Getting mental health care in the Netherlands: from your GP to specialist GGZ, the 14-week norm and the €385 deductible

On 20 October 2026 The Hague International Centre published "Feeling low on energy: what can I do to help myself?". It is a short seasonal piece. As the days shorten, it suggests staying connected, staying active and making the most of daylight, then introduces bright light therapy and psychotherapy as options. The article was supplied by one of the centre's partners, a clinic for internationals.

This guide picks up where that piece ends: the question of where to get help. If low mood, anxiety or exhaustion does not lift, who do you contact, in what order, how long will you wait and what will you pay? It describes the system, not any particular provider, and it does not recommend a clinic.

To write it, we compared coverage across eight outlets for international residents: The Hague International Centre, IamExpat, DutchReview, Expatica, DutchNews, NL Times, ACCESS and Xpat.nl. We then checked the figures against primary sources. These include the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa), Zorginstituut Nederland (which defines the basic insurance package), the central government (Rijksoverheid), the public health institute RIVM, Thuisarts.nl (the GPs' patient information site) and the suicide prevention service 113. All sources were checked on 26 October 2026.

This article is not medical advice. For decisions about symptoms or treatment, talk to your GP or another healthcare professional.

Main sources for this article

• The Hague International Centre, "Feeling low on energy: what can I do to help myself?" (20 October 2026), and its Mental health care page
• Zorginstituut Nederland, "Geneeskundige ggz (Zvw)": what basic insurance does and does not cover
• NZa statements on waiting times (11 February and 22 July 2025) and NL Times reporting (16 February 2026)
• Rijksoverheid on the eigen risico and the 2027 budget announcement (15 September 2026)
• Thuisarts.nl on low mood and winter depression, and 113's English page

1. What's happening: an autumn article and long waiting lists

The starting article is about the autumn dip. It suggests pausing to ask whether the season, a stressful event or something from the past is behind the change. It recommends spending time with friends and family, staying active and getting outside in daylight, for example a lunchtime walk in the Haagse Bos. It then describes bright light therapy and talk therapy and points readers to their insurer, their GP or a clinic. It closes with a note that it is not medical advice.

What it does not discuss is the first thing most people run into when they look for treatment: waiting times.

The waiting-list numbers

On 16 February 2026, NL Times reported an analysis by the consumer programme Radar and the patient organisation MIND, based on NZa data. It found that 101,134 people were waiting for mental health treatment in October 2025. Of those, 65,091 had waited longer than the 14-week maximum.

According to the same report, the average wait to start treatment in 2025 was 24 weeks, three weeks longer than in 2024. The average wait for an intake (the first assessment) was 14 weeks, against an agreed maximum of four. Treatment for personality disorders took 32 weeks on average.

The NZa itself said on 22 July 2025 that waiting times remain high and exceed the norm for every diagnosis group. In February 2025 it reported that only 33% of people got an intake within the norm, and 61% started treatment within it.

Lawsuits and people slipping through

In April 2026, NL Times reported that the foundation Recht op GGZ was preparing a lawsuit against the Dutch State over waiting lists. In August, the sector body de Nederlandse GGZ estimated that 62,500 adults with severe mental illness, about a quarter of the roughly 250,000 in that group, get no or too little care, as DutchNews reported.

The long waits mostly affect referred treatment. For mild to moderate problems, help inside the GP practice often starts much sooner.

2. The map: four steps of Dutch mental health care

Mental health care in the Netherlands is called GGZ (geestelijke gezondheidszorg). The government's English Q&A at government.nl suggests online self-help for mild problems. If you cannot sort things out yourself, or don't know what is wrong, see your GP or company doctor.

Broken into steps, the system looks like this.

The key point in the table: you need a referral from step 2 onwards, and that is also where the deductible starts. The first conversation costs you nothing.

Children and teenagers follow a different route. Under-18s are covered by the Youth Act (Jeugdwet) and arranged by the municipality, not by health insurance. In The Hague, the Centre for Children and Families (CJG) is the usