TempoLife › Features › Mental health support: who to see and what it costs
Mental health support in the Nordic and Baltic countries
The difference between a psychologist, a psychotherapist and a psychiatrist, how each of 7 countries is entered, the free routes and their eligibility rules, the public registers that verify a practitioner, and the crisis numbers.
This is a map of how the systems work, not a diagnosis and not a treatment plan. It names no practice and no private price, because neither can be kept accurate here. It cannot tell you what is wrong or which treatment you need — that is a clinician's job, and it starts with an appointment. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine on the strength of a web page. If someone's life is in danger right now, call the emergency number: 112 anywhere in the EU and EEA.
Start with the door, not the profession
Almost everyone begins this search by choosing a job title — psychologist, usually — and then discovering that the job title is behind a queue, a referral or a fee. The systems in this region are not organised that way. They are organised in tiers, and in every one of these countries there is a tier below specialist care that you can enter yourself, that costs little or nothing, and that delivers real treatment rather than a holding pattern. Finding that tier is the whole game, and it has a different name in each country.
- Right now, in danger. The emergency number, 112 anywhere in the EU and EEA. Then the crisis page, which lists every country's lines.
- Employed. Occupational health, which is free to you and in Finland is often the fastest psychological appointment in the country. See getting help through work.
- Studying. Student health or study welfare, free or nearly free and usually under-used. See students.
- A child or a teenager. Three separate systems — school, health care and the municipality — and picking the wrong one costs a term. See children and teenagers.
- None of the above. The fastest funded appointment in Estonia, Finland, Lithuania and Norway is a mental-health nurse or a municipal low-threshold service. Then your country page below.
Who does what
Five professions, one of which can prescribe and one of which is sometimes not regulated at all. The differences are not seniority: they are different trainings for different jobs, and a complicated case usually needs two of them working in parallel rather than the most impressive one working alone.
| Profession | Trained as | Can prescribe | What it is for | Is the title protected? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychologist | Five to six years of university psychology, plus supervised practice | No | Psychological assessment and structured psychological treatment | Licensed, authorised or certified in all seven countries |
| Psychotherapist | Three to five further years in a named method, on top of a base profession | No | Longer, method-specific psychotherapy | Licensed in Sweden, a protected title in Finland, weakly protected elsewhere |
| Psychiatrist | A medical degree plus several years of specialist training | Yes | Diagnosis, medication, physical causes, sick leave, hospital care | A medical speciality, registered as a doctor |
| Mental-health nurse | Nursing qualification plus mental-health specialisation | No | Assessment, brief structured work, medication follow-up, coordination | Registered as a nurse |
| Counsellor or support worker | Varies widely; counselling training, or none at all | No | Present, situational difficulties; peer and practical support | Usually unregulated — check the training |
By country
Seven systems that look similar from outside and diverge on the questions that decide your week: whether you need a referral to see a psychiatrist, whether a psychologist is funded, what is capped, and what a licence proves. Each page carries that country's doors, registers and crisis lines.
Estonia
The family doctor is the hub, the psychiatrist needs no referral, the mental-health nurse is the fastest free door, and the psychologist is mostly private.
Finland
Four parallel front doors — health centre, occupational health, student health, private — and one national scheme that pays part of long psychotherapy.
Latvia
A family-doctor system with direct access to a psychiatrist, a patient co-payment with wide exemptions, and a psychologists’ register created by its own statute.
Lithuania
Municipal mental health centres attached to primary care: a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a nurse and a social worker in one free team, with no referral.
Sweden
A licensed psychotherapist profession, a legal care guarantee with named deadlines, and a fee ceiling that makes a heavy year survivable.
Norway
A named GP as the gate, a free low-threshold municipal service you can refer yourself to, and a decisive split between psychologists with a public agreement and without.
Denmark
A referral scheme that subsidises a defined number of psychologist sessions for a defined list of reasons, and an authorisation held by a board of its own.
