Instructions for using the services
Read more
Psychotherapist and psychotherapy
A psychotherapist provides therapy based on discussion and functional methods to increase mental well-being. Seek an appointment if you experience stress, sleep problems, anxiety or need help dealing with challenging life situations.
Psychotherapist in brief
- A psychotherapist is a healthcare professional who provides treatment based on discussion and functional methods to increase mental well-being and flexibility.
- The goal of psychotherapy is to increase self-understanding, help deal with difficult emotions, strengthen actorship in challenging life situations and change harmful thought and action models.
- Good interaction with the psychotherapist is important so that the customer feels heard and safe.
What does a psychotherapist do?
A psychotherapist is a healthcare professional with additional training as a psychotherapist. Psychotherapists are a protected profession, and training requires an appropriate basic health education and sufficient clinical work experience. Psychotherapists may have a background as a psychologist, nurse or doctor, for example.
The psychotherapist provides treatment based on discussion and functional methods, with the aim of improving mental well-being and flexibility. It is important that there is a good interaction between the psychotherapist and the customer, where the customer feels heard and safe.
The key goals of psychotherapy include:
- Increasing self-understanding
- Dealing with and understanding difficult emotions
- Strengthening actorship in challenging life situations
- Changing harmful thinking and behaviour
Different forms of psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a form of treatment that focuses on treating mental health symptoms due to psychological stress. Psychotherapy is a key method for dealing with life crises and challenges related to mental well-being. Psychotherapy can be carried out with several different frameworks based on different theories about the functioning of the human mind. These frameworks differ in terms of the ways in which problems are structured and therapeutic methods, which is why the suitability of different frameworks varies in the treatment of different life situations and psychological symptoms. A psychotherapist may specialise in cognitive, integrative, solution-oriented or psychodynamic psychotherapy, for example.
The goal of psychotherapy is to strengthen the individual’s own agility, alleviate psychological suffering and promote recovery from it, improve functional capacity and provide tools for coping with life’s problem situations. Although psychotherapy is often perceived as a long-term treatment relationship lasting for years, short psychotherapeutic interventions, for example 5 or 20 times, can also be effective and sufficient when properly timed.
A mental health professional helps assess which form of psychotherapy is most suitable for the customer at the moment. The appropriate therapy direction and the choice of a psychotherapist can be discussed, for example, at a psychologist’s or psychiatrist’s appointment or during a first mental health appointment with a mental health specialist.
When to see a psychotherapist?
It is advisable to seek a psychotherapist as early as possible and with a low threshold if you are facing the following challenges:
- feeling under strain
- having sleep problems
- having anxiety and lack of energy
- needing help dealing with a difficult life situation
The earlier the psychological symptoms are identified and the sooner therapy is received, the better the prognosis for recovery. Although psychotherapy is often thought of as a long-term, years-long treatment relationship, short interventions can also be effective. For example, psychotherapeutic intervention 5 or 20 times can be an adequate and effective form of treatment when properly timed.
You can seek psychotherapy at your own expense at any time, and you can get support for it from Kela, your employer or medical expenses insurance, for example. The appropriate therapy direction and the choice of a psychotherapist can be discussed with a psychologist, psychiatrist or mental health specialist at the first appointment. On Mehiläinen’s website, you can get to know psychotherapists who share their expertise and specialisation in various psychotherapy services and frameworks.
Here is how psychotherapy proceeds
The aim of the first appointment is to establish a good treatment relationship between the psychotherapist and the customer. The psychotherapist is interested in hearing about the person’s experiences, life situation and what they need help with.
The goals of the therapy are defined together with the customer so that they meet their personal needs. The issues to focus on during the therapy are decided during the discussion. The shorter the therapy, the more limited the focus is on the agreed themes.
The therapy is always planned according to the customer’s needs, and this is done in close cooperation with the customer. Together, we draw up a detailed therapy plan that guides the course of therapy. The achievement of the goals is monitored regularly in order to assess the progress of the therapy and make the necessary changes.
The key task of a psychotherapist is to help the customer understand themselves better and recognise their own feelings. The aim of therapy is to find out where emotions are activated and how they affect the customer’s life. When the customer’s thoughts and emotions become clearer, their life control begins to strengthen, which improves their overall well-being.
Duration of psychotherapy
The duration of psychotherapy varies greatly depending on the customer’s individual needs, set goals and chosen therapy direction. For some customers, a few appointments are enough, while others may benefit from longer-term therapy lasting even for several years.
Mehiläinen’s psychotherapy offering covers a wide range of services designed to meet the needs of different customers:
- First mental well-being appointment Low-threshold service to support mental well-being and mental health.
- Support and crisis visits. Short-term meetings intended for acute situations or crises.
- Short-term psychotherapy. 10 or 20 therapy visits that focus on specific problems or goals.
- Long-term psychotherapy. 1–3 year-long therapy, such as rehabilitative psychotherapy reimbursed by Kela, which offer more in-depth and long-term support.
Challenges to mental health and mental well-being
Other related services
First mental well-being appointment EUR 89
Take an easy first step to mental well-being services. You can make an appointment quickly – without a referral.
Kela-reimbursed rehabilitative psychotherapy
Psychotherapy service based on a psychiatrist’s assessment and granted by Kela for maintaining and rebuilding working and studying ability.
Frequently asked questions about psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a form of treatment for mental health symptoms caused by psychological stress. It is a key method for dealing with life crises and challenges related to mental well-being.
It is advisable to seek a psychotherapist as early as possible and with a low threshold if you are facing the following challenges:
- feeling under strain
- having sleep problems
- having anxiety and lack of energy
- needing help dealing with a difficult life situation
The correct timing of psychotherapy is important for the success of treatment. If a mental health disorder has been diagnosed as the cause of psychological stress and symptoms, the physician should assess when psychotherapeutic treatment is appropriate. Psychotherapy can bring up challenging and difficult emotions, so it is important that mental well-being and life management are on a sufficiently stable foundation so that the therapy does not become too stressful. Sometimes it may be necessary to treat insomnia or anxiety, for example, before the actual psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy aims to strengthen one’s own ability to act, facilitate psychological suffering and recovery, improve functional capacity and provide tools for coping with life’s problem situations. Good interaction with the psychotherapist and the customer’s feeling of being heard are key factors.
The first appointment establishes a good care relationship and clarifies the starting points and goals of the cooperation. The psychotherapist listens to the customer’s experiences and life situation. The goals of the therapy are defined together and their achievement is monitored regularly. The psychotherapist helps the customer understand themselves and recognise their emotions.
The duration of psychotherapy and the frequency of appointments depend on the customer’s needs, the goal set for therapy work and the chosen therapy direction. Psychotherapy can last from a few appointments to several years.
The price of psychotherapy depends on the duration of the psychotherapy, the methods used and the basic training of the psychotherapist. You can enquire about the price of psychotherapy from our customer service by calling +358 (0)10 414 00 (local network rate/mobile charge).
The costs of psychotherapy may be covered by employers, Kela, the customer or an insurance company through health insurance, for example. All our psychotherapists are registered with Valvira and have Kela qualifications.