Most people in Athens pay for therapy privately. Greece spends a larger share of its health budget out of pocket than almost anywhere else in the EU, so paying for therapy here is the ordinary route rather than the premium one.
There's no national scheme that reimburses sessions with a private psychologist of your choosing. EOPYY, the national health insurer, does cover psychotherapy, but only on a written medical opinion (γνωμάτευση) issued by a psychiatrist, and normally only where the therapist holds an EOPYY contract. Where they do, you pay no contribution. Where they don't, the claim is refused.
The public system is organised by area. Mental Health Centres (Κέντρα Ψυχικής Υγείας) work by catchment, so the one you can use is set by where you live. Access to a specialist has run through your personal doctor (προσωπικός γιατρός) since April 2026, and hospital outpatient psychiatric clinics are free with an appointment booked on 1566.
Privately there's no referral, no medical opinion and no queue. On It's Complicated you choose the therapist and arrange it with them directly.
Psychologist (ψυχολόγος) is a protected title: it requires a licence, and using it without one is an offence. Psychotherapist (ψυχοθεραπευτής) isn't protected. There's no law governing psychotherapy in Greece, and counsellors and coaches can practise on a simple declaration to the tax authorities. A psychiatrist (ψυχίατρος) is a medical doctor who can prescribe. On It's Complicated everyone listed is checked against our own training requirements before they appear, whatever title they use.
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