Relationship therapy in Amsterdam for expats

Living and working in another country is an adventure not everybody gets to experience. It’s amazing to take a deep-dive into another culture, observing the subtle and not so subtle differences between your home country and your new home country. It has a way of enriching both worlds. It can also be challenging, for all the reasons that you already know. Especially on relationships, living abroad, perhaps not speaking the local language well and isolated from known family and friends, can take its toll.

You and your partner already took on this journey together. Whether you’re both in the same country or live in different places, you face additional challenges some couples never face. If you find that you need support, calling in a relationship therapist makes a lot of sense.

I offer relationship therapy and individual therapy in my private practice. I was raised in an immigrant household with both my parents being Vietnamese refugees, and learned from a young age to balance the different norms and values from two vastly different cultures. While I’ve obtained my degree in Psychology here in Amsterdam, I did part of my studies and specializiation in the US, and make an effort to follow courses and masterclasses abroad, such as in Japan or the Czech republic. I enjoy encountering other cultures so much, that I decided to work part-time as a flight attendant, while also nourishing and expanding on my profession as a psychologist. I regularly tap into a rich international network of psychologists for supervision and peer consultation groups, recognizing the value professionals from various backgrounds have to offer.

I celebrate the richness our world’s various cultures have to offer, and explicitly stand for non-discrimination and inclusivity. Respect, warmth and openness are key values with which I run my practice.

Can relationship therapy be reimbursed in the Netherlands?

If you’re considering relationship therapy, or another form of therapy, you might wonder whether it’s reimbursed in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, relationship therapy is rarely reimbursed through the Dutch healthcare system, although other mental healthcare might be. Below I provide an overview on how to be potentially reimbursed for mental healthcare. However, always check in with your General Practitioner and your health insurance company for the latest regulations.

If you are an expat, you will most likely be required to take out health insurance with a Dutch insurance company. You don’t have to have a Dutch health insurance when your employer is outside the Netherlands. (1)

If your income is below 31k and you are an EU-citizen, you might be able to request benefits, which means you’ll receive aid in paying for your Dutch health insurance. (2) (3)

When you have finally worked your way around all the administrative hassle and you’re insured through the Dutch healthcare system, it means you’ll have access to emergency treatments, including stays at the hospital, access to a general practitioner, and mental health care amongst others.

There are two types of healthcare; one is mandatory and covers what the government states as the most basic care (basisverzekering, amongst which the aforementioned). The other is an additional insurance (aanvullende verzekering) that you can purchase as an option. This might include vaccinations, glasses, dental care, alternative medical treatments (e.g. acupuncture, naturopathy), and/or others.

For all costs that come from your basic insurance, except visits to your general practitioner and a couple of other things (4), you will have to pay the first €385 yourself. All costs na persoonlijke bevestiging that will be insured. The government mentions as reasons for doing this: “The insurance premium remains lower because you pay the first part of your healthcare costs yourself, and you become more aware of the costs of care.”

When it comes to mental health care, you can get a reimbursement when you receive a referral from your general practitioner (huisarts). It’s very important you find a GP in your area, as they’ll be your first point of contact for whatever medical issue you’re encountering. A Google search will do the trick, or ask around to see if someone has recommendations.

Once you have found one, you can make a (free) appointment with the GP. If needs are defined as ‘light’, you’ll either be helped by a practice nurse (praktijkondersteuner) or a psychologist who works directly for the GP. The GP might give you a letter of referral if your needs are defined as ‘moderate or heavy’, which you can then take to psychiatrists, (independent) psychotherapists, clinical psychologists and GZ psychologists. When you’re offered help at your GP’s office, you won’t have to pay anything. When you’re referred to someone else, it’s important you check with your health insurance company who they reimburse. Health insurance companies contract specific providers, and if they do not have a contract with the provider you wish to choose, you might end up paying full or partial costs. Therefore always consult your health insurance company first.

As said before, relationship therapy is rarely reimbursed. When relationship therapy is part of a treatment for a DSM-diagnosed disorder with one or both partners, you sometimes have a chance of reimbursement. It’s best to check with your health care provider, and your health insurance company if this is possible.

Most of the time however, relationship therapy will have to be paid with your own money. Because I think relationships are essential to people’s wellbeing and relationship therapy should be available to everybody, I offer a sliding scale for gross household incomes lower than €5500.

For a lot of people, their relationship is their foundation. If you’re in the process of creating a home in a new country, it becomes even more important that your emotional home with your partner feels safe, first and foremost.

To read more about the method I work with, click hier vinden. And if you’d like to book a free introductory meeting, you can do so hier vinden.

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Relationship therapy in Amsterdam for expats

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