Ühenduspunkt

Estonian mental health system

Here you can find answers to all your questions about the mental heaalth system

Table of contents
  1. How to navigate among mental health professionals?
  2. What are different ways of getting help?
  3. How to find a specialist for yourself?
  4. When should I look for a psychiatrist, instead of a psychologist or therapist?
  5. What is the price of therapy and is it provide by the public health insurance?
  6. How to get to a psychiatrist?
  7. How to get to a psychologist?
  8. Are therapy and counselling appropriate for children and youth?
  9. Where to find help, when the waitlists are long?
  10. How can I be sure that my data will remain confidential?

The mental health system is complicated and even specialists have trouble giving short and concise answers. I have compiled here a short list of different specialists in the Estonian system.

Focuses on a person's emotional and mental wellbeing. Psychologists either counsel or do therapy, but a psychologist is not a doctor and can't prescribe medicine.

Masters' level psychologists can apply for one of the following licenses:

A specialist, who offers psychological support and counselling related to mental health problems, general mental well-being and helps prevent problems. Can offer therapy.

A specialist, that focuses on mental health diagnostics and treatment. Can offer therapy.

Currently the only licensed psychologists, that are covered by public health insurance saatekirjaga when referred by another specialist, such as your GP or psychiatrist.

A licensed specialist, that supports children's development and mental health in educational instiutions, working tightly with teachers and families.

A licensed specialist, that helps athletes, artists and other "performers" (such as specialists) improve their performance and supports their mental well-being.

Medical worker, who diagnoses and treats mental health disorders. Also prescribes mental health medication. Psychiatrists can be reached through public health insurance via a referral by your GP. Paid options can be found at private practices and clinics.

"Therapist" is not a protected term in Estonian and thus, anyone can call themselves a therapist. When searching for a therapist, it is recommended to keep an eye on what you prefer. The label does not make anyone better nor worse, but it should be a conscious decision by the provider. There is a separate license for Psychotherapist (psühhoterapeut)

A licensed specialist, that has gone through a long-term therapy program and does their work using mainly their choice of therapy.

An expert by experience is someone who has personal experience with certain difficulties or situations (such as health issues, addiction etc). Their focus is on sharing their experience and offering emotional support to others, who are facing similar challenges. It is not a protected term so anyone can call themselves an expert by experience. There are organisations that do accredited courses, so be aware of your specialists qualifications. An important part of their work is having processed their own experience and those who have gone through courses are more likely to have done that.

Offers support on existential and spiritual matters, often through a religious perspective.

Pastoral care specialists holding a masters' degree in their field can get licensed by their board. More information about pastoral care specialists here

A specialist, that helps with all kinds of questions related to sexuality, including intimacy, orientation or relationship problems. For all youth aged 26 or more (26 included) the counselling is free and offers a lot of value. More information can be found here.

More information can be found here

Coaches help people set and achieve personal or work-related goals, focusing on practical solutions, finding motivation and opening up potential.

More information can be found here

Mentors are experienced specialists, who share their knowledge and experience, supporting or guiding someone in their personal or professional development

More information can be found here

Career counselors help people find suitable education and work opportunities, understand their skills and strengths and make more conscious choices on their career path.

More information can be found here

Social workers offer practical and emotional support for people, helping them solve their social or economic problems. They can help apply for funding, arrange care provision or offer support in difficult situations. Social workers play an important role connecting people with necessary resources.

Since a huge part of the process is working together with and trusting the specialist, finding the right match for yourself is very individual. To make sure you don't waste your time and energy, it's recommended that you prepare beforehand. First you should determine, what your main issue or issues are (eg. anxiety, discipline, taking too much responsibility, relationship problems).

Next, it's highly recommended that you ask for recommendations from your GP, from other mental health specialists or friends/family. That increases the odds of finding a specialist that suits you better.

Another good idea is to "shop around" for specialists. For that, you can use google or Facebook or a database such as Lahendus.net's database

You can turn to a psychiatrist when you think or feel that getting a diagnosis and/or psychiatric drugs would be beneficial for you. Generally, that is done in the case of acute mental health problems (such as depression, thoughts about suicide, psychotic episodes). Medicine has always side-effects, but it can offer a lot of relief for dealing with everyday challenges. It's always a good ide to consider it thoroughly and consult your doctors.

A psychologist or therapist are a better fit, if you are looking for therapy or counselling to deal with your problems. It can be useful with all kinds of problems, but also when dealing with stress, relationship difficulties or emotionally difficult situations.

Currently public insurance covers only the services of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists and only through referrals. Other psychologists or psychotherapists offer paid services, with prices usually in the range of 80-120€ per appointment. Important to note that some employers or private insurances cover mental health services as well.

Yes, in the public health system you need a referral from your GP. In private healthcare, you can pay out of your own pocket and thus, a referral is not necessary.

No, psychologists or therapists do not require a GP referral. GP's can refer you to clinical psychologists through the public health insurance program.

Yes, though not all specialists work with children or youth. There are some psychologists and psychiatrists who are specialized to work with children and can help solve developmental, emotional or behavioral problems.

If the public health services waitlist is long, you can consider:

Free services such as online counselling Lahendus.netand in some cases, such as for youth Peaasi.ee

Referral from your GP to other services.

All mental health specialists are subject to confidentiality requirements. Your data is not allowed to share without your permission, unless dictated otherwise by law (usually in the case of threat to someone's life or a child's wellbeing in danger).

en_GB
et en_GB