17/05/2026
In March 2026, the European Association for Psychotherapy presented an updated definition of psychotherapy. As the World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy is a member of the EAP, we are glad to share this definition with our professional community.
“Psychotherapy is a distinct, scientifically grounded profession and clinical practice within the mental health field, dedicated to the alleviation of emotional-psychological, psychosomatic, relational, and behavioural distress, including difficulties that are persistent or developmentally rooted. It constitutes a dynamic, holistic, relational, and process-oriented form of treatment, grounded in a therapeutic alliance and guided by the individual’s goals, values, and social context. Psychotherapy aims not only to reduce distress, but also to strengthen psychological resources, support personality functioning, and enhance long-term quality of life. Encompassing psychodynamic, humanistic, systemic, cognitive-behavioural, and integrative orientations, psychotherapy is characterised by its depth, breadth, and clinical responsibility in addressing complex and enduring difficulties. As a professional identity and practice, it is carried out by specifically trained psychotherapists whose competence is formed through specialised education, supervised clinical experience, and sustained self-reflective practice and ethical responsibility.”
We believe that clear professional definitions are important not only for the development of psychotherapy as a profession, but also for protecting quality standards, ethical responsibility, and public understanding of psychotherapeutic work worldwide.
