Working as a practitioner in Finland

The basics: 

To get registered in Finland with a foreign qualification, you will need to apply to Valvira . This will require you to prove the following: 

  • That you have a professional qualification in your field (you need to show them your university certificates)
  • Documents showing your registration and work history in another country
  • A successful YKI test result in Finnish or Swedish. Unfortunately Level 3 proficiency is required in all 4 parts of the test in the same test. 

  • Translated documents and certificates as required. 

     

The professions of psychologists and psychotherapists are different in Finland compared to many other countries.

Psychotherapists

In Finland, Psychotherapists are a separate title to Psychologists and they hold registration as a health care professional. They are the only health professionals who can offer subsidised psychotherapy services (not available for psychological work). Psychotherapists use different theories, or orientations, to learn these methods and they usually train for a number of years in a specific type of therapy. Types of therapies can include Cognitive Integrative therapy, Cognitive Analytic therapy, Psychodynamic therapy, Integrative therapy, Family therapy, Gestalt therapy, and many others. Often Psychotherapists in Finland are also Psychologists, but they have done some additional training to gain the title Psychotherapist. Some psychotherapists are other professions, such as a nurse, doctor or social worker. When someone has done the Psychotherapy training, they can be called a licensed Psychotherapist and are eligible to provide KELA-subsidised therapy and HUS (Helsinki-Uusimaa hospital/ health system).

 

Psychologists

In Finland, psychologists must be registered with VALVIRA and listed with the JulkiTerhikki public register of health professionals. They must have a minimum of five years of university training. Psychologists can have many different specialisations: health psychology, counselling psychology, educational psychology, occupational psychology and clinical psychology, among others. Clinical psychology uses science, theory and clinical knowledge to better understand, prevent, and reduce psychologically based distress and to promote well-being. Clinical psychologists receive six to nine years of training in psychological assessment, clinical formulation and therapy. In Finland psychologists cannot make an official diagnosis and cannot provide psychotherapy.

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have specialised in treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and mania. In Finland this is a protected health title and all psychiatrists are registered doctors as well. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication and assess, diagnose and treat mental health conditions.