Argentina: the therapy capital of the world

Buenos Aires natives go hungry to pay for psychoanalysis, amid growing instability, anxiety – and societal acceptance

Photo collage of a therapy session with graphic elements of the Argentinian flag
(Image credit: Illustrated / Getty Images)

Many people, when asked what country is "the therapy capital of the world", might reasonably guess the United States, thanks to navel-gazing La La Land, or neurotic New York. 

But the answer is Argentina. According to 2016 data from the World Health Organization, it had 222 psychologists per 100,000 people; the US had 30. But the high supply of psychologists, especially in the cosmopolitan capital of Buenos Aires, can barely cope with demand, said Drew Ambrose, presenter of "Mindset", Al Jazeera's video series on mental health. 

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Harriet Marsden is a writer for The Week, mostly covering UK and global news and politics. Before joining the site, she was a freelance journalist for seven years, specialising in social affairs, gender equality and culture. She worked for The Guardian, The Times and The Independent, and regularly contributed articles to The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The New Statesman, Tortoise Media and Metro, as well as appearing on BBC Radio London, Times Radio and “Woman’s Hour”. She has a master’s in international journalism from City University, London, and was awarded the "journalist-at-large" fellowship by the Local Trust charity in 2021.