Last updated: 24 September 2026
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, please get help now. Call 112 in an emergency. You can also chat 24/7, in English, with a counsellor at 113 Suicide Prevention, or call 113 or 0800-0113 (free) from within the Netherlands. Outside office hours, your GP’s out of hours service (huisartsenpost) can also help.
Moving to the Netherlands is exciting, but nobody really warns you how hard it can be. The grey winters, the loneliness of starting over, missing family and friends back home, guilt about the people you left behind, and the strange feeling of not quite fitting in anywhere. Many South Africans here go through a rough patch, and some slide into something heavier: anxiety, burnout or depression. If that is you, you are not weak and you are definitely not alone.
Talking to someone who understands where you come from can make a big difference. This guide lists psychologists and therapists in the Netherlands with a South African background or who speak Afrikaans, a few English speaking expat practices, and explains how to get help through the Dutch system and what it costs.
Short answer: Start with your GP (huisarts). They can refer you to the practice mental health nurse (POH-GGZ), which is free, or to a psychologist covered by your basic insurance. If you would rather see a South African psychologist, options include Saskia Fick in Amsterdam, Dr Janeen Prinsloo in Eindhoven and online, and Cara Blackie in The Hague for children and teenagers. Most of these work privately, so expect to pay yourself or claim part of it through supplementary insurance.
Jump to: Expat depression | South African psychologists | Online from South Africa | English speaking expat practices | Find more | How the Dutch system works | Costs and insurance | FAQ
Expat depression is real
Almost everyone who emigrates goes through ups and downs. The first months often feel like an adventure, then reality kicks in: the paperwork, the language, the weather, the directness, and the realisation that building a new social circle as an adult takes years. For South Africans there is often an extra layer, like worrying about family back home, feeling guilty for leaving, or grieving a country you still love.
It is worth talking to someone if you notice things like:
- Feeling low, empty or hopeless most days for more than a couple of weeks
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
- Sleeping much more or much less than usual, or feeling exhausted all the time
- Withdrawing from people, or feeling very lonely even when you are with others
- Drinking more to cope
- Constant anxiety, irritability or crying
- Struggling to function at work or at home
- Thoughts that life is not worth living. If this is you, please use the crisis contacts at the top of this page today.
Dark winters can make things worse. Getting outside in daylight, keeping a routine and taking vitamin D in winter all help, and connecting with other Saffas through the South African community in the Netherlands or at events on our events calendar can help with the loneliness. But if you are struggling, professional help is the right step, not a last resort.
South African and Afrikaans speaking psychologists in the Netherlands
These practitioners have a South African background or offer therapy in Afrikaans, based on their own websites and profiles in September 2026. We have not used their services ourselves, so this is a starting point, not a recommendation. Always check credentials and fees before booking.
Saskia Fick Psychology (Amsterdam and online)
Saskia Fick is an English speaking psychologist in central Amsterdam who studied in South Africa, with a master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Johannesburg. She works with adults and couples, including dating, married and co-parenting couples, using an integrative approach, both face to face and online.
Where: Spuistraat, Amsterdam, and online
For: Adults (18+) and couples
Language: English
Insurance: Not contracted with Dutch health insurers, so you pay privately
Website: saskiapsychology.com
Dr Janeen Prinsloo (Eindhoven and online)
Dr Janeen Prinsloo is a psychologist with more than 25 years of experience in South Africa and in the UK’s National Health Service, now working mostly with expats in the Netherlands. She is registered as a psychologist with the Dutch NIP, is a chartered psychologist in the UK and a clinical psychologist with the HPCSA in South Africa. Her background is in neuropsychology, and she also offers CBT for insomnia.
Where: High Tech Campus and central Eindhoven, and online, including evenings
For: Adults, especially expats
Registration: Psycholoog NIP (Netherlands), HPCSA (South Africa), BPS (UK)
Fees: About €70 to €100 per session in 2026, with reduced rates for students and frontline workers
Insurance: Her website says sessions are unlikely to be covered by health insurance
Website: psychologisteindhoven.nl
Cara Blackie, Expat Child Psychologist (The Hague)
For children and teenagers, Cara Blackie is an educational psychologist who grew up in South Africa and studied at Wits and Rhodes University. She works with expat children, teenagers and their parents, offering psycho-educational assessments, play therapy, therapy for adolescents and parental counselling. Moving countries is hard on kids too.
Where: Calm Waters, Bankaplein, The Hague
For: Children from 4, teenagers, young adults and parents
Registration: NIP (Dutch Association of Psychologists)
Website: expatchildpsychologist.nl
Your Mindtality (Amersfoort and online)
IamExpat lists Your Mindtality in Amersfoort as offering counselling in English, Afrikaans or Dutch, online or in person, using integrative psychotherapy, hypnotherapy and EMDR. It covers anxiety, burnout, confidence, relationships, stress and trauma, and also offers couples and family therapy. Check the practitioner’s qualifications directly, as counsellors and psychologists have different training.
