Steps Leading to the Psychotherapy Law in Slovenia

Abstract

Preparation of the proposed Psychotherapy Bill was conducted by a working group at the Ministry of Health (MH). The authors together with Jože Ramovš represented the Slovenian Umbrella Association for Psychotherapy (SUAP). Long and intense discussions at the working group with representatives of the Slovenian Association of Psychotherapists (SAP) have reached agreement on the most important professional topics. This accord, which was publicly acknowledged with a symbolic handshake between the two respective presidents on 3rd of October 2008 at Bregant’s Days in Rogaška Slatina, is vital for future collaboration between SUAP and SAP.—During these negotiations the authors became familiar with the workings of the legal system particularly at the political level. They have promoted the interests of psychotherapy both at this political level and also to the public at large. After 40 years of development it is now the right time for psychotherapy in Slovenia to pass this proposed Bill into Law. The agreed professional topics set out in the Bill are crucial for the future development of psychotherapy in Slovenia whether or not the Bill becomes Law. Therefore they are presented in the following article. Most importantly, the representatives of SUAP succeeded in having the 1990 Strassbourg declaration of Psychotherapy, which forms the underlying basis of the European Association for Psychotherapy, adopted as the foundation of the proposed Psychotherapy Bill. Also presented is information about the steps leading to the formation of the working group and in conclusion, following the Austrian paradigm, further consideration is given to the crucial question of why this new law is so important.