Depression Psychotherapists in Amsterdam

Effective psychological treatments include behavioural activation and cognitive-behavioural therapy ¹. Interpersonal psychotherapy and problem-solving therapy are also used. In the World Health Organization's words: ‘Psychological treatments are the first treatments for depression.’ ‘They can be combined with antidepressant medicines in moderate and severe depression.’

Effective treatment exists for mild, moderate and severe depression. A depressive episode means low mood, or loss of interest in things you enjoyed. It lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.

Low mood after a loss or a hard year is not automatically a disorder, though support can help. Ask a practitioner what they would suggest, and why.

Everyone on this page describes their work as psychotherapy. A psychotherapist works through talking with you about your thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Psychotherapy usually runs longer than counselling and aims for clinical change. It works on patterns that repeat rather than on one current problem.

A psychotherapist trains in psychological treatment rather than in medicine. What that training covers, and which approach a practitioner uses, differ between practitioners. Ask which approach a psychotherapist trained in, and how long they usually work.

The title you will see is Psychotherapeut. Search the register by name at BIG-register (CIBG). Check that the name and title match and that the entry is current. If they do not, ask the practitioner why.

In the Netherlands the protected titles include gezondheidszorgpsycholoog, klinisch psycholoog and psychotherapeut, and each of them requires entry on the statutory healthcare register.

See the Netherlands page.