Where: Amersfoort, and online
Languages: English, Afrikaans, Dutch
Listing: IamExpat: Afrikaans speaking therapists
Online with a psychologist in South Africa
Some South African psychologists offer online sessions to South Africans abroad, in English or Afrikaans. This can feel very familiar, and the rand pricing is often lower than Dutch private rates. The downsides: they are not registered in the Netherlands, Dutch insurers will not pay, they cannot refer you to Dutch care or help in an emergency here, although at least the time difference is at most one hour. It works best alongside a Dutch GP who knows what is going on.
Corné Peach, clinical psychologist
A clinical psychologist registered with the HPCSA, based in Kempton Park, who offers online therapy specifically for South African expats in Europe and elsewhere, in English or Afrikaans.
Fee: R1,600 per session, paid in advance (as listed on his website in 2026)
Website: cornepeach.co.za
Satori Health Centre
A practice with locations in Pretoria and Leuven in Belgium that offers online therapy with therapists who speak English, Afrikaans, Dutch and other languages, including HPCSA registered counselling and clinical psychologists. They also have reduced rate sessions with intern psychologists.
Website: satorihealthcentre.com
English speaking expat practices
If you do not mind whether your therapist is South African, there are many practices that specialise in expats and work in English. A few well known ones:
- Expat Psychologist Netherlands: an expat focused practice since 2009, with locations in The Hague, Leiden and Amsterdam, plus online sessions. expatpsychologists.nl
- Kühler and Partners International Mental Health: an international mental health clinic in Amsterdam and The Hague with psychologists and psychiatrists, treating adults, teenagers and children. internationalmentalhealth.nl
- Your employer: many international employers offer an employee assistance programme (EAP) with free, confidential counselling sessions. Ask HR.
How to find more South African or Afrikaans speaking therapists
- IamExpat directory: Afrikaans speaking therapists
- Vind-een-Psycholoog.nl: filter for Afrikaans speaking psychologists
- Vind-een-Therapeut.nl: filter for Afrikaans speaking therapists
- Ask in South African Facebook and WhatsApp groups for personal recommendations.
Are you a South African or Afrikaans speaking psychologist or therapist in the Netherlands? Get in touch and we will consider adding you to this list.
How mental health care works in the Netherlands
- Start with your GP (huisarts). Your GP is the gateway to almost all mental health care. You can simply make an appointment and say you are not feeling well mentally. If you do not have a GP yet, register with one near your home as soon as possible.
- The POH-GGZ: most GP practices have a mental health nurse or practitioner (praktijkondersteuner GGZ). You can usually have several free sessions, and they do not count towards your eigen risico. For many people with stress, homesickness or mild depression, this is a good first step.
- Basic or specialised mental health care: if you need more, your GP refers you to a psychologist (basis GGZ) or a specialised mental health service (specialistische GGZ). Basic insurance covers this if there is a diagnosis. Waiting lists can be long, sometimes months.
- Private therapy: you can also go directly to a private psychologist or therapist without a referral, and pay yourself. Many English speaking and South African practitioners work this way.
A tip: the Dutch system only reimburses care for diagnosed conditions. Problems adjusting to a new country, burnout or life phase problems are often not covered by basic insurance. If that is what you are dealing with, check whether your supplementary insurance covers psychosocial support, or use the free POH-GGZ at your GP first.
What does therapy cost?
| Type of help | Cost |
|---|---|
| POH-GGZ at your GP | Free, no eigen risico |
| Psychologist with a GP referral and contracted with your insurer | Covered by basic insurance, eigen risico applies (€385 in 2026, €400 in 2027) |
| Psychologist not contracted with your insurer | Partly reimbursed, depending on your policy |
| Private therapist without referral | Usually around €80 to €150 per session, paid yourself |
| Online with a psychologist in South Africa | Paid in rand, not covered by Dutch insurance |
Check your policy before you start, and compare policies at the end of the year if mental health cover matters to you. Our guide to Dutch health insurance in 2027 explains how to choose.
Frequently asked questions
Are there South African psychologists in the Netherlands?
Yes, a few. Examples include Saskia Fick in Amsterdam, Dr Janeen Prinsloo in Eindhoven and online, and Cara Blackie in The Hague for children and teenagers. Directories like IamExpat and Vind-een-Psycholoog let you filter for Afrikaans speaking therapists.
Can I get therapy in English in the Netherlands?
Yes. Many psychologists in the big cities work in English, and there are practices that specialise in expats.
Is therapy covered by Dutch health insurance?
Basic insurance covers psychological care for diagnosed conditions with a GP referral, with your eigen risico applying. The POH-GGZ at your GP is free. Private therapy and problems like adjusting to a new country are often not covered, but supplementary insurance may pay part.
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?
Only if you want insurance to pay. You can book a private psychologist directly and pay yourself.
What should I do if I am in crisis?
Call 112 in an emergency. Chat 24/7 in English with 113 Suicide Prevention at 113.nl, or call 113 or 0800-0113 from within the Netherlands. Outside office hours, call the huisartsenpost.
This article is general information, not medical advice, and inclusion in this list is not an endorsement. Details come from the practitioners’ own websites and public directories in September 2026 and may change. Always check a practitioner’s qualifications and fees yourself.
Sources: 113 Suicide Prevention (English), Zorgwijzer: psychological care and insurance, Saskia Fick Psychology, Janeen Prinsloo, PhD, Expat Child Psychologist, IamExpat directory.