Crisis and emergency numbers
112 reaches emergency services anywhere in the European Union and the European Economic Area, and Norway and Latvia also run a direct ambulance number. The lines beginning 116 are reserved across the EU for services of social value by a Commission decision of 2007, extended in 2009 to add 116 006 for victims of crime and 116 123 for emotional support — which is why the same three digits appear country after country, and why a reserved number a country has not assigned simply does not connect there. Only the lines each country actually operates are listed.
| Country | Service | Number | When | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estonia | Emergency services | 112 | Always | Immediate danger to life |
| Estonia | Family doctor advice line | 1220 | Round the clock | Anyone with a health question, including a mental-health one |
| Estonia | Child helpline (Lasteabi) | 116 111 | Round the clock | Children, and any adult worried about a child |
| Estonia | Victim support crisis line | 116 006 | Round the clock | Victims of violence, crime and abuse |
| Estonia | Emotional support line | 116 123 | See the operator’s hours | Anyone in emotional distress |
| Finland | Emergency services | 112 | Always | Immediate danger to life |
| Finland | Crisis phone (MIELI Kriisipuhelin) | 09 2525 0111 | See the published hours by language | Anyone in crisis; several languages |
| Finland | Sekasin chat | Online chat | Published daily hours | Young people |
| Finland | Child and youth phone (MLL) | 116 111 | Published hours | Children and young people |
| Latvia | Emergency services | 112 | Always | Immediate danger to life |
| Latvia | Emergency medical service | 113 | Always | Medical emergencies |
| Latvia | Crisis and support line | 116 123 | Round the clock | Anyone in emotional crisis |
| Latvia | Child helpline | 116 111 | Published hours | Children and young people |
| Lithuania | Emergency services | 112 | Always | Immediate danger to life |
| Lithuania | Child helpline (Vaikų linija) | 116 111 | Published hours | Children and young people |
| Lithuania | Youth line (Jaunimo linija) | See the service’s own site | Round the clock | Young people in emotional distress |
| Sweden | Emergency services | 112 | Always | Immediate danger to life |
| Sweden | Health-care advice | 1177 | Round the clock | Anyone unsure which care they need |
| Sweden | Suicide prevention line (Mind Självmordslinjen) | 90101 | Round the clock, phone and chat | Anyone with thoughts of suicide, and those close to them |
| Sweden | Children’s helpline (BRIS) | 116 111 | Published hours | Children and young people |
| Norway | Ambulance | 113 | Always | Immediate danger to life |
| Norway | Police | 112 | Always | Danger to yourself or others |
| Norway | Out-of-hours medical service (legevakt) | 116 117 | Round the clock | Urgent but not life-threatening |
| Norway | Help line (Mental Helse) | 116 123 | Round the clock | Anyone who needs to talk |
| Norway | Alarm line for children and young people | 116 111 | Round the clock | Children and young people, and adults worried about one |
| Denmark | Emergency services | 112 | Always | Immediate danger to life |
| Denmark | Livslinien | 70 201 201 | Published hours, phone and chat | Anyone with thoughts of suicide, and those close to them |
| Denmark | Børnetelefonen | 116 111 | Published hours | Children and young people |
Checking that someone is who they say they are
Every country here keeps a public register, all of them are free, and the check takes about a minute — which is a minute more than most people spend before handing over their worst week. The registers do not all prove the same thing: a state licence means the qualification is recognised and the person is subject to supervision, a professional certificate means an assessed standard, and association membership means the person has joined a body with entry rules and an ethics code. All three are worth something; only the first two involve the state.
