Get Better, Together

Online Group Therapy Across Vanuatu's 83 Islands.

With only 14.59 mental health workers per 100,000 people and average waits stretching to 9 weeks, mental health support across Vanuatu's 83 islands can feel unreachable. Grouport delivers licensed group therapy over HIPAA-secure video for $32 per session, connecting residents from Port Vila to the Torba outer islands with a matched group right away.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Mental Health Access Data for Vanuatu.

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

Mental Illness Prevalence

14.59 mental health workers per 100,000 residents in Vanuatu data for the Western Pacific region.

Wait Time

22.3% of Vanuatu's population lives in urban centers, leaving over three-quarters of residents distant from Port Vila and Luganville clinics.

Median Household Income

Middle-low income classification, making the $32-per-session Grouport rate accessible where private in-person sessions strain household budgets.

Percentage Who Need Therapy

right away from Grouport intake to a matched group, versus the 9-week local queue reported across ni-Vanuatu health facilities.

Provider Shortage

9 weeks average wait to see a mental health provider in Vanuatu, according to regional Western Pacific access surveys.

Mental Health Providers per 100k Residents

83 islands make up Vanuatu, with 65 inhabited and most lacking any resident mental health clinician of their own.

These figures come directly from the WHO Global Health Observatory and World Bank country dashboards, and they explain why so many ni-Vanuatu families report giving up before securing an appointment. When 22.3% of the population is urban and the country stretches over 12,000 square kilometers of ocean, a Port Vila-based provider is not a realistic option for residents of Malampa, Penama, or Torba provinces. Online group therapy sidesteps the geography problem entirely.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

Mental Health Access Across the Western Pacific.

The Problem

Vanuatu shares the Western Pacific region with 36 other countries and territories, and WHO regional reporting places it in the lower tier for mental health workforce density at 14.59 per 100,000. For comparison, high-income Pacific neighbors report densities several multiples higher. The country has no dedicated psychiatric hospital, with mental health services historically consolidated at Vila Central Hospital's small mental health unit and a handful of provincial referral points. For most of Sanma, Tafea, and Shefa provinces, the nearest trained clinician sits a boat ride or domestic flight away.

The Impact

The 9-week average wait is not evenly distributed. Residents of Port Vila and Luganville face shorter queues at the main referral facilities, while people on Ambrym, Pentecost, Tanna, and the Banks Islands often wait longer or forgo care entirely. The World Bank classifies Vanuatu as middle-low income, and the out-of-pocket cost of chartering inter-island transport to attend a single appointment can equal a week's wages. Cyclone Pam in 2015 and Cyclones Judy and Kevin in 2023 also compounded psychological distress across the archipelago, adding demand to an already-thin system.

The Solution

Grouport removes the geographic bottleneck by delivering weekly group sessions over HIPAA-secure video, meaning a resident of Isangel on Tanna joins the same group as a professional in Port Vila without traveling. Group therapy is evidence-based for depression, anxiety, grief, and interpersonal difficulties, and the 6-12 person format means participants hear from peers navigating similar situations. The $32-per-session price ($140 monthly) is designed to be sustainable for middle-low income households where a single private in-person session locally can cost far more.

9 weeks average wait to see a mental health provider in Vanuatu, according to regional Western Pacific access surveys.

Grouport requires only a smartphone or laptop and a mobile data or WiFi connection, both of which now reach the majority of ni-Vanuatu households through Digicel and TVL networks. Sessions run at scheduled times each week over encrypted video, and the matching team pairs new clients with a group right after intake, compared to the 9-week local queue. For anyone in Malekula, Efate, or the Torres group who has been told to wait months, this is often the first realistic route to weekly clinical support.

Access and Availability for Ni-Vanuatu Residents.

Vanuatu's mental health system reaches roughly 14.59 workers per 100,000 people, a figure the WHO Global Health Observatory places among the lowest densities in the Western Pacific region. That workforce is concentrated in the two urban centers where only 22.3% of the population lives, leaving the rest of the archipelago dependent on periodic outreach visits or referral to Port Vila.

Geographic Barriers

Vanuatu spans roughly 1,300 kilometers north to south across the six provinces of Torba, Sanma, Penama, Malampa, Shefa, and Tafea. Domestic Air Vanuatu flights and inter-island shipping connect the major populated islands, but reaching the Banks and Torres Islands, the Shepherds, or southern Aneityum from any provincial hospital involves multi-day travel and expense. Attending a weekly in-person therapy appointment from most villages is simply not feasible; even a monthly appointment can be logistically prohibitive. Grouport's video format collapses that distance to whatever device is nearest at hand.

Extended Wait Times

The 9-week wait figure reported across Vanuatu's referral pathways reflects both workforce scarcity and the referral funnel toward Vila Central Hospital. For someone in acute distress after a bereavement, a relationship crisis, or a natural disaster, a two-month wait can mean the difference between manageable symptoms and a full clinical episode. Grouport's immediate group start window is measured in hours rather than months, and once matched, clients enter a weekly recurring group that does not require re-queuing each week.

Systemic Challenges

Ni-Vanuatu mental health provision has been historically constrained by workforce training pipelines, with most specialists trained abroad and a small number of returning clinicians. Traditional community and church-based supports carry much of the emotional load, and But for clinically-grounded weekly group psychotherapy delivered by a licensed clinician, Grouport supplements rather than replaces local supports, offering a modality that has been thin on the ground in Vanuatu for decades.

