Deciding to ask for help is the hard part. Paying for it, or waiting months for it, shouldn't be.
In Leuven, what a session costs depends on which door you walk through. It can be free, €11, €50, or the full private rate, and the cheaper routes often come with long waiting lists. Knowing how the system works can save you money, time and a lot of frustration.
This guide covers the main options, what each costs, how long you might wait, and how to get part of your money back from your health insurer.
In short:
- 23 or younger? Primary care psychology can be free.
- Can't wait? Satori Health Centre can usually see you quickly, from €50 per session (€30 for students).
- Paying yourself? Your mutuality may give back €10 to €30 per session.
Primary care psychology: short, low-cost support
Primary care psychologists are clinical psychologists or clinical orthopedagogues (specialists in developmental and educational difficulties) with extra training in short, low-intensity help for everyday mental health struggles: anxiety, low mood, stress and sleep problems. They work with children, teens and adults, and three types of care are reimbursed:
- Community-based interventions: group sessions to build self-care and resilience.
- Psychological support: a short intervention to strengthen well-being, individually or in a group.
- Psychological treatment: short-term treatment for mild to moderate problems, when support alone isn't enough.
What it costs
Up to age 23
- Individual session: free
- Group session: free
Age 24 and over
- Individual session: €11 (€4 with increased assistance, verhoogde tegemoetkoming)
- Group session: free (community-based) or €2.50 (support/treatment)
Session limits
Up to age 23
- Community-based: unlimited
- Support: max 10 individual sessions
- Treatment: about 10 on average, max 20 individual sessions
Age 24 and over
- Community-based: unlimited
- Support: max 8 individual sessions
- Treatment: about 8 on average, max 20 individual sessions
Group sessions are unlimited everywhere.
Where to find one
GP practices, community health centres, social centres and welfare organisations such as CAW. Some independent practices also work at this level. Search the Leuven area at psychewijzer.be.
Why isn't there a primary care psychologist at Satori?
Only about 1 in 4 psychologists can join the scheme. The government caps the number of positions and working hours for budget reasons, and those slots are full in Leuven. Even psychologists who want to join can't. Those who are affiliated usually work part-time under the scheme and see other patients privately.
Waiting lists
With few primary care psychologists and high demand, waits range from a few weeks to a complete intake stop.
At Satori Health Centre, you usually won't have to wait long. We work at both primary and secondary care level, and one of our psychologists or interns usually has an appointment free within days. Our internship programme keeps costs down:
- €50 per session with an intern psychologist
- €30 per session for students
Another low-cost option: the CGG
The Centrum voor Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg offers outpatient care from a team of psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers, with separate teams for adults, older adults and children/teens. It is aimed at more severe or complex difficulties.
- Cost: first consultation free, then €11 per session (€4 with increased assistance)
- Requirement: a referral letter from a doctor, such as your GP
- Please note: waiting lists can be longer than a year
Get money back from your health insurer
Most mutualities (ziekenfondsen or mutualiteiten, the Belgian health insurance funds) reimburse part of your psychotherapy sessions. Amounts depend on your mutuality, your age and the number of sessions.
CM
- Adults: up to €20 per session (€30 with increased assistance)
- Teens: 50%, max €35 (75%, max €55 with increased assistance)
- Up to 20 sessions a year
- Request form
Helan
- Under 25: €30 per session (from 1 October 2026)
- 25 and over: €10 per session
- Up to 12 sessions a year
- Request form
Solidaris
- €20 per session
- Up to 8 sessions a year
- Request form
LM
- €20 per session
- Up to 8 sessions a year (€160)
- Request form
VNZ
- 19 and over: €10 per session (max €150 a year)
- Up to 18: €20 per session (max €300 a year)
- Up to 15 sessions a year
- Request form
NZVL
- €15 per session, up to 15 sessions a year (€225)
- From 2027: €30 per session, up to 20 sessions
- Info and form
JSIS (EU staff)
- Psychotherapy with a medical prescription (see note below)
- Up to 30 sessions a year
- JSIS/MyPMO
JSIS note: you need a prescription before starting therapy, dated no more than six months before the first session. It should come from a psychiatrist, neurologist or neuropsychiatrist; a GP can only prescribe the first ten sessions (once every two years). JSIS may also ask for prior authorisation.
Frequently asked questions
Is psychological care free in Leuven?
For young people up to and including age 23, sessions with a primary care psychologist are free, within session limits. Adults aged 24 and over pay €11 per individual session (€4 with increased assistance). Places are limited, so waiting lists are common. Please note that the psychologists at Satori Health Centre are not primary care (conventioned) psychologists.
How much does a psychologist cost in Leuven?
It depends on the route. Primary care psychology costs €11 per session (free up to 23). The CGG charges €11 after a free first consultation. Private sessions, like those at Satori Health Centre, are charged at the full rate. At Satori Health Centre we also offer reduced-rate sessions as part of our internship programme: €50 per session with an intern psychologist, or €30 for students.
Can I get part of my therapy costs reimbursed?
Most Belgian mutualities reimburse part of psychotherapy sessions with a recognised psychologist, usually €10 to €20 per session up to a yearly limit. EU staff covered by JSIS need a medical prescription before starting.
Can I see a psychologist in English in Leuven?
Yes. At Satori Health Centre, sessions are available in English, Dutch, French and seven other languages, in person in Leuven or online.
Taking the next step
You've already done the hard part by thinking about reaching out. The system is imperfect, but you don't have to let cost or waiting lists stop you.
If you're 23 or younger, ask about free primary care psychology. If you can't wait for a place, Satori Health Centre can usually see you within days, from €50 per session (€30 for students). Whichever route you choose, check what your mutuality gives back, so part of the cost comes back to you.
Not sure which option fits? Talk to us, and we'll help you find the right door. Sessions are available in English, Dutch, French and seven other languages.
Last updated 1 November 2026
