Rehabilitative psychotherapy

The purpose of rehabilitative psychotherapy is to improve rehabilitation clients’ ability to work and study and to help them progress in their studies, remain economically active, or enter or return to working life.

You may qualify for psychotherapy compensated by Kela if you are between 16 and 67 years of age and

• your ability to work or study is impaired by a mental health disorder
• you have received at least three months of appropriate therapy after the disorder was diagnosed
• based on a psychiatrist's statement, it can be determined that rehabilitative psychotherapy is necessary to improve or support your ability to work or study.

Rehabilitative psychotherapy can be provided in the form of individual, group, family or couples psychotherapy and arts teraphy. Persons between 16 and 25 can also get music therapy and arts therapy. The therapy provided to young persons may also encompass parental guidance visits.

Support is granted for one year at a time

Kela provides access to rehabilitative psychotherapy for one year at a time. You can get psychotherapy through Kela for up to three years.  Financial support for psychotherapy is available for up to 80 sessions per year and for up to 200 sessions total.

Kela can, under specific circumstances, provide compensation for a new therapy lasting up to three years if the previous therapy was concluded at least five years ago.

Who can provide psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy available through Kela can be provided by Valvira-accredited therapists who are entitled to use the professional title of psychotherapist. Further, the therapist must have completed education in the particular form of psychotherapy which he or she provides.

The compensation from Kela requires that the therapist is approved by Kela. Use Kela’s service provider search to look up therapists (in Finnish). However, please note that it only includes therapists approved by Kela who have agreed to list their contact information.

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