Going to the Psychologist in Sweden

Have you ever felt like you needed a little extra help and didn’t know where to start? I’ve been there. As an international student and migrant, we’re completely out of our comfort zone, and looking for help in a country where you don’t even speak the language can feel overwhelming. I know we go through a lot, and I hope this post makes seeking medical or mental health support feel a bit easier. 💛

Getting psychological help is nothing to be ashamed of. Honestly, I’d say it’s necessary at many different points in life: a little help is always welcome.

✨ Step 0: Embracing My Symptoms

I’m someone with high levels of anxiety, and it has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Everyone experiences anxiety differently, but mine sometimes leads to chronic pain, which is why I need to manage it carefully.

A lot changed for me in 2024: I moved from Peru to Sweden, my entire life shifted within months, new friends, missing my family, a painful breakup, winter depression… everything piled up until February, when it became too much. I was dysregulated, slept way too much, felt chronic pain again, and couldn’t stop crying. My body was clearly asking for help.

This was my Step 0: I realized I wasn’t okay. I embraced my symptoms and accepted that I needed help. This can happen to anyone, and let me tell you, it’s okay. It’s so important to notice what your body and mind are telling you. 💙

🎓 Step 1: Look for Resources at Your University

So… what did I do? I honestly had no clue where to start.

I study at Lund University, and I discovered that they have a Student Health Centre. They help with well-being related to your studies, and it’s completely free for students. I booked an appointment to see how they could support me and to explain what I was going through.

If you’re doing a one‑year master’s and don’t yet have a Swedish personnummer, this is a great place to begin, since it can be difficult to access regular medical services.

After my appointment, they recommended an 8‑module anxiety program, which was helpful for introspection but I needed more. I needed to talk to someone. That’s when I decided to go to the medical centre.

📞 Step 2: Go to 1177

I wrote an online message to my local medical centre (Vårdcentral) through the 1177 website, explaining my situation and that I wanted psychological support.

They replied saying they needed to run some tests first, so I had to book an appointment before being referred to therapy. During the visit, I talked about everything I was experiencing and filled out some questionnaires.

The result: I qualified for psychological therapy. 🙌

The doctor then wrote a referral letter stating that I needed therapy. This letter is key! Once you have it, you can start looking for available psychologists in Sweden. They don’t assign one to you; you need to search on your own.

📬 Step 3: Contact Every Psychologist You Can Find

This part was rough; it took me around a month and a half! 😵‍💫

On 1177, I searched for therapists and checked their waiting lists. Some places had 14‑week waits, others 8 or 4. I contacted at least 12 places. One of my priorities was finding therapy in English, so I mentioned that in every email.

I got many replies saying they couldn’t offer therapy in English, and others were fully booked for months. But eventually… someone accepted me! I felt so relieved, like I had gotten a job offer. 🎉

🛋️ Step 4: The Therapy

With a referral, you can get about 16 sessions subsidized by the Swedish healthcare system. Each session costs 200 SEK, and once you reach the 1,450 SEK yearly limit, you stop paying for medical visits for a while — which is amazing.

My therapy was either in‑person or online, depending on what I preferred. My psychologist even offered to call in a Spanish translator if needed, which I thought was really kind.

I’ve now finished my therapy, and honestly, it was incredibly helpful and affordable for a student like me. You can also get therapy privately, but it’s much more expensive.

Do you think it’s easy to get mental health support in Sweden? Maybe not at first,  it takes time, patience, and lots of emails. But once you finally get it, it’s really accessible and truly helpful.

You deserve support. You deserve to feel better. And getting help is a strong and brave step. 💛✨