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Applying for psychotherapy

Statutory health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) · Non-residential psychotherapy

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Non-residential psychotherapy is a standard benefit of statutory health insurance. The path there is staged, and knowing the stages gets you help considerably faster – precisely because therapy places are scarce. The scope and process are governed by the Psychotherapy Directive of the Federal Joint Committee.

The entry point is the psychotherapeutic initial consultation. This clarifies whether, and which, treatment is indicated – it is required for access to all further benefits. Directly afterwards, acute treatment is possible: up to 24 units of at least 25 minutes, so up to 600 minutes, and – this is the decisive point – without an application to the Krankenkasse.

For the actual therapy there are two stages: short-term therapy with up to 24 hours, applied for in two steps of 12 each, and long-term therapy, for which up to 60 hours are approved for adults in the initial application for behavioural therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy; analytical psychotherapy has higher allowances. At the end, hours can be used for relapse-prevention care.

Last updated8 October 2026
Legal basis§ 27 SGB V · § 28 Abs. 3 · Psychotherapy Directive of the G-BA
VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de and the Psychotherapy Directive of the G-BA
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information page: we are not your Krankenkasse, not an authority and not paid advice — we do not submit applications for you. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in simple terms; binding information always comes from the competent body. Allowances and procedures are governed by the Psychotherapy Directive of the Federal Joint Committee and are regularly adjusted. All information provided without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
Entry pointInitial consultationMandatory before all benefits
Acute treatmentUp to 24 unitsWithout an application to the fund
Short-term therapyUp to 24 hoursTwo steps of 12 each
Long-term therapyUp to 60 hoursInitial application, VT and TP (behavioural and psychodynamic therapy)
Required documents

What you need

Electronic health card

You do not need anything more for the initial consultation. A referral is not required for non-residential psychotherapy – you can contact a psychotherapy practice directly.

Initial consultation form (PTV 11)

After the initial consultation, you receive written information about the outcome: whether treatment is indicated and, if so, which. This document is the entry ticket for acute treatment, short-term and long-term therapy – keep it, even if you change practice.

Consiliary report (Konsiliarbericht)

Before a short- or long-term therapy begins, a doctor must rule out physical causes and draw up a consiliary report (Konsiliarbericht). This is usually done by your GP practice; plan an additional appointment for it.

Proof of attempts to find a place

Important if you cannot find a place. Note the date, practice and outcome of each enquiry. You need this list if you have a place arranged through the appointment service centre or pursue a cost-reimbursement procedure under § 13 Abs. 3 SGB V.

Appointment service centre on 116117

Not a document, but the most effective tool when looking for a place. The appointment service centres of the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians arrange, on the nationwide number 116117, appointments for the psychotherapeutic initial consultation and for acute treatment.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Arrange the initial consultation

    The entry point to any non-residential psychotherapy. Call psychotherapy practices or use the appointment service centre on 116117. The initial consultation clarifies whether a mental disorder requiring treatment is present and which treatment is indicated. Without this step, acute treatment, short-term and long-term therapy are not accessible.

  2. 2

    Continue immediately in the event of acute strain

    If the situation is pressing, acute treatment can begin directly after the initial consultation: up to 24 units of at least 25 minutes. It is not subject to an application requirement – so the fund does not first have to agree. This is the fastest route to regular treatment and is often overlooked.

  3. 3

    Obtain the consiliary report

    Before a short- or long-term therapy begins, a medical practice must rule out physical causes and draw up the consiliary report. Arrange this appointment early, because otherwise it becomes a bottleneck.

  4. 4

    Apply for short-term therapy

    Short-term therapy covers up to 24 therapy units and is applied for in two steps of 12 units each. The application is made by the treating practice; it is usually unproblematic. For many cases, this amount is already enough.

  5. 5

    Convert into long-term therapy if needed

    If 24 hours are not enough, it can be converted into long-term therapy. For adults, up to 60 hours are approved in the initial application for behavioural therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy; analytical psychotherapy has considerably higher allowances. Here, the fund may review the case through an assessor.

  6. 6

    Use alternatives if the search is hopeless

    If you cannot find a place over several months, document every enquiry with the date and outcome. With this list you can press for a place through the appointment service centre or have a cost-reimbursement procedure under § 13 Abs. 3 SGB V examined, under which the fund covers treatment at a practice that bills privately.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Psychotherapy is a standard benefitNo co-payment
Initial consultationFree of charge
Acute treatmentUp to 24 units, without an application
Short-term therapyUp to 24 hours
Long-term therapy (VT/TP)Up to 60 hours in the initial application
Co-paymentNone
ReferralNot required

Non-residential psychotherapy is a standard benefit of statutory health insurance; no co-payment is due, and a referral is not required. The practically most important point does not concern money, but access: acute treatment with up to 24 units of at least 25 minutes is not subject to an application requirement and can begin immediately after the initial consultation. Anyone who knows this bridges the often months-long wait for a regular therapy place. The allowances are not set out in SGB V, but in the Psychotherapy Directive of the Federal Joint Committee, which is regularly adjusted – for the current position, the directive is authoritative, not the law. If no place can be found over a longer period, cost reimbursement under § 13 Abs. 3 SGB V comes into consideration; this requires a complete record of your own attempts to find a place.

