How to find an English-speaking therapist in Frankfurt

Lists of English-speaking practices

The Psychotherapeutenkammer Hessen, the state chamber that licenses psychotherapists, has a page in its therapist directory listing practices that offer advice and therapy in English, with the town for each. It doesn't say whether a practice takes public insurance or has free places, so check that when you contact them. The practitioner search at arztsuche.116117.de shows which practices have a Kassensitz and has its own language filter under Fremdsprachen. The search of the Deutsche Psychotherapeutenvereinigung at dptv.de can also show private practices that work through Kostenerstattung.

What 116117 does in Hesse

KV Hessen runs the Terminservicestelle for Hesse. It arranges first appointments only: a Sprechstunde, Akutbehandlung or a trial session, not a regular therapy place. KV Hessen gives the limits as at most 35 days until the appointment, or two weeks for Akutbehandlung if your PTV 11 recommends it. You can book by phone on 116117 from Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 16:00, online at 116117-termine.de or in the 116117 app. Use it to get your Sprechstunde and PTV 11 quickly, and look for an English-speaking therapist for the treatment itself in parallel.

Goethe University's outpatient clinic

The Verhaltenstherapie-Ambulanz at the Goethe University's Zentrum für Psychotherapie treats adults from 18 with cognitive behavioural therapy as a Richtlinienverfahren, one of the forms of therapy public insurance covers. You register by phone on 069 798 25102, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 to 13:00 and on Wednesday from 11:00 to 13:00. The clinic says it usually proposes a first appointment within two weeks of registering, while the wait for a therapy place depends on when you're free and on therapist capacity. Most therapy there is given by therapists in training, and the clinic isn't set up for emergencies. Ask when you call whether someone can work with you in English. The university's second clinic, the Lehrambulanz, had closed its waiting list at the time of writing.

If you need help now

Frankfurt's Psychosozialer Krisendienst answers on 069 611375 from Monday to Friday, 17:00 to 1:00, and on weekends and public holidays from 9:00 to 1:00. During the day on weekdays, the Sozialpsychiatrischer Dienst of the city's health department takes calls on 069 212 33311, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00, and on Friday from 9:00 to 13:00. The Telefonseelsorge on 0800 111 0 111 is free and open around the clock, usually in German. In an emergency, call 112.