General Information about Psychotherapy

In general, you will find therapists via the Internet or telephone books. Recently, all psychotherapeutic practices with public health insurance approval are obliged to be available by telephone for three hours per week. Your health insurance company can send you a list of psychotherapists in your region upon request. Some health insurance companies specifically support their customers in their search for a therapy place. Recently, the appointment service centres (TSS) of the "Kassenärztliche Vereinigung" have also been commissioned to arrange appointments with psychotherapists. TSS will try to arrange an appointment with a psychotherapist within the next four weeks. However, you will not be able to chose a therapist in this case. If you are dissatisfied with the offered therapist, you will be referred to an outpatient clinic.

If you are looking for a therapist, you should call as many psychotherapist as possible. The initial meeting is always arranged via telephone. This requires a lot of patience. If possible, call during the indicated telephone hours. Your request for a callback is not always successful due to the large number of requests that psychotherapists usually have. Very often, psychotherapists have waiting lists. It is wise to have yourself placed on the waiting list by as many therapists as possible. There is no general limit to the number of initial consultations that you can make use of on the part of the health insurance company.

Detailed information on costs for psychotherapy and insurance coverage

Similarly as you trust your dentist or GP because he treats you well and you like him, you should also choose a psychotherapist that you trust and like.

The applied therapeutic method, e.g. psychoanalysis or "gestalt therapy", is not the only important factor for a successful treatment; much more important is the experience of the therapist and the trusting relationship between him and his patient.

The initial consultation gives you the opportunity to get to know the psychotherapist personally and discuss the treatment procedure. Unless otherwise agreed by telephone, you do not need to bring anything with you for this interview, except your insurance card (if your psychotherapist has insurance authorisation). All necessary formalities will be clarified in this discussion. With psychotherapists who work with the so-called reimbursement of costs, you must inquire beforehand about the costs for the initial consultation.

Ask yourself after the initial meeting whether you were able to present your request. It is the task of the psychotherapist to help you to make yourself understood, to be able to say everything. Did you feel accepted and understood? Did your therapist take enough time? Did you remain undisturbed by telephone calls and interruptions? Your therapy session, usually 50 minutes, is all yours. Disturbances should be the absolute exception. A therapist should not push his or her patients into anything, force opinions or diagnoses. The first meeting does not obligate you to anything. Afterwards you should decide at home whether you want to continue working with this therapist and then decide with her how to proceed.

In general, public health insurance only pay for the treatment of diseases. What a disease is is narrowly defined in the so-called psychotherapy guidelines, which have the character of laws. Psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety or eating disorders, are diseases within the meaning of the law.

If for example you have a constant arguments with your spouse or your children, then you are not ill. If you become depressed due to these problems (lack of drive, constantly tired, physical complaints, etc.), then you have an illness and the health insurance company is basically obliged to pay for the treatment. The legal basis for these matters is laid down in the Social Security Code (SGB V).

There are several ways in which psychotherapy costs can be paid or covered by a health insurance company:

self-payers

Cost reimbursement according to guideline procedures

Private health insurance

As a self-payer you can freely choose a therapist and usually find one quickly. You pay the fee directly to the therapist as agreed. Approved therapists liquidate according to the scale of fees for psychotherapists (GOP). The fee can then be charged up to 2.3 times the rate that is 100.56 € for behavioural therapy. Fees are discussed on a case-by-case basis and details should be set out in a therapy contract. Social conditions are generally taken into account.

More information about self-payers

If you are insured in a public health insurance fund (AOK, BKK´s) or a substitute health insurance fund (BEK, DAK...) and wish to have the therapy costs reimbursed by your health insurance fund, you can look for a therapist who is licensed to bill the funds. If you cannot find enough information in this database, you can request it from your health insurance company.

More information on Public health insurance

As an insured of a private insurance company, the special contract you have concluded with the insurer is very important. Please enquire in advance whether your private health insurance covers the costs of psychotherapy. As a rule, private health insurance companies also require a consultation report. The same applies to the combination of allowance and private insurance.

More information about private insurance.

Each session will usually last around 50 minutes, in rare cases 25 minutes. You will usually have a fixed, weekly appointment. The psychotherapist has the right to demand a fee if you are absent without cancelling your session with a valid reason. The details are regulated in a therapy contract.

During the session, the psychotherapist will focus on you. He or she will listen to you carefully and address important things and issues related to your problems. This will help you to find your own ways and solutions. The amount of time spent in therapy is not decisive, what is important is what you make of it. A good psychotherapist is proud when the therapy becomes " no longer necessary ", because you have taken over the responsibility for your own life again. A therapist will give you his/her time, empathy and understanding. Patience and friendliness, but above all competence and experience is what you can always expect from your psychotherapist.

The duration of psychotherapy can vary greatly from case to case. In purely formal terms, the health insurance fund distinguishes between short-term psychotherapy and long-term therapy. The short-term therapy lasts 24 sessions (approx. ½ year). The long-term therapy must be specially applied for and can last up to two years. This depends on the scope of the problem to be dealt with and the procedure. The treatment duration of 80 sessions (approx. 2 years) is generally not exceeded. In severe cases (e.g. treatment of massive trauma), a longer treatment is possible if justified to the insurance company. An exception to this rule is psychoanalysis,which can take several years. There are only few practitioners approved for psychoanalysis.