Good to know

Important notes

Acute treatment needs no application. Up to 24 units of at least 25 minutes can begin directly after the initial consultation, without the fund having to agree first. This is the fastest route to regular treatment and the one most often overlooked.

The initial consultation is mandatory. Without it, acute treatment, short-term and long-term therapy are not accessible. It is short, unbureaucratic and can be arranged through the appointment service centre.

116117 arranges appointments. The appointment service centres of the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians arrange appointments for the psychotherapeutic initial consultation and for acute treatment on this nationwide number. Many people affected only call there after months of unsuccessful searching on their own.

No referral is needed. You can contact a psychotherapy practice directly. The consiliary report from a GP practice is only needed before a short- or long-term therapy begins, not before that.

Short-term therapy comes in two steps. 12 units twice, 24 in total. It can later be converted into long-term therapy – the hours already used are then credited.

The methods differ in scope. Behavioural therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy receive up to 60 hours for adults in the initial application; analytical psychotherapy considerably more. The method is chosen together with the practice.

Relapse prevention at the end. For a treatment of 40 or more hours, up to 8 hours can be used for relapse prevention; for 60 or more hours, up to 16 hours – spread over a longer period. For children and adolescents, the allowance increases to up to 10 or 20 hours respectively, if relevant attachment figures are involved.

Cost reimbursement as a last resort. If, despite proven efforts, no place can be found, the fund can, under § 13 Abs. 3 SGB V, cover treatment at a practice that bills privately. Without a complete record of your attempts to find a place, this is regularly refused.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Not knowing about acute treatment. The mistake with the most serious consequences. Up to 24 units without an application, directly after the initial consultation – anyone who does not know this waits months for a regular therapy place, even though treatment could start immediately.

Looking for a therapy place without the initial consultation. It is the prescribed entry point. Practices cannot start therapy without it – skipping it loses weeks.

Calling the appointment service centre too late. 116117 arranges appointments for the initial consultation and acute treatment. Many people only use it after months of unsuccessful searching on their own.

Obtaining the consiliary report too late. It is needed before a short- or long-term therapy begins. Anyone who only organises it once everything else is in place loses further weeks.

Not documenting attempts to find a place. For cost reimbursement under § 13 Abs. 3 SGB V, a complete record of unsuccessful enquiries is decisive. This cannot be reconstructed from memory later.

Giving up after the first refusal. Finding a place often requires many calls. Combine your own search, the appointment service centre and – if there is lasting lack of success – the cost-reimbursement procedure.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

What is the fastest way to get treatment?

Through the psychotherapeutic initial consultation and, directly afterwards, acute treatment. This covers up to 24 units of at least 25 minutes and is not subject to an application requirement – so the Krankenkasse does not first have to agree. Appointments for the initial consultation and acute treatment are arranged by the appointment service centre on the nationwide number 116117.

Do I need a referral?

No. You can contact a psychotherapy practice directly. A consiliary report from a medical practice is only needed before a short-term or long-term therapy begins, to rule out physical causes – not already for the initial consultation or acute treatment.

How many hours are paid for?

Short-term therapy covers up to 24 therapy units, applied for in two steps of 12 each. For long-term therapy, up to 60 hours are approved for adults in the initial application for behavioural therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy; analytical psychotherapy has higher allowances. These figures are set out in the Psychotherapy Directive of the G-BA, not in SGB V.

What is the psychotherapeutic initial consultation?

The prescribed entry point to any non-residential psychotherapy. It clarifies whether a mental disorder requiring treatment is present and which treatment is indicated. You receive the outcome in writing – you need this document for all further steps, even if you later change practice.

What does psychotherapy cost?

Nothing. Non-residential psychotherapy is a standard benefit of statutory health insurance; no co-payment is due. The initial consultation, acute treatment, short-term and long-term therapy are paid for under the methods recognised in the Psychotherapy Directive.

What can I do if I cannot find a place?

First use the appointment service centre on 116117, which arranges appointments for the initial consultation and acute treatment. At the same time, document every enquiry of your own with the date, practice and outcome. If the search remains unsuccessful over a longer period, a cost-reimbursement procedure under § 13 Abs. 3 SGB V comes into consideration, under which the fund covers treatment at a practice that bills privately – the complete documentation is decisive for this.

Can short-term therapy be extended?

Yes. If the 24 hours are not enough, it can be converted into long-term therapy; the hours already used are then credited. The application is made by the treating practice; for long-term therapy, the fund may carry out an assessor procedure.

What is relapse-prevention care?

Hours at the end of a therapy used to prevent relapse and spread over a longer period. For a treatment of 40 or more hours, up to 8 hours can be used for this; for 60 or more hours, up to 16 hours; for children and adolescents with the involvement of relevant attachment figures, the allowance increases to up to 10 or 20 hours respectively. They are part of the approved allowance, not additional to it.

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