In Austria you have to be able to afford the training to become a psychotherapist, it currently costs between 23,000 and 65,000 euros. With an amendment to the Psychotherapy Act, which the Ministry of Health is currently working on, training could move to public universities. Negotiations are still ongoing. According to Ralph Schallmeiner, health spokesman for the Greens, there is a broad consensus about bringing the training to the universities and thus making it cheaper.
One is still in the middle of the vote and there are still some potential hurdles, he emphasizes to the APA. However, there was agreement with the coalition partner that in future training should no longer take place at non-university training institutions, but as part of a regular course of study (Bachelor’s, Master’s) and primarily at public universities. However, offers at private universities such as the current one at the Sigmund Freud Private University would still be possible.
There is also no dispute that the training should not cost so much in the future. “We want this to be a normal, regular course of study that everyone with a university entrance qualification can afford,” said Schallmeiner. This should not only cover the increasing demand, there should also be more offers from therapists who come from families with little money or have migrant roots.
