“I called 23 therapists from my insurance list. 23. Eight were no longer practicing, ten weren't accepting new patients, and five never called back. I cried in my car after the last call.”
The cruelest part of the therapist shortage is that seeking help requires the exact energy that mental health struggles take away. Every unanswered call, every "we're not accepting new patients," every dead-end — it chips away at the hope that made you pick up the phone. ILTY is available right now, no waitlist, no screening call, no rejection.
This is not a you problem. The US has a massive therapist shortage — more than 150 million people live in federally designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas. In many regions, there are fewer than 10 therapists per 100,000 people. The demand for mental health care has surged while the supply hasn't kept up.
And the experience of calling therapist after therapist only to be rejected? That itself is psychologically damaging. You started this process hoping for help. Each "no" makes you feel less worth helping. That feeling is a lie, but it's a convincing one when you're already struggling.
The stoic truth is this: you can't control the supply of therapists. What you can control is whether you give yourself some form of support while the world catches up.
•The US faces a shortage of over 10,000 mental health professionals, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
•Post-2020, demand for therapy increased dramatically while the pipeline for new therapists takes 6-10 years (graduate school, licensing hours, supervision).
•Therapist burnout is causing experienced clinicians to reduce caseloads or leave the profession entirely.
•Insurance reimbursement rates are so low that many therapists limit the number of insured clients they accept, further narrowing available spots.
No phone trees, no intake forms, no three-week wait for a screening call. Open the app, choose your companion, and start talking.
Put your name on waitlists and use ILTY in the meantime. When a therapist spot opens, you'll have already been processing your thoughts and may get more out of those sessions.
The Stoic Advisor companion offers the kind of measured wisdom that helps when you're frustrated by things outside your control.
We want to be honest about our limitations:
Severe. Over 150 million Americans live in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas. Average wait times for a new therapy appointment range from 2-6 months in many regions, and some areas have virtually no available providers.
Put your name on multiple waitlists, check back regularly for cancellation spots, consider telehealth options (which may have more availability), and use support tools like ILTY to process what you're going through in the meantime.
Often yes. Telehealth expands your options beyond your local area, and some platforms maintain shorter waitlists. However, telehealth therapists still fill up, and cross-state licensing can limit options.
How to make the most of the time between deciding to get help and actually getting it.
Practical strategies for coping when professional help isn't immediately available.
A comparison of what's available when traditional therapy isn't accessible.
When the waitlist itself becomes a barrier to getting help.
ILTY is free during beta. It's not therapy. It's not a cure. It's a place to talk through what you're going through—honestly, without judgment, whenever you need it.