Lack of Legal Framework Hinders Verification of Specialists

• The draft law aims to introduce state exams and a protected professional title for psychotherapists.
• Currently, patients must independently verify the qualifications of specialists and direct complaints to various authorities.
• The discussion within the community concerns the scope of access to the profession and the role of the professional self-government.
• Organizing the legal framework is expected to increase patients' confidence in the professionalism of the therapist.

The profession of psychotherapist is currently not regulated by law. Therefore, there is no protection of the professional title or industry self-government. Individuals seeking support must analyze documents such as certificates or attestations to assess the qualifications of the therapist. If a patient experiences abuse, they must determine which institution to direct their complaint to. This could be the National Health Fund (NFZ), the Patient Rights Ombudsman, or law enforcement authorities, depending on the location of the assistance provided (Ustawa o zawodzie psychoterapeuty 2026. Jakie zmiany czekają pacjentów i terapeutów? - GazetaPrawna.pl – gazetaprawna.pl).

Proposed Changes in the Draft Law

The Sejm is considering a parliamentary proposal regarding the regulation of the psychotherapist profession and the establishment of a professional self-government. The document marked as print no. 1345 was submitted to the Sejm on February 11, 2025. The draft provides for the introduction of state exams as a part of oversight over practice, the establishment of a protected title, and the possibility of revoking qualifications. With these provisions, patients would gain a tool to verify the competencies of the person conducting therapy.

Debate on Access to the Profession

The community of psychotherapists is not uniform regarding the proposed solutions. There is an ongoing discussion about who should have the right to practice this profession and how to assess the effectiveness of the therapeutic methods used. Controversies also arise regarding the role of the future professional self-government and the scope of rights to conduct psychotherapy. Previously, the Ministry of Health suspended work on the specialization in psychotherapy, and this program has not been approved.

Benefits for Patients

Organizing the legal foundations is expected to provide individuals using therapy with greater confidence in the professionalism of the specialist, regardless of whether the assistance is provided in a public facility or a private practice. Clear qualification criteria and control mechanisms are intended to facilitate the verification of qualifications. The draft is currently at the legislative stage, and its final wording may change.