Anyone can call themselves a psychotherapist

Psychotherapy is still an unrecognized profession in Montenegro, which the state has not properly recognized.

This is what the interlocutors of "Vijesti" claim and warn that currently anyone can engage in psychotherapy, without any consequences.

On the other hand, they claim that even after many years of expensive education, psychotherapists struggle to legally start a private practice.

"The situation is so problematic that, for example, if someone wants to change his profession and hangs an advertisement in front of his house that he is a psychotherapist, nobody can do anything for him. I am not claiming that anywhere in the world it is ideally solved, nor that the solutions are simple. It is necessary to include a wide methodological range of activities in order to adequately regulate that profession. In our country, there is no guarantee that a person who does psychotherapy has even completed psychology, let alone what is still necessary for a psychotherapeutic job, namely postgraduate psychotherapeutic schools", says psychologist and communication specialist Radoje Cerović.

He assessed that psychotherapy is one of the professions with the most problematic legal status in Montenegro.

The beginning of solving the problem would be the passing of the Law on Psychological Activities, but the state has not yet started that work.

The Association of Psychologists of Montenegro (UPCG) forwarded the working text of the Law on Psychological Practice to the Government for its opinion and action two years ago. The Ministry of Education declared itself incompetent, and the Ministry of Health was assigned the task of leading a working group, which has not yet met.

Jasmina Đukić, a psychologist and gestalt psychotherapist, says that she sees the fact that there is no institutional framework supported by a system that enables psychotherapy as a major difficulty.

"Psychologists with formal education in institutions can offer psychological counseling services, psychiatrists can also offer drug therapy, while only psychotherapists can offer psychotherapy services. People often do not have enough information and services are "confused", that is why it is important to know from whom and where what can be obtained or expected".

Cerović explains that "graduating from the Faculty of Psychology in no way affirms a person to practice psychotherapy". It is possible, he says, to turn to such people for psychological counseling, "but that does not include working on any kind of diagnosis."

He clarifies that in Montenegro psychologists have the opportunity to work, mostly, as clinical psychologists in health centers and hospitals and through private practice.

"Due to the fact that our law does not recognize psychotherapy as a profession, colleagues who are accredited and have the necessary professional knowledge encounter major problems when opening a private practice. They are forced to work semi-legally for months, sometimes, even years, until they find some model that allows them to open a legal private practice or psychological counseling center with 'shortcuts'.

Cerović draws attention to the large number of people who, without adequate education, advertise themselves through social networks as someone who can help with various non-scientific methods.

"The term 'life coaching', for example, is something that has become quite 'stretched' in practice. It is true that there are serious people in Montenegro who deal with it... However, the problem is the 'life skills teachers' who apply various non-scientific methods, promising the possibility of a spectacular life transformation".

Đukić says that a large number of people have begun to identify with psychologists. However, her attitude is that she falls prey to such phenomena less and less, despite the fact that they were new on the market, filled with sweet talk and "attractive packaging".

On the UPCG website, as the most important fields of activity, in addition to the creation of a legal framework, the determination of standards, norms, professional supervision and prices of services in that area is stated. Given that the realization of those plans is yet to come, it is clear that the profession that should take care of mental health is suffering from many ailments.

The Ministry of Health did not respond to "Vijesti" as far as the formation of a working group that would work on the bill, as well as whether the definition of norms, standards and price lists for psychotherapist services can be expected soon.

It is often too late for psychotherapy

The challenges of life and stress impose the need for more frequent consultation of professional psychotherapeutic help. Practice shows that it is usually too late for this type of help.

Đukić says that psychotherapy is not, "as most people think, a service that we ask for only when we are having a hard time".

Cerović claims that there is no simple answer to the question of when it is time to ask for help from a psychotherapist.

"People should experience going to a psychotherapist as, for example, going to the gym. We don't need to be in pain to go to the gym. However, the moment we suspect that we have some kind of psychological problem, which could be characterized in any way as a diagnosis or, if not, creates difficulties in daily functioning, then it is definitely time to turn to a professional. These are psychiatrists and psychologists".

Cerović has also recently run an online psychological counseling center, which is a novelty for Montenegro. The possibility of even anonymous appointment, payment and conversation without going to the doctor's office is probably one of the reasons why there is supposedly interest in this type of help.