Guide · Frankfurt am Main
A therapy place in Frankfurt can be hard to find, but there are clear routes to one. This guide explains how the initial consultation and 116117 work, how long people wait in Hesse, which outpatient clinics and counselling centres the city has, and how to make good use of the waiting time.
At a glance
is the maximum time for 116117 to arrange an initial consultation4
is the maximum wait when acute treatment is needed4
was the average wait in Hesse until psychotherapy began (2018 study)1
was the average time in Hesse in 2019 from a request to the appointment service to the appointment3
There is no current, officially published waiting time for Frankfurt alone. The best regional figures come from the waiting-time study of the German Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists (BPtK): in the state of Hesse, it took 5.4 weeks on average to get an appointment for the initial psychotherapeutic consultation, and 16.7 weeks, about four months, until the actual psychotherapy began. The national average was 19.9 weeks1. A survey by the Hesse Chamber of Psychotherapists painted a similar picture in the same year: about five and a half weeks to a first appointment and around four months to a therapy place2.
Waiting time in weeks
Until the first consultation
Until psychotherapy starts
By comparison, Frankfurt is considered well supplied. An overview by the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences describes the city's situation as “comparatively good” and points out that the wait depends heavily on how many practices you contact7. Many practices have no receptionist, so expect answering machines, replies by email and fixed phone hours7.
The route is the same across Hesse and runs through statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung). You do not need a referral to get started4.
Calling one practice after another and waiting for each reply costs weeks. How long you wait depends heavily on how many practices you contact7. This approach works well:
“Hello, my name is … I am insured with … and I am looking for a place for psychotherapy; it is about … I have already had an initial consultation (or: I am looking for a consultation appointment). I am flexible and can come at short notice. Please put me on your waiting list. You can reach me on … best at …” Many practices work in German, so a short message in German helps.
If you cannot find a place with a practice that bills statutory insurance despite a thorough search, your insurer can pay for treatment in a private practice (Kostenerstattung under § 13(3) SGB V). The German Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists describes four steps9:
Insurers decide on each application individually, so talk to your insurer before treatment begins and, if in doubt, get help from a patient advice service.
The search of the Hesse Chamber of Psychotherapists lets you filter for practices that offer therapy in a particular language78. The International Clinic of the Frankfurt Psychoanalytic Institute offers consultation and treatment with more than 20 professionals in languages including English, Farsi, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian and Spanish, and works with all German statutory health insurers. It currently states that it has no capacity for new English-speaking patients16.
Outpatient clinics, counselling centres and services we compiled from publicly available sources and checked. Opening hours can change, so it is best to call ahead. Most services work in German.
University outpatient clinic offering cognitive behavioural therapy and psychodynamic (depth-psychology-based) psychotherapy for adults, children and adolescents. Initial appointments via the number shown; for children and adolescents also via the secretariat on 069 798 23986.1315
Mondays 12–1 pm, no appointment needed, free with a health insurance card. For people mainly affected by depression who have not yet been able to get therapy. Not suitable in an acute suicidal crisis. Details from a 2023 flyer, please check before you go.14
Non-profit outpatient clinic recognised by KV Hessen: psychoanalytically based consultation, assessment and referral, billed to all statutory health insurers, many languages.16
Outpatient clinic of a psychotherapy training society (Gesellschaft für Ausbildung in Psychotherapie). By appointment only.17
Counselling for young people aged 15 to 29 in psychological crises. Free, no health insurance card needed, anonymous if you wish. Walk-in hours Wednesdays 2:30–4 pm; appointment requests via the contact form.18
For students of Goethe University. Register by email at anmeldung.pbs@uni-frankfurt.de or by phone Mon–Fri 9–11 am.19
Advice for people with mental health problems and their relatives. Walk-in hours Thursdays 3–5 pm, no appointment needed.1117
The public health office’s point of contact for children, adolescents and their families.17
Diakonie Frankfurt und Offenbach: psychological counselling, couples and life counselling, family and youth counselling, and counselling and therapy for refugees.20
Helps you find self-help groups in Frankfurt, which can also be a support while you wait.17
Hospital department with inpatient and outpatient services.17
Department of psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychosomatics.17
Psychiatry and psychotherapy, psychosomatics.17
Day clinic and outpatient service, reachable Mon–Fri 8:30 am–6 pm.17
It often takes months for a therapy place to become free. You can already do something for yourself in that time: understand what keeps happening in your conflicts and try out small first steps. That is what we built MindMotion for.
What MindMotion can do
What MindMotion is not
No figures for Frankfurt alone have been published. According to the German Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists, people in Hesse waited 5.4 weeks on average for an initial consultation and 16.7 weeks until psychotherapy began, compared with 19.9 weeks nationally. Frankfurt is considered comparatively well supplied, but the wait depends heavily on how many practices you contact.
No. You do not need a referral for the psychotherapeutic consultation. You can call practices directly or book through 116117 or the eTerminservice.
For the initial consultation, call 116117 or book online. The service must arrange an appointment within four weeks. For acute treatment or probatory sessions you need the PTV 11 form from the consultation with a referral code. 116117 cannot book a specific practice of your choice.
Contact many practices at once rather than one after another, call during their phone hours, get on waiting lists, say you can step in at short notice and follow up politely every two to three weeks. Keep a list of every enquiry with date and waiting time.
You can apply for reimbursement: get confirmation in the consultation that therapy is necessary and urgent, document refusals from at least three to five practices that bill statutory insurance, ask a private practice to confirm it can start soon, and apply to your insurer with these documents. It is best to talk to your insurer before treatment begins.
Yes. The search of the Hesse Chamber of Psychotherapists lets you filter by language. The International Clinic of the Frankfurt Psychoanalytic Institute works in many languages but currently has no capacity for new English-speaking patients.
No. MindMotion does not provide psychotherapy and does not make diagnoses. The app is a tool for psychological self-reflection that you can use while you wait, to better understand recurring conflicts and inner patterns.
All details were checked against the linked sources on 8 November 2026. No guarantee. Spotted a mistake or missing a service? Write to us at info@scalevanta-ai.com.
This page is for information only. MindMotion is a tool for psychological self-reflection and does not provide psychotherapy. The app does not replace assessment or treatment by a psychotherapist or doctor. MindMotion is not affiliated with any of the organisations listed.
