urban locality yet be an hour's bus ride from the nearest psychologist and further still from an English-speaking one. Online group therapy erases that geography, a client in Bella Union joins the same session as a member in Carrasco.

For Uruguayans who want English-language sessions, want to start within days rather than months, or want a predictable US-dollar cost that will not shift with the next mutualista ticket increase, an online group model complements whatever ASSE or IAMC coverage they already carry.

Affordable Group Therapy Costs for Uruguay Residents.

Affordability and Income

At $140 per month, an annual Grouport membership works out to $1,680, roughly 5.8% of Uruguay's $29,140 GNI per capita (PPP) reported by the World Bank for 2024. Four weekly private individual consultas in Montevideo at prevailing rates commonly total 10,000-18,000 UYU per month before any specialist premium; IAMC ticket moderadores stack on top of monthly mutualista dues even for covered sessions. Weekly small-group work at a fixed dollar price gives a predictable line item that a household can plan around for a full year.

Hidden Cost and Barriers

In-person therapy in Uruguay carries costs the invoice does not show. A member of an IAMC pays a monthly cuota plus per-visit tickets that were raised again in the 2025 adjustment; add omnibus fare across Montevideo or an intercity Cutcsa or Copay ticket for interior residents traveling to a departmental capital, plus time off work. Currency conversion spreads apply when paying international providers in UYU. A weekly video group eliminates transit, removes the ticket, and holds the price in dollars, one predictable card charge each month.

Immediate Availability

The 20-week wait recorded across Uruguay's public and mutualista systems is not just an inconvenience, it is often the reason someone abandons the attempt to start therapy. Grouport matches new members to a group right away of sign-up, so the interval between deciding to start and joining the first session is measured in days rather than months.

Private therapy in Uruguay is not cheap by regional standards. Individual consultas in Montevideo typically run 2,500-4,500 UYU per session (roughly USD 62-113 at 2026 exchange rates), and specialist practitioners charge at the upper end of that range. Grouport's flat $140 monthly membership - $32 per weekly session, is billed in US dollars and locks in the same monthly cost regardless of how the peso moves.

How it Works

Community

Choose your online therapy group

Choose your desired online therapy group and sign up for our weekly plan. Most of our groups are $35/session, but our skills groups are $25/session.

Networking

Personalized match

We’ll ensure you're matched to an online therapy group that best fits your mental health challenges and schedule. Don’t worry if you’re not entirely sure which group is right for you, as after signing up, a care coordinator can help make sure you get started in the group that’s right for you. We typically match you to a group right away!

Video call

Meet weekly with your group

Join your group over video chat at the same time each week for 60-minute sessions. You’ll meet with the same members & therapist with a group of up to 12 members. Additional membership perks can include weekly handouts, symptom tracking, and one-off workshops.

Find Your Group

Mental Health Conditions We Treat in Uruguay.

Grouport groups cover the clinical range most commonly referenced by Uruguayan members: generalized and social anxiety, depressive disorders, grief (a frequent concern in a country with one of the region's older median populations at 35.9), relationship and family strain, trauma and PTSD, obsessive-compulsive patterns, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills groups for emotion regulation. Formats span weekly process groups and structured skills programs. Members are placed by presenting concern and clinical fit rather than by departamento.

Find your groupa group of nine people chatting online

Get Help for:

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

  • 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 clinicians are licensed and hold masters or doctoral training in clinical psychology, social work, or counseling. Sessions are conducted in English, which suits expats along the Rambla, Uruguayan-Americans, and residents who studied or worked in English-speaking countries. Therapists working with South American members are briefed on regional context. Matching considers presenting concern, group dynamic, and the two- to three-hour offset from US Eastern time.

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 Uruguay.

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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Common Questions About Group Therapy in Uruguay.

How does Grouport fit alongside Uruguay's mutualista and public mental health system?

Uruguay guarantees mental health coverage through ASSE and the mutualista system, but access has real friction: the country has just 0.61 psychiatrists per 100,000 workers and average waits for a therapy slot run around 20 weeks, with English-speaking or specialty options concentrated in Montevideo. Grouport is designed to complement - not replace - your local care. Sessions run over secure video on Uruguay Standard Time (UTC-3), which aligns cleanly with US Eastern evenings, so most weekly groups are scheduled at times that work after a Montevideo workday. Payment is in USD by international card, so you don't need a US bank account. If you're on a mutualista waitlist, already seeing a psicologo privado, or living somewhere outside the capital where in-person specialists are scarce, Grouport can provide consistent weekly group support in the meantime.

How does Grouport's cost compare to private therapy in Uruguay?

Private psychology sessions in Montevideo and Punta del Este typically run between UYU 2,500 and UYU 4,500 (roughly USD 60-115) for a 45-minute individual consultation, and specialist or English-speaking clinicians often charge at the top of that range. FONASA mutualista coverage subsidizes some psychology visits, but wait times commonly stretch past four months and session caps are tight. Grouport is a flat USD 140 per month for weekly 60-minute group sessions with a licensed clinician - about the price of one or two private sessions locally, with four sessions included every month. For people already paying out of pocket at a consultorio privado, or waiting on their mutualista, the monthly commitment often works out cheaper than a single fortnightly private appointment while providing more frequent structured support.

