About our association
Why join Psychological Practitioners Finland ry?
The primary aim of Psychological Practitioners Finland ry is to provide a support network to psychologists and therapists working in Finland who have trained overseas. We organise regular events, including training, in order for members to meet each other and network, and receive professional development training. We also provide information on how to navigate the registration system in Finland to become registered and support to members during this process.
In Finland, many mental health professions do not have a union (for example there is no union for psychotherapists) and some professions are not able to receive registration as a health professional according to current VALVIRA regulations (for example counsellors, clinical social workers, marriage guidance counsellors, etc...). In addition, many foreign educated psychologists who would like to join the Finnish Psychological Association (Psykologiliitto) are unable to do this until they have received their official VALVIRA registration as a psychologist and this can sometimes take a number of years. This means many professionals who move to Finland are left without a professional support network. PPF ry aims to provide this support to professionals, many of whom are working alone as private practititioners, in order for them to be able to function to the best of their professional abilities in their working lives in Finland.
History of the association
The association Psychological Practitioners Finland ry was originally formed as an informal international psychologists and psychotherapists association in May 2018.
In 2021 the group decided to become a legal association, and on 28.10.2021, Psychological Practitioners Finland ry was formed.
The aims of the association are:
a) support each other in getting registration with VALVIRA as a psychologist or psychotherapist
b) get ongoing professional training in English by inviting trainers to run workshops for us
c) have a network of colleagues to refer to, to discuss issues with regarding mental health in Finland and to socialise with
d) organise speakers at evening events to learn more about mental health in Finland (e.g. past speakers have been professionals working with refugees/ asylum seekers; Jaakko Seikkula talking about Open Dialogue, etc...) to further our professional knowledge.
Main activities
The PPF ry Board meets on a regular basis, and the association holds AGM meetings in the autumn and spring.
PPF ry aims to host professional training events and information events for members, such as how to work in the Finnish mental health system, how to get registered with VALVIRA and information on local mental health associations.
Associated with these events or separately are social events such as bowling events, bar and restaurant outings and picnics.