Psychotherapy
We support you on your path toward psychotherapy
Mental illnesses have many causes, but they usually share one thing in common: they affect a person’s daily life, thoughts, feelings, and actions. In this case, it is advisable to seek professional help. Mental illnesses are just as treatable as physical ones.
If you need psychotherapeutic treatment, we will cover the costs. We also make it easier for you to find a therapist who is approved by your health insurance provider. Here we provide information about the individual steps involved, from the psychotherapeutic consultation to the approval of psychotherapy.
The Process of a Psychotherapeutic Treatment
1. Psychotherapeutic Consultation
A psychotherapeutic treatment begins with an initial consultation. During this first meeting, your therapist will determine whether there is a need for treatment and which type of therapy would be most suitable for you.
2. Acute Treatment (optional)
If your therapist identifies an urgent need for treatment, you may begin acute treatment immediately. If long-term treatment is necessary, the acute treatment can transition into psychotherapy. We cover the costs for up to three consultation sessions and up to twelve therapy sessions for acute treatment. For children and adolescents, we cover up to five consultation sessions.
You can contact licensed therapists and physicians directly. A list is available on the website of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung).
If you cannot find a therapy appointment through the psychotherapeutic consultation, the appointment service center (Terminservicestelle) of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians can assist you. The service center is available 24/7 at 116 117. Please have your SBK healthcare card ready when you call. The waiting time for an appointment should not exceed four weeks.
3. Trial Sessions
If the consultation shows that therapy is needed, trial sessions will follow. These are known as probatory sessions. During these sessions, you and your therapist determine whether you can build a trusting therapeutic relationship.
We cover the costs for up to four trial sessions, with at least two sessions being mandatory.
The appointment service center of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians can also help you arrange these trial sessions, provided that the initial consultation resulted in a recommendation for outpatient psychotherapy. Again, the waiting time should not exceed four weeks. You can also search for available appointments yourself at www.eterminservice.de
4. Medical Examination
After the trial sessions, you will undergo a medical examination by your general practitioner or a specialist. This examination ensures that no physical illnesses are causing your symptoms. The doctor will then prepare what is known as the consultation report (Konsiliarbericht).
5. Application
You and your therapist will complete the application together. The required forms are available in your therapist’s practice and will be submitted to us along with the medical consultation report. In certain cases, we may request an expert assessment. If all requirements for therapy are met, we will send the approval to both you and your therapist’s practice. Therapy sessions can then begin.
6. Therapy Sessions
Psychotherapy can take place in individual sessions or in a group setting. Sessions may also be conducted via video, if appropriate. The therapist and patient decide together whether this format is suitable. For video sessions, data protection and technical requirements must be met.
If therapeutically appropriate, greater use of group therapy may be encouraged. One major advantage of group therapy is that participants can work on solutions together and support one another.
Easy access to psychotherapy through the group
Group therapy often makes it easier to start therapy. In particular, you can easily take advantage of the new basic group psychotherapy service. This new service is designed to prepare you for group therapy and help alleviate your symptoms initially.
You can take advantage of this new service without our approval. Of course, the psychotherapist will check during the consultation whether this type of treatment is appropriate.
What costs does SBK cover?
We cover the full costs of necessary psychotherapeutic treatment at all therapy centers and medical practices approved by health insurance funds.
We cannot cover services that are intended solely for educational, marital, life, or sexual counseling.
Which treatment methods does the SBK cover the costs for?
The therapist and patient jointly decide on a specific type of therapy. For statutory health insurance, the following therapeutic approaches are recognized treatment methods:
Additional services offered by the SBK
Digital Health Applications
You can also receive support for managing mental health conditions through digital health applications (DiGA). These so-called “apps on prescription” can help with depression, stress or burnout, anxiety, and addiction.
The app content is usually based on principles of cognitive behavioral change and presented in varied formats such as texts, videos, audio recordings, and interactive exercises.
The duration of use depends on the specific program and your individual needs — most apps are initially prescribed for three months. It’s best to discuss with your doctor whether a DiGA is suitable for you.
You can find more information on how to obtain a DiGA and which options may be right for you on our
SBK Appointment Service
If the appointment service of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche Vereinigung) was unable to assist you, our free SBK Appointment Service can help you find a suitable therapy place.
Please contact your personal SBK consultant for assistance. You can find their contact details
Health Courses
Relaxation techniques can also be part of the treatment for mental health conditions and are effective for reducing stress.
We offer health courses such as yoga, autogenic training, and progressive muscle relaxation. You can choose between in-person courses with a fixed training group or online courses that you can join via computer or smartphone app. For more information, please visit our
We are personally there for you
Your personal SBK consultant is always happy to provide you with advice and assistance. You can find their contact details in the SBK Consultant search or in your Meine SBK app.
If you would like to contact us directly by phone, you can reach us on the SBK customer hotline.
Frequently asked questions about psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can help people cope better with depression, anxiety, or addictive behavior and deal more effectively with difficult life circumstances. Psychotherapy can sometimes be supplemented with medication. Psychotherapy can also be helpful for relatives of people with mental illness.
The duration of therapy depends on the particular therapeutic approach, the individual therapeutic goal, and the course of therapy. A single therapy session usually lasts 50 minutes.
Finding a therapy place can be challenging. Be persistent and contact several therapy practices.
The appointment service center of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians can help you find a therapy place for a psychotherapy consultation, acute treatment, and probationary session. They will arrange an appointment for an initial consultation within four weeks. The service center is available every day around the clock without an area code at 116 117. Please have your SBK health insurance card ready when you call.
If the appointment service of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians is unable to help you, our free
We can only cover the costs of psychotherapy if it is provided by licensed psychotherapists. This is the case when they are able to bill services through your SBK healthcare card. Licensed psychotherapists possess the required qualifications and are obligated to work in accordance with the statutory health insurance regulations. In general, the following professional groups are eligible to provide treatment:
Psychotherapy for children and adolescents may be necessary if they are experiencing psychological challenges. These can manifest themselves in physical symptoms or conspicuous behavior. Since mental illnesses in children and adolescents often have very different causes than in adults, treatment is carried out within the framework of special child and adolescent psychotherapy. Therapists who perform this therapy have special qualifications.
In child and adolescent psychotherapy, children, adolescents, and young adults can only be treated up to the age of 21. This is stipulated by professional law. In principle, insured persons aged 18 and over are entitled to treatment through adult therapy.
Are you experiencing an acute mental health crisis? In addition to telephone counseling which can be reached free of charge at
Group members provide each other with feedback. This means that they receive an assessment not only from a therapeutic perspective. In addition, interaction with other individuals facing similar mental health challenges is encouraged. Other group members may approach their issues in a completely different way. This broadens the options for resolving each individual's concerns. In addition, the group can provide support and become a place of strength. In this community, you can try out new techniques and develop them further in the group based on your experiences.
Further information can be found here:
If the relationship of trust with the treating psychotherapist is disrupted, it is possible to change therapists. Even if it becomes apparent during the course of therapy that a different therapeutic approach would be more appropriate, you can change therapists.
If you have any concerns, please discuss them directly during your psychotherapy session. As with all interpersonal relationships, misunderstandings can arise during psychotherapy. Addressing these openly may be important for the therapeutic process. Please also mention if you feel that you are not making progress in therapy.
If you cannot find a solution with your therapist, you can switch to another psychotherapy practice or another therapist. In this case, please contact your personal SBK consultant.
