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🌎 Global Requirements for Therapists to Join It’s Complicated

Lisa Malmheden
Updated

To help ensure ethical practice, client safety, and a consistent level of professionalism and quality across the platform, It’s Complicated requires all practitioners to meet clearly defined education and training standards in order to be listed in our directories. These standards depend on the professional title you intend to use on your profile, as well as on the country you're based in.

This article outlines the global qualification requirements that apply to most countries, unless we’ve published a country-specific policy. If you’re onboarding from one of the following countries, please refer to the country-specific guidelines instead:

 

How It Works

To be able to join It’s Complicated as a practitioner and get listed in our directories, you'll need to: 

  • Choose your professional title during registration

  • Upload proof of your qualifications that matches that title

  • Include diplomas, certificates, or documentation showing your training and eligibility

The documents must clearly support the professional title you're using (e.g., clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, coach) and meet the minimum standards shown in the table below. If you’re unsure whether your credentials meet our requirements, feel free to contact our support team, and we'll be happy to help. If we see that you haven’t uploaded enough evidence to join our platform, we’ll let you know and ask for additional documentation.

 

Job-Specific Requirements

At It’s Complicated, we’re proud to be one of the most diverse therapy platforms out there. We believe in the strength of diversity in therapy and embrace different therapeutic approaches. This is why we welcome a wide range of mental health professionals, including psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, counsellors, therapists, social workers, and coaches.

Naturally, the requirements for education and training vary significantly between these professional groups. That’s why we’ve created title-specific qualification guidelines. You’ll find a detailed overview in the table below.

⚠️ In addition to meeting the education and training requirements, all therapists must have at least 1 year of experience working with clients to join the platform and be listed in our directory. This requirement applies to all professional titles.

 

Title Category Education & Training Details
Psychologist
  • Master’s-level degree (EQF 7 or equivalent) in psychology, counselling, psychotherapy, or related field
  • Specialisation (e.g. clinical, developmental, organisational) only allowed if mentioned in the degree title or as a major 
Psychotherapist
  • Route 1: Master’s-level degree (EQF 7 or equivalent) in psychology, counselling, or psychotherapy + at least 2 years of postgraduate psychotherapy training
  • Route 2: At least 3 years of full-time practical training in psychotherapy
  • Route 3: Medical degree + specialisation in psychotherapy
  • Route 4: Master’s-level degree (EQF 7 or equivalent) in psychology, counselling, or psychotherapy + registration with an official national licensing body as "Psychotherapist"
  • Specialisation (e.g. psychodynamic, CBT, etc.) only allowed if mentioned as area of main focus in the training
Psychiatrist
  • Medical degree (physician) + specialisation in psychiatry
  
Psychoanalyst
  • At least 3 years of psychoanalytic training containing
    • Personal psychoanalysis
    • Supervised clinical work
    • Theoretical foundation & seminars

 
  • For Lacanian psychoanalysts: documented cartel affiliation, proof of personal analysis, and seminar attendance
Counsellor
  • Route 1: Bachelor’s-level degree (EQF 6 or equivalent) in psychology, counselling, psychotherapy, or related field
  • Route 2: At least 800 hours of training in a relevant field (coaching not included)
  • Specialisation (e.g. psychodynamic, systemic, sexual counsellor) only allowed if mentioned in the training
Therapist
  • At least 800 hours of training in psychology, counselling, psychotherapy, or related field (coaching not included)
  • Title therapist must appear in the name of the training (e.g. Systemic Therapist, Hypnotherapist, or training in systemic therapy)
  • Specialisation (e.g. CBT hypnotherapist, systemic therapist) only allowed if mentioned in training
Social worker
  • Master’s level education (EQF 7 or equivalent) in social work
  
Clinical Social Worker
  • Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW)
  • Active clinical license allowing independent psychotherapy/counselling (e.g. LCSW / LICSW or equivalent)
  • Documentation: MSW + proof of active clinical license
  • Note: This is a regulated clinical title and only available in jurisdictions with clinical Social Work licensing (e.g. US/Canada)
Coach
  • At least 500 hours of training in coaching psychology, mental health coaching, or a related field (max. 6 individual training certificates)
  

 

Not a member of It's Complicated yet? Join today and start growing your practice.

 

 

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If you are in a serious crisis and need urgent help, please contact a local emergency service or use one of these resources instead.