By Dr. Ali Nikbakht, LMFT, PsyD (“Dr. Al”)
Seeing People, Not Just Patients
When I think about my years as a therapist, I see faces before I see diagnoses. People who arrived exhausted, afraid, and often unsure if healing was still possible. After 15 years in clinical field leadership, I’ve learned that recovery begins long before therapy starts. It begins with access.
Too many individuals never make it to that first session. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness each year, yet nearly 27 million go untreated, based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Behind those numbers are real stories — students struggling through panic attacks, parents coping with depression, veterans quietly battling trauma. Accessibility isn’t just about more clinics. It’s about creating systems where people feel safe, understood, and welcomed into care without delay or shame.
The Unseen Toll of Inaccessibility
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 12 percent of adults regularly experience anxiety and nearly 5 percent live with chronic depression. These numbers echo what I see daily at our centers — people who needed help months or years earlier but couldn’t reach it in time.
One of my patients, a young professional, waited three months for her first appointment. By then, her anxiety had turned into panic attacks severe enough to land her in the ER. Once she finally received consistent therapy and medication management, her symptoms declined dramatically within six weeks. That kind of transformation is what timely, accessible care makes possible.
Research from the SAMHSA Library confirms that early, consistent treatment reduces hospitalizations and improves long-term functioning — something I witness every day in practice.
Bridging Barriers Through Integrated Systems
North American Mental Health Services like those provided at the We Level Up Treatment Centers, have built care models that remove barriers to treatment. Our approach recognizes that mental health and addiction rarely exist apart from one another. Treating depression while ignoring substance use or vice versa is like patching one leak while another floods the house.
Through integrated, dual-diagnosis treatment, we address the whole person. Therapy, medical care, and community support work together so that individuals don’t have to navigate a fragmented system. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has shown that integrated treatment significantly improves engagement and recovery outcomes for people facing co-occurring disorders.
When care is coordinated and easy to access, people are far more likely to stay engaged. Engagement is what drives sustainable recovery.
Why Accessibility Is Emotional, Not Just Logistical
Accessibility also means addressing emotional and cultural barriers. I’ve met many who avoided therapy for fear of stigma, cost, or being misunderstood. Surveys from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reveal that cost and insurance coverage remain among the top reasons adults delay or avoid mental-health care.
When someone finally sits down and hears, “You’re safe here, and help starts today,” their entire posture changes. That’s the moment hope begins.
In my practice, I remind my team that the first appointment is not just therapy. It’s proof that help exists. When people feel seen and respected, they start believing in their ability to heal.
Healing Through Human Connection
Recovery is not about perfection. It’s about presence. I once worked with a man struggling with alcohol use who told me, “You’re the first person who didn’t make me feel different.” His progress was remarkable — not because I had a miracle cure, but because he finally had access to care grounded in empathy.
Every clinician knows that while evidence-based practices are essential, compassion is what makes them effective. Accessibility opens the door, but human connection keeps people walking through it.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes, reducing stigma and building inclusive systems are key to improving mental-health outcomes worldwide.
A Call for Compassionate Systems
If we want to build resilient communities, we must make mental-health care reachable and equitable. That means:
- Expanding telehealth for underserved regions.
- Training culturally sensitive clinicians.
- Ensuring insurance coverage and financial support for early and ongoing intervention.
- Promoting public education to reduce stigma.
Research shows that early, accessible treatment reduces hospitalizations, strengthens families, and saves lives (SAMHSA). But beyond the data, accessibility gives people something statistics can’t measure — the belief that they matter.
I often tell my colleagues and students: Access is empowerment. It’s not just healthcare policy; it’s human care in action.
Every time I watch someone leave treatment standing taller, smiling wider, and re-engaging with life, I’m reminded why accessibility isn’t a privilege — it’s justice. And it’s how we build a future rooted in both recovery and resilience.
About the Author
Dr. Ali Nikbakht, LMFT, PsyD (“Dr. Al”) is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Doctor of Psychology specializing in dual-diagnosis treatment and behavioral-health leadership. He serves as Executive Clinical Director for We Level Up California and Medical Reviewer for We Level Up Washington. His work integrates evidence-based therapy with a deeply human approach to mental-health recovery.
Learn more: Meet Dr. Ali – We Level Up WA