Fort Lauderdale, Florida Therapists

Overview of Mental Health Resources In Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fort Lauderdale is in Broward County, Florida.  The city had a population of 165,521 in 2010, according to the most recent U.S. Census completed in the state.  It has a total area of 38.6 square miles (99.9 km2).  It is known for its far-reaching network of canals, which includes 165 miles (266 km) of them and there are 7 miles (11 km) of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean.  The area has a tropical rainforest climate.  The weather is a beautiful average of 75.5 F degrees (24.2 C) temperature year-round and around 246 sunny days annually.  The city is popular with tourists.  In 2012, there were 12 million visitors, together with 2.8 million international visitors.  The tourism is great for the local economy as the county’s 5% hotel tax in 2012 totaled $43.9 million.  Their Port Everglades saw 46 cruise ships in the same year.  Due to its proximity to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, it is a popular yachting vacation place.  The annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is the largest boat show in the world and it attracts over 125,000 people to the area each year.  The numerous restaurants, golf clubs, nightclubs, and campgrounds make it an attractive place to visit.  The city is known for its large LGBT+ community and has the highest ratio of gay individuals than any other city in the U.S.

The community is over 62% Caucasian and 31% African-American along with a strong diversity of other cultures.  As of 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $49,818 and 18.2% of the population was below the poverty line.  In 2015, the divorce rate in Florida was 8.4 percent compared to the country’s rate of 6.9 percent.  The rate of dissolutions in the same year was 4.0 percent for Florida and 3.1 for the U.S.

City Concerns

The Florida Council for Community Mental Health reports that Florida ranks 50th in the country for per-capita public mental health spending.  The state spends approximately $39 per resident, significantly behind the national average of $129 per capita.  The state now spends less per person on mental health services than it did in the 1950’s when considering inflation.  For this reason, individuals suffering from mental health issues and their loved ones must often overcome difficult obstacles to get effective, proper treatment.  The report states that lack of treatment could lead to unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide, and difficult lives.  Florida has a slightly higher rate (13.84% per 100,000 of population) of suicide compared to the national average (12.93%).  Other issues in the city that could affect the well-being of the community includes possible gentrification as the city continues to increase redevelopment to attract a wealthier demographic.  This process decreases affordable housing, putting a financial strain on lower and middle classes.  This is reported to detrimentally affect mental and emotional health.  The other community concern is the contamination of the water supply in the city and in the New River.  Tests show a high level of trihalomethanes, which could have a detrimental impact on individuals’ nervous systems and fetuses’ nervous systems with a potential effect on mental health as well as other medical concerns.

How We Can Help

Asking for help when in need is essential to your wellbeing.  Knowing where to start those steps can make it easier.  With the concern of limited resources in Fort Lauderdale, we did the research and compiled the following list to assist you in this.  Consider asking yourself the following questions to narrow down your list of providers:

What are my symptoms and the side effects of experiencing them?

Do any of my life conditions have an impact on my mental health (ie: finances, relationships, employment issues)?

What qualities do I need for support in my therapist (ie: experience, training / education, gender)?

Asking for help is a sign of strength.  We hope that you are able to find some relief in just knowing that support is available for you and your loved ones.  We wish for you positive experiences and a peaceful wellbeing as you navigate this path for yourself.  We welcome you to find additional resources in our therapist directory.