How much does online therapy typically cost?
It varies a lot. Grouport's individual therapy costs less than traditional in-person therapy, which typically runs $150-$300+ per session depending on where you live. For example, Grouport’s individual therapy sessions average $103/session. Online group therapy is more affordable, Grouport's group therapy is $25- $35/session or $140/month total, that’s less than the cost of one in person individual therapy session. What surprises a lot of people is that self-pay rates are usually cheaper than going through insurance after you factor in copays and deductibles. Online platforms often cost less than in-person because there's no office overhead to pay for. Not to mention, Grouport offers discounts when you combine sessions together or are doing more than one session per week.
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.
How do time zones work for international clients?
Our therapists are located all over the world and work various hours to accommodate different time zones. Depending on where you live, sessions might be in your morning, afternoon, evening, or night. We'll work with you to find times that fit your schedule and our therapists' availability.
Can I access Grouport if I don't live in the US?
Yes. Grouport serves clients all over the world. We work with people in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Europe, Middle East, Asia, and elsewhere. As long as you have internet access and can attend sessions during available times, you can use Grouport. We offer session times at all times of the day for both individual and group therapy, so we can get you set up with sessions at times that are convenient for your schedule.
What size are the online therapy groups?
Grouport’s online therapy groups typically have 6-10 members on average. This size is ideal because it's small enough that everyone can participate in each session and receive individual attention, yet large enough to provide diverse perspectives and peer support. It’ll feel like your group of people that you consistently meet with each week, and this is tremendously helpful as its a reliable space of people you can confide in on a regular basis.
What if I don't want to hear about other people's problems?
This concern is understandable as when you're struggling, it seems counterintuitive that listening to others' problems can help you. However, online group therapy works differently than expected as hearing others describe similar struggles reduces isolation and shame, observing others' progress provides hope and practical strategies that you can implement, giving support to others builds confidence and purpose, and different perspectives help you see your situation more clearly, and witnessing others' challenges often provides needed perspective on your own. Online Group Therapy isn't just venting about problems, but rather it's active problem-solving and skill-building together. If group feels like it's dragging you down rather than helping, perhaps it’s a matter of the group fit and it's worth exploring a different group fit, or individual therapy might be a better fit. But most people find that supporting and learning from others is surprisingly beneficial, and that is why the majority of our members do online group therapy as a primary part of their treatment plan.
How is online group therapy different from online individual therapy?
Online Group therapy differs from individual therapy in several ways in that you share therapist attention with other members versus exclusive focus on you, you receive feedback from multiple perspectives not just the therapist, you learn by observing others' experiences and progress, and you practice interpersonal skills in real-time with peers. Groups create this whole other dimension as you get multiple perspectives and see how others handle similar problems which helps you feel less alone. Cost per session is typically lower than individual therapy, as groups cost about $25 - $35 per group session. Group provides community and reduces isolation in ways individual therapy cannot. However, individual therapy offers personalized attention, and exploration of issues you might not share in groups. Many people benefit from both simultaneously, group for skill-building and support and individual therapy for deeper personal work. Neither is better, they serve different functional needs but have complementary purposes. Many people find group therapy to be more powerful than individual therapy because of the connection factor.
What is online group therapy?
Online Group therapy is mental health treatment where 6-12 people with similar concerns meet regularly with a licensed therapist over video chat. Unlike individual therapy's one-on-one format, online group therapy leverages peer support and shared experiences for healing. Members share challenges, give and receive feedback, practice new skills together, and learn from others' perspectives and progress. Groups may focus on specific issues like anxiety, depression, grief, DBT skills, CBT, OCD, trauma & PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar, anger management and more. Groups can also be general process groups addressing various concerns. The therapist facilitates group dynamics, teaches skills, and guides productive interactions. Research shows group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for many issues and provides unique benefits individual therapy cannot address. Because of this, Online Group Therapy has complimentary benefits, and is often a major driver of improved therapeutic outcomes for people who feel stuck as learning through others' experiences gives the accountability and adherence needed to stick with treatment and keeps you on track with what successful treatment looks like.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, etc..) and debit cards for payment. Your card is securely stored and automatically charged on your monthly billing date. We also accept HSA (Health Savings Account) and FSA (Flexible Spending Account) cards, which many clients use to pay for therapy with pre-tax dollars. You can update your payment method at anytime.
How does online therapy work?
Online therapy with Grouport works through video sessions where you meet with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your home. After you sign up, we match you with a therapist within 24-48 hours based on your needs, schedule, and preferences. Sessions are conducted via our HIPAA-compliant video platform - you simply log in at your scheduled time and connect with your therapist. You'll receive the same evidence-based treatment and professional care as in-person therapy, with the added convenience of attending from anywhere.

Group Therapy Available Across Uruguay.

Counties

Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Colonia, San Jose, Florida, Flores, Durazno, Lavalleja, Rocha, Treinta y Tres, Cerro Largo, Rivera, Tacuarembo, Artigas, Salto, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Soriano

Cities

Montevideo, Salto, Ciudad de la Costa, Paysandu, Las Piedras, Rivera, Maldonado, Tacuarembo, Melo, Mercedes, Artigas, Minas, San Jose de Mayo, Durazno, Florida, Barros Blancos, San Carlos, Colonia del Sacramento, Punta del Este, Rocha

Zip Codes

Grouport serves all zip codes across Uruguay. If you have an address in Uruguay, 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 Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Cook Islands Costa Rica Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea 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 Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom 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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