Guide from erstmalreden.de
What does mental health support cost?
The short answer: many services are free or paid by health insurance. What matters is whether a service belongs to statutory care, bills privately, or is a counseling offer. If this is unclear, you can ask before the appointment.
116117, consultation hour & therapy place
In short
- What this page is about
- Costs of mental health support in Germany: 116117, consultation hours, psychotherapy, social psychiatric services, and counseling.
- This may fit if
- you are looking into this topic: What does mental health support cost?
- If you do just one thing
- Before the appointment, clarify whether the service bills statutory insurance, privately, or as counseling.
Quick overview
Calling 116117 (Germany’s medical on-call and appointment service. It is not an emergency number; call 112 in immediate danger.) is free. For people with German statutory health insurance, a psychotherapeutic consultation and recognized psychotherapy in an authorized practice are generally covered when the requirements are met. The Sozialpsychiatrischer Dienst and TelefonSeelsorge are free. Many public or non-profit counseling services are also free or low-cost. Private practices or self-pay treatment may create costs for you.
Statutory insurance: consultation and psychotherapy
You can contact a psychotherapeutic (A professional for psychotherapy. Medication is usually prescribed by medical doctors, not psychological psychotherapists.) practice directly. A referral is generally not required for the psychotherapeutic consultation. Recognized treatment in an authorized practice is billed to statutory health insurance when the requirements are met. A consultation does not guarantee an ongoing therapy place.
Private insurance or civil-service aid
Coverage depends on your tariff and the applicable aid rules. Before treatment begins, ask the insurer, aid office, and practice which documents are needed and whether you must first pay invoices yourself.
Private practice and self-payment
If a practice does not bill statutory health insurance, costs may remain with you. Before the first appointment, ask about the exact fee, cancellation charges, and whether your insurer reimburses any part. Do not assume coverage before it is confirmed.
Social psychiatric service, TelefonSeelsorge, and counseling
The Sozialpsychiatrischer Dienst (A local German social psychiatric service that can help sort mental strain, crisis support, and further local help.) is free, and TelefonSeelsorge is free as well. Funding and rules differ among other counseling services. Many municipal, charitable, or non-profit offers are free, while some charge a contribution. Ask the specific service in advance.
A sentence for asking about costs
You can say or write: “I have statutory or private insurance. Will the first appointment or further conversations cost me anything? Do you bill my insurance directly?”
Updated: August 3, 2026 · Sources checked: August 3, 2026
Sources and notes
What you can do now
If you only wanted information
This guide may fit as a next step: What is a psychotherapeutic consultation hour?
Open articleIf you want to try first contact
Use the sentence helper or copy one short sentence. First contact does not have to be perfect.
Prepare a sentenceIf it has become urgent
Then reading more is not the priority. Open urgent help or call 112 in Germany if there is immediate danger.
Open urgent help- Before the appointment, clarify whether the service bills statutory insurance, privately, or as counseling.
- Have your insurance card or insurance details ready.
- If costs are unclear, ask explicitly before the first conversation.
This page offers orientation and words for first contact. If you need counseling, therapy, or emergency help, real contact points matter.