A referral is not required for your first appointment with a therapist. Similar to specialist doctors, you can make an appointment for a consultation by telephone or e-mail. Those who are legally insured should look out for therapists with a cash register. Only they can settle with your insurance company. Warning: “Therapist” is not a protected professional title, search for “Psychological Psychotherapists” or “Specialists in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy”.
You can find contact options on the websites of the State Chambers of Psychotherapists, ProPsychology eV, the German Psychotherapists Association (DPtV) or the platform therapie.de. Google searches, yellow pages, recommendations from your circle of acquaintances or from your health insurance company also help. Those with statutory health insurance can contact the appointment service point of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians on 116 117. They will offer you an appointment for a consultation within a week – but not with the therapist of your choice. At training institutes, initial interviews are often associated with less waiting time. Therapists who are about to complete their training but are subject to constant supervision treat there. Group therapy spots may also be more readily available.
Document your search process, for example in a list. Anyone who receives a large number of rejections can also have therapy financed by health insurance in a private practice via the so-called reimbursement procedure. The conditions for this differ depending on the insurance company.