Mental Health Support in Cyprus for Expats: Therapists, GESY Psychologists and Helplines

If you live in Cyprus and are registered with GESY, the first step for mental health care is your personal doctor, who can refer you to a contracted psychiatrist or clinical psychologist for a small co-payment. If you are in danger right now, call 112. If you need someone to talk to, Cyprus Samaritans answer on freephone 8000 7773 every day from 16:00 to midnight.

Moving abroad is exciting, but it can also be lonely and stressful. Language, paperwork, distance from family and a new job all add up, and many expats find that old worries come back in a new place. Below we explain how the public system works, how to find a private therapist who works in your language, and which helplines to keep in your phone.

Rules and co-payments under GESY can change, so confirm the current terms with your personal doctor before you start.

Who can I call right now if I am struggling?

Save these numbers before you need them. All are free to call from a Cyprus number.

Cyprus Samaritans

Cyprus Samaritans is a volunteer-run charity founded in Cyprus in 1997 and part of the Befrienders Worldwide network. Trained volunteers listen without judging or giving advice, and you do not need to be in crisis or feeling suicidal to call. Besides the phone line (16:00 to 00:00, seven days a week), you can write to confidential@cyprussamaritans.org. The charity has listening centres in Paphos and Limassol, funded mainly by its charity shops in both towns. By law the Samaritans cannot speak to anyone under 18, so young people should use the children's lines in the table instead.

If you are worried about someone else and they are in immediate danger, call 112 and stay with them if it is safe to do so.

How does mental health care work under GESY?

GESY, the General Healthcare System, covers mental health care, but the range of services is narrower than for physical health. The usual route is:

1. Book your personal doctor. If you have not chosen one yet, our GESY guide explains how to register and pick a doctor. Personal doctor visits have no charge.
2. Explain how you have been feeling. Be specific: how long it has lasted, how it affects sleep, work and relationships, and whether you have had treatment before. Bring a summary or prescriptions from your home country if you have them.
3. Ask for a referral. Your doctor can refer you to a GESY-contracted psychiatrist (a medical doctor who can diagnose and prescribe medication) or a clinical psychologist (talking therapy and psychological assessment).
4. Choose a provider and book. You pick a contracted psychiatrist or psychologist and pay the co-payment at each visit.

What does a GESY psychologist cost and how many sessions do you get?

Clinical psychologists joined GESY in December 2020. At launch there was a €10 co-payment per session, after a referral from a specialist or a personal doctor, and a maximum number of sessions per year. The number of sessions was not published in that announcement, and in October 2024 a psychologists' association criticised the "limited number of sessions" on offer and the fact that not every diagnosis is covered for children or adults. Expat Focus, in its May 2026 review, listed co-payments of €10 per psychologist visit and €6 per psychiatrist visit (as of 2024). Your personal doctor or the psychologist can tell you how many sessions your referral covers.

In January 2021 the Health Insurance Organisation, which runs GESY, also allowed contracted clinical psychologists to hold online sessions. At the time this applied to existing patients only, so ask your psychologist whether they offer video sessions now.

Are counselling psychologists covered?

No, not as of autumn 2026. Only clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are part of GESY. Counselling psychologists, who often do the kind of talking therapy expats look for (adjustment, stress, relationships), have campaigned for years to join. In March 2026 MPs backed a bill to add them as a separate group of GESY professionals, starting with a limited package of services, and the Health Insurance Organisation agreed to put a proposal to its board. Until this is approved, sessions with a counselling psychologist are private.

What public mental health services are there?

Alongside GESY, the state runs its own mental health services. The Ministry of Health's Department of Mental Health Services sets national policy, and community mental health nursing is provided through the State Health Services Organisation (OKYpY), which runs the public hospitals. The main psychiatric facility is at Athalassa in Nicosia. In July 2026 the government said it was moving ahead with the next two phases of the Athalassa Mental Health Centre project under the OKYpY building programme, describing them as key to modernising the country's mental health services; no completion date was given.

In practice, most residents reach these services through their personal doctor, a psychiatrist's referral or, in an emergency, through the emergency department of a public hospital.

How do I find a private, English-speaking therapist in Cyprus?

Private therapy gives you more choice: your own language, a specific approach (for example CBT or emotion-focused therapy), evening or online appointments and no referral. Private psychologists practise in all the main towns, and many expats find one who works in English or offers sessions online.

Steps to find the right person

1. Ask your personal doctor for names of psychologists they work with, including those who also see GESY patients.
2. Ask people you trust. Colleagues, friends and expat groups often share recommendations; treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee.
3. Check qualifications. Ask whether the person is a registered psychologist in Cyprus and in which specialty (clinical, counselling or another). You can also ask whether they belong to a professional body such as the Cyprus Psychologists Association or the Pancyprian Association of Psychologists.
4. Book a first session and see whether you feel comfortable. It is normal to try more than one therapist.

Questions to ask before you start

• Which languages do you work in, and do you offer online sessions?
• What experience do you have with my issue (anxiety, burnout, grief, relationships, adjusting to a new country)?
• What does a session cost, how long is it, and what is the cancellation policy?
• How do you handle notes and information about me? Ask them to explain this in their own words, as practices differ.

How much does private therapy cost?

Prices are set by each therapist. Typical private sessions cost about €50 to €100 or more (as of 2024). Ask for the fee before booking, and check whether your private health insurance pays for psychological therapy: many basic residence-permit policies exclude mental health, as we explain in our guide to health insurance for a residence permit.

Where can couples and families get help?

Couples and family therapy is mainly private in Cyprus, offered by psychologists with training in systemic, family or couples work. Use the same steps as above, and ask specifically about their couples or family training. If there is any violence, threats or fear in the relationship, call the 1440 helpline first: it offers information about your options, counselling, and referrals to shelters and other services, 24 hours a day.

For children and teenagers, start with your child's paediatrician or personal doctor, and talk to the school. Young people can call the children's lines listed above.

What else can help day to day?

Professional care matters, but small routines help too: regular exercise, sunlight in the cooler hours, keeping in touch with home, and building a local network through clubs, classes or volunteering. Cyprus Samaritans itself relies on volunteers, including in its shops and listening centres. Our guide From homesick to happy has practical ideas for settling in.

What to do next

• Today: save 112, 8000 7773 and 1440 in your phone.
• If you are not registered with GESY: follow our GESY guide and choose a personal doctor.
• If you have been struggling for more than a couple of weeks: book your personal doctor and ask about a referral to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist.
• If you prefer private therapy: shortlist two or three psychologists, ask the questions above and book a first session.

Related guides: Health, safety and practical tips for life in Cyprus and Private hospitals and clinics in Cyprus.