| Country | Register | Kept by | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estonia | Health-care professionals register | Terviseamet (Health Board) | That a doctor, psychiatrist or nurse is registered to practise in Estonia |
| Estonia | Health-care providers register | Terviseamet | That the clinic itself holds an activity licence |
| Estonia | Kutseregister | Kutsekoda (Estonian Qualifications Authority) | That a psychologist holds the professional certificate, and at what level |
| Estonia | Contracted-partner list | Tervisekassa | That the clinic has a contract, so the state pays and the visit fee cap applies |
| Finland | JulkiTerhikki | Licensing and Supervision Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto) | That a doctor or psychologist is licensed, and that a psychotherapist holds the protected title |
| Finland | Supervisory authority | Lupa- ja valvontavirasto, which took over Valvira’s duties from 2026 | Licensing, supervision and restrictions on practice |
| Finland | Kela service-provider search | Kela | That the therapist is approved for the rehabilitative psychotherapy scheme |
| Finland | Psychologists’ union directory | Suomen Psykologiliitto | Membership and specialisation — a supplement, not proof of licence |
| Latvia | Register of medical practitioners | Veselības inspekcija (Health Inspectorate) | That a doctor or psychiatrist is registered to practise |
| Latvia | Register of Psychologists | Maintained under the Ministry of Welfare | That a psychologist is certified under the Psychologists Law and in which field |
| Latvia | State-paid services and providers | Nacionālais veselības dienests | Which clinics the state pays and what the patient contribution is |
| Lithuania | Health-care licences | State Health Care Accreditation Agency (VASPVT) | That a doctor or institution is licensed to provide health care |
| Lithuania | Psychologists’ practice list | Introduced by the psychologists’ practice law | That a psychologist meets the statutory requirements to practise |
| Lithuania | Public health information | Ministry of Health and the Institute of Hygiene | Which services exist and where they are provided |
| Sweden | Register of licensed health-care staff (HoSP) | Socialstyrelsen (National Board of Health and Welfare) | That a psychologist, psychotherapist or doctor holds a Swedish licence |
| Sweden | Supervisory authority | IVO (Health and Social Care Inspectorate) | Complaints, inspections and restrictions on practice |
| Sweden | Care finder and advice | 1177 | Which clinics exist, what they treat and how to book |
| Sweden | Psychologists’ association | Sveriges Psykologförbund | Membership and specialisation — a supplement, not proof of licence |
| Norway | Health personnel register (HPR) | Helsedirektoratet (Directorate of Health) | That a psychologist, specialist or doctor holds a Norwegian authorisation |
| Norway | Health service guide | Helsenorge | How the schemes work, what they cost and how to change your GP |
| Norway | Psychologists’ association | Norsk psykologforening | Membership and specialist status — a supplement, not proof of authorisation |
| Norway | Patient and user ombudsman | Pasient- og brukerombudet | Free help with rights, complaints and being heard |
| Denmark | Authorisation register | Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed (Patient Safety Authority) | That a doctor or health professional is authorised, and whether the authorisation is restricted |
| Denmark | Psychologist authorisation | Psykolognævnet (Psychology Board) | That a psychologist is authorised, which is what "autoriseret psykolog" means |
| Denmark | Health service portal | Sundhed.dk | Your own records, your GP, and how the schemes work |
| Denmark | Complaints authority | Styrelsen for Patientklager (Patient Complaints Authority) | Where a formal complaint about treatment goes |
The page on checking a licence explains what each register proves, what to ask that a register cannot answer, and the warning signs that are diagnostic rather than a matter of taste.
Who does what
What a psychologist does
Five or six years of university training, assessment as the core skill, no prescription pad — and a title that is protected in some of these countries and not in others.
What a psychotherapist is
A long post-qualification training in a named method, sat on top of another profession — and the one title in this field that is sometimes anybody’s to use.
What a psychiatrist does
A medical doctor with a specialist qualification: diagnosis, medication, physical causes, sick leave and hospital care — usually in shorter appointments than people expect.
The mental-health nurse
The fastest funded appointment in several of these countries, and the one most people have never heard of.
Counselling, peer support and everything that is not therapy
Helplines, counsellors, peer groups, chaplains, self-help programmes and employer schemes: what each is genuinely good at, and where each stops.
Getting in
How referrals actually work
What a referral is, which countries require one for mental-health care, what makes a good one, and what to do when it does not happen.
Waiting lists, guarantees and what to do meanwhile
The published access rules in each country, how to read a queue, and a realistic plan for the months in between.
Free and low-cost routes
Every route in this region that costs nothing or very little — with the eligibility rule that goes with each, because most of them have one.
Checking that someone is who they say they are
Seven countries, seven registers, and a one-minute check that most people never do before handing over their worst week.
Online and remote therapy
What remote sessions change, which country’s rules apply when the therapist is over a border, and where video is the wrong format.
Therapy in your own language
Why the working language is clinical rather than cosmetic, what interpreting you are entitled to, and how to search for Russian, English, Ukrainian or Estonian-speaking help.
What therapy is actually like
What happens in a first session
The hour, minute by minute: what they ask, what they write down, what you can ask back, and what to prepare beforehand.
The main kinds of therapy
What each method actually does in the room, what it is usually offered for, and roughly how long a course runs.
How long therapy takes to work
When to expect the first change, what a fair review point looks like, and what to do when nothing is moving.
Confidentiality, records and what gets written down
Who can see your notes, the four situations where confidentiality has limits, and what a mental-health record does and does not affect.
Changing therapist, and ending well
How to tell a bad fit from a hard patch, how to raise it, and how to switch inside a funded system without losing your place.
Children, students and employees
Children and teenagers
The school route, the health route and the municipal route, who decides for whom, and what a young person can arrange alone.
Students
The most over-served and under-used group in the region: what a student health service actually covers, and the two administrative traps.
Getting help through work
Occupational health, employee assistance schemes and sick leave: the fastest route in the region for an employed person, and the one most employees never open.
Paying for it
Crisis and when it goes wrong
Crisis: what to do right now
The numbers for each country, what happens when you call, how to help someone else, and how to make a plan while you are well.
When treatment goes wrong
The difference between a bad fit and misconduct, who to complain to in each country, and what a complaint can actually achieve.
What this page is not
It is not a directory. There are no practices, addresses, opening hours, phone numbers of clinics or private prices anywhere in this surface, and that is a decision rather than an omission. A directory of mental-health providers built from the outside is wrong within a season — people move, take on new registrations, close their lists, change their fees — and being sent confidently to a door that has closed is worse than being told where the door register is. Everything here is either a rule, an entitlement, a public register or a published number, all of which hold still long enough to be useful.
It is also not a diagnosis and not a treatment plan. It will not tell you what is wrong, will not recommend a medicine and will never suggest changing one. Those are clinical acts and they belong to a clinician who has met you.
Sources: Tervisekassa (Estonia) · Kela (Finland) · Nacionālais veselības dienests (Latvia) · 1177 (Sweden) · Helsenorge (Norway) · Sundhed.dk (Denmark) · Commission Decision 2007/116/EC on the reserved 116 numbers · plus the national registers and helpline operators cited on each country page · Rules, entitlements and helpline numbers change: check the operator's own page before you rely on one. Checked 2026-09-08.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a psychologist, a psychotherapist and a psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose, prescribe, sign sick leave and admit to hospital. A psychologist has a long university degree in psychology, specialises in assessment and psychological treatment, and cannot prescribe. A psychotherapist has completed a further three-to-five-year training in a named method on top of another profession. Many people hold more than one of these.
Where do I start if I have no idea?
With the fastest funded door in your country rather than with the profession you have heard of. In Estonia, Finland, Lithuania and Norway that is usually a mental-health nurse or a municipal low-threshold service, often available in weeks and free. If you are employed, occupational health; if you are studying, student health. Specialist psychiatry sits behind a referral in the Nordic countries and is directly accessible in Estonia and Latvia.
Is there anything that is genuinely free?
Yes, in all seven countries — municipal low-threshold services, mental-health nurses in primary care, victim support, school and student services, guided digital programmes in Finland, and free psychologist referrals for young adults in Denmark. Nearly every free route carries an eligibility rule, which is why they are hard to find: the rule is what turns a long list into the two or three doors that are actually yours.
How do I check that a therapist is qualified?
Search the public register in the country where they practise. Every country here has one, they are free and searchable by name, and the check takes about a minute. In Finland and Sweden even the psychotherapist title is verifiable; in countries where it is not protected, look at the base profession, the training institute and the professional association instead.
Does this page list therapists near me?
No, deliberately. It names no practice, no address, no opening hours and no private fee, because none of that can be kept accurate here and a stale directory sends people to doors that have closed. What it gives you instead is the route into each country's system, the register to search, and the questions that settle the cost.
Bring the doctor facts instead of an impression
A mental-health assessment runs on history, and history is what disappears under pressure. TempoLife keeps a dated record of sleep, mood, activity and medicines, so the appointment starts with two weeks of real data rather than "I think it got worse in the spring".