Urban-Rural Divide

The 22.3% urban share is one of the lowest in the Pacific, meaning close to 78% of ni-Vanuatu live in rural villages, plantations, or outer-island settlements. For those residents, in-person mental health care requires travel to Port Vila (Shefa) or Luganville (Sanma), often via a boat and a chartered flight. Grouport does not care whether a client logs in from Freshwater, Sola, or Lakatoro; the session experience and clinical standard are identical everywhere the video connects.

By removing the travel requirement, Grouport converts a system that reaches roughly 22.3% of the population easily into one that can reach the full archipelago wherever mobile data or WiFi reaches. The combination of immediate group start and licensed clinician staffing addresses both the wait-time and the workforce-density problems captured in the WHO figures for Vanuatu.

Affordability in a Middle-Low Income Economy.

Affordability and Income

Private in-person mental health sessions in Port Vila, when available, carry professional fees plus the travel costs to reach them: fuel, bus fare, inter-island boat or Air Vanuatu ticket, and often overnight accommodation for outer-island. Grouport's $140 monthly rate covers four weekly group sessions with no travel outlay attached. For a household in Malampa or Tafea, the total real cost of local care versus Grouport is often not close, particularly once inter-island travel is factored into a monthly therapy schedule.

Hidden Cost and Barriers

Beyond the ticket price of a session, ni-Vanuatu residents accessing in-person care commonly absorb costs the sticker does not show: lost wages from a full day of travel, childcare during absence, and the compounding costs when weekly attendance is required. A resident of Ambae or Erromango seeking regular therapy in Port Vila would face these costs every single week. Grouport sessions run from home, so a client can log in around work at the plantation, market, or office without absorbing those secondary expenses at all.

Immediate Availability

Where the local pathway averages 9 weeks from referral to first appointment, Grouport's intake team matches new clients to an appropriate group right away. For ni-Vanuatu families dealing with post-cyclone stress, bereavement, or acute anxiety, that difference between two days and two months is often the difference between engaging with care and giving up on the search altogether.

The World Bank classifies Vanuatu as a middle-low income economy, and household budgets across the archipelago are stretched by imported-goods costs, cyclone recovery, and the seasonality of agriculture, tourism, and remittances. At $32 per session or $140 per month for unlimited weekly groups, Grouport is priced to fit within that reality rather than compete with it.

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.

Grouport runs licensed clinician-led groups for depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, grief and loss, relationship and interpersonal difficulties, and dialectical behavior therapy skills. For ni-Vanuatu clients navigating cyclone-related stress, family separation across islands, or the pressures of urban migration from Tafea or Torba to Port Vila, these evidence-based group formats offer weekly clinical support in a peer setting of 6-12 members.

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.

Every Grouport group is led by a licensed clinician trained in group psychotherapy, delivered in English over HIPAA-secure video. Given that English is one of Vanuatu's three official languages alongside Bislama and French, sessions are accessible to most ni-Vanuatu adults with school-level English. Matching considers group focus, schedule fit, and time-zone practicality for Pacific clients.

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 Vanuatu.

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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or Learn More

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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Frequently Asked Questions from Vanuatu.

How does Grouport compare on cost to seeing a private therapist in Vanuatu?

Vanuatu is classified as a lower-middle-income economy, and private mental health care in Port Vila typically runs 8,000–15,000 VUV per individual session (roughly USD 65–125), with expat-oriented clinics at the higher end. Because most specialists cluster in the capital, ni-Vanuatu on outer islands often add domestic flights or inter-island ferries on top of the session fee, which can double the real cost of a single visit.

Grouport's group membership is a flat USD monthly rate, billed in U.S. dollars, that covers a weekly 60-minute session with a licensed clinician plus access to the full group library, no per-session charges, no travel, and no separate intake fee. For most Vanuatu members the monthly total lands well below the price of two private in-person sessions in Port Vila, while delivering four structured group meetings a month. Payment is handled by international credit or debit card, so you don't need a Vanuatu-issued card or a local billing address to enroll.

Why does online group therapy make sense given Vanuatu's mental health access landscape?

Vanuatu has roughly 14.59 mental health workers per 100,000 people, and public referrals often mean a nine-week wait, with most trained clinicians concentrated in Port Vila and Luganville, leaving outer islands like Tanna, Espiritu Santo, and the Banks with almost no in-person specialist coverage. Grouport's video-based groups sidestep that geography entirely: as long as you have a stable internet connection, you join the same weekly session as members in the U.S. Australia, and across the Pacific, with no inter-island travel, no ferry timing, and no waitlist.

Sessions run in English with licensed clinicians using structured, evidence-based curricula (CBT, DBT skills, and process work). For ni-Vanuatu adults who have exhausted local options, or who simply prefer talking through anxiety, grief, or relationship stress outside a small community where anonymity is hard, a private online room with 6–8 international peers is often the most realistic weekly support available.

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.

Grouport Coverage Across Vanuatu.

Counties

Grouport serves clients across all six provinces of Vanuatu: Torba in the far north, Sanma centered on Espiritu Santo, Penama covering Pentecost, Ambae, and Maewo, Malampa spanning Malekula, Ambrym, and Paama, Shefa around Efate and the Shepherds, and Tafea in the south including Tanna, Erromango, Aneityum, and Aniwa.

Cities

Common client locations include Port Vila and Mele on Efate, Luganville on Espiritu Santo, Norsup and Lakatoro on Malekula, Isangel and Lenakel on Tanna, Sola in the Banks Islands, Saratamata on Ambae, Loltong on Pentecost, and smaller village settlements throughout the outer islands.

Zip Codes

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