Frequently Asked Questions

1. Get in touch with me by emailing me at info@therapyeva.com or through the contact page.
2. We will arrange a videocall (up to 20 minutes) to explore what brings you to therapy and answer any questions you might have. This helps me assess how I can support you and gives us both a chance to see if we connect well. This is just a conversation, no commitment is required, and it’s free of cost.
3. We begin with a first session and continue to meet regularly according to the frequency we’ve agreed on.
4. We will revisit the frequency and focus of therapy whenever necessary.

Read more about the process here

Whenever possible, I recommend coming weekly, preferably at the same time slot. This will create a sense of continuity, and you’ll be able to see the progress faster. Even if weekly therapy has been the standard frequency for many years, it has recently become more common to go bi-weekly, largely due to the cost-of-living crisis. I’m happy to meet bi-weekly, although starting with weekly sessions for the first few weeks will help create momentum.

Ultimately, I believe it is up to you to determine that. Here are some signs that can help you answer that question: you know you’re not where you want to be, but you don’t know how to get there, there’s something from your past that feels unresolved, or you are just curious about starting therapy.

If you currently don’t feel motivated or ready to start, that’s understandable. I encourage you to take your time and begin when you feel truly willing.

We will probably get along well if…

• You want someone warm and open-minded as your therapist. You prefer a human and relaxed atmosphere over a very formal, clinical setting. 
• You want a therapeutic approach that focuses on introspection and self-reflection, is non-pathological, and explores the context of an issue instead of hyperfocusing on the symptoms.
• You’re seeking a therapy style that is flexible and free of agendas, where you can bring whatever feels more relevant to you in the present moment.

I share a therapy room with another therapist in the city center of Leiden, at Breestraat 24. I can meet in person on Tuesdays after 15:00, Thursdays, and Fridays.

It is also possible to meet online.

Yes, anything you share is confidential and I could only disclose it with your written consent.

There are a few situations where confidentiality can be breached:

• Risk of Harm: Confidentiality may be broken to ensure safety:
  • To prevent self-harm, if the client refuses steps to guarantee their safety.
  • To warn and protect others if the client poses a threat to someone else.
• Child Abuse or Neglect: Therapists must report suspected abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult to the authorities.
• Court Orders: Therapists may be legally required to disclose information if ordered by a court.
• Supervision and Consultation: Limited information may be shared, without any identifying information, for professional supervision or consultation to improve care.

A diagnosis is the label given to a group of symptoms by a professional. Giving a name to mental health conditions serves two main purposes: facilitating communication and finding the appropriate treatment (An additional function could be to enable reimbursement for treatment, depending on your insurance).

I do not provide a diagnosis for two main reasons. First, I don’t work with insurance companies that require a diagnosis in order to cover your therapy. Second, my approach to mental health and psychotherapy focuses on identifying and addressing what is at the root of someone’s distress. I’m interested in exploring what allows symptoms to develop in the first place. This perspective requires a broader view that doesn’t see symptoms in isolation but considers the underlying factors and context that contributed to them.

It is important to know that there is often overlap between these terms, and their meanings and licensing requirements vary depending on the regulations of the country where the practitioner is based. I recommend looking at someone’s educational background to fully understand their profession and approach. That being said, here’s a general overview:

• A psychologist is someone who holds a psychology degree. The term is often used to refer to someone who has specialized in assessing and treating mental health conditions, but that’s just one of the many branches of psychology! There are psychologists who provide therapy, others who do assessments for diagnoses, and there are others who do academic research.
• A clinical psychologist is a type of psychologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. They typically see more “severe” cases.
• A psychiatrist has studied medicine and specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. They are the only mental health professional qualified to prescribe medication.
• A therapist is a broad term for someone who provides therapy to individuals, couples or groups. They might come from various training backgrounds such as psychology, counseling, social work, or other therapeutic modalities.
• A psychotherapist is someone who has extensive training in one or various forms of psychotherapy. They typically do longer-term therapy and focus on the root emotional and relational factors underneath mental health symptoms. In some countries, it is used interchangeably with “therapist” or “psychologist”, but in the Netherlands, “psychoterapeut” is a protected title, only accessible to those who have completed a specific post-master’s training.
• A counselor is a professional who provides guidance and support to individuals or groups dealing with emotional, psychological, or social issues.
• A coach is someone who helps individuals set and achieve personal goals, often around behavior change, performance, or personal development. They usually don’t have formal education to treat mental health conditions but have certifications from coaching organizations.

 Price List

Regular Fee	90€ / 1 hour
Reduced Fee	70€ / 1 hour
Couples Therapy	130€ / 1h 30min
Support Groups	150€ / 6 meetings

I understand that therapy is not always affordable, especially if your insurance or employer do not cover the costs. If you want to start therapy and your current financial situation does not allow you to, please let me know, and I’ll do my best to find an arrangement that works for both of us.

The reduced rate is available for students and for people who are currently without a salary or on a low income.

Longer sessions (+ 30 min) can be arranged for an additional 50% of the fee.

If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them at info@therapyeva.com

The value of therapy is not easily translated into numbers. How do we quantify care and attention? How much is someone’s time and presence worth? In the absence of clear answers, we rely on other concrete markers to set our own rates: local market rates, official guidelines (NZa tariffs in the Netherlands), the cost of our education and training, and how much it costs us to run our practice.

From my perspective, these are the main reasons why therapy fees are high:

• It is expensive to go to therapy, and it is equally expensive to be a therapist. I do not take home the full fee I charge; part of it goes towards practice fees, and part of it I invest in my professional development (such as trainings and supervision meetings).
• Like the rest of the helping professions, therapy is routinely undervalued. From the outside, we can miss the invisible emotional work that lies behind. Lowering our rates beneath a certain threshold would perpetuate the tendency to undervalue the profession.

I wrote a blog post where I expand on this topic.

I understand things happen that interfere with our plans: falling sick, transport accidents, other responsibilities…

It is always possible to reschedule or cancel a session. You can cancel a session free of charge when there is at least one full day between the cancellation and the session. For example, if your session is on Wednesday, you can cancel until the end of Monday. Cancellations made on the day before the session are considered late cancellations and 75% of the session fee will be charged. Missed sessions or no-shows are charged at 100% of the session fee. This may not apply to sessions missed due to emergencies or inevitable major circumstances.

Unfortunately, our sessions are not covered under Dutch health insurance. However, some international insurance providers may cover a portion of the fees. I encourage you to contact your insurance provider to see what options are available for you.

• Dutch Mental Health Care (GGZ): In order for your insurance to cover therapy, you need a referral letter from your huisarts (General Practitioner). The first step is to make an appointment with your GP, and they will refer you to either the Basis GGZ (BGGZ: Basic Mental Health Care) or the Gespecialiseerde GGZ  (SGGZ, Specialized Mental Health Care). The BGGZ is for short-term treatment (5 to 12 sessions), whereas the SGGZ is for long-term therapy.
• Check with your employer: Some companies are able to offer psychological support or pay for your therapy. They might have an in-house psychologist, they might have partnerships with mental health platforms that connect external therapists to their employees, or they might have a yearly budget that employees can spend on anything wellness-related.
• Universities: Universities often have a student counsellor who can provide short-term counselling.
• In case of an emergency, there are free resources available:
  • ACCESS NL has a counsellor on call from 8:30 to 20:30.
  • The Suicide Prevention Line is available 24/7 at 0800-0113 or via chat
  • The Listening Line is available 24/7 at 088-0767-000 or via chat
  • You can find more resources here.

The Dutch Mental Healthcare is called the Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg (GGZ). Seeking therapy through this route allows you to find insurance-covered therapy. Here are a few things to keep in mind about therapy in the private and public sectors:

Independent/Private	GGZ
Positive side: Short or no waiting list, freedom to choose your therapist, as many sessions as you’d like, greater flexibility in scheduling and approach. Negative side: Higher financial cost that may only be covered by a specific private insurance.	Positive side: Sessions are (partly or fully) covered by insurance. Negative side: You need a referral from your GP, often a long waiting list, you must pay the eigen risico (mandatory deductible, usually €385 per year), and the number of sessions may be limited.

If you have a complaint, please first share it with me so we can have an open conversation about it and we can find a solution together.

It is possible to file a formal complaint through the Klachtenportaal Zorg. The step-by-step process is outlined here.

For more information, see psynip.nl/clienteninformatie/klachten/

The therapeutic relationship relies on clearly defined rights, responsibilities and ethical guidelines to ensure a safe and supportive environment. As a psychologist based in the Netherlands, I abide by the Code of Professional Ethics 2024 of the Nederlands Instituut van Psychologen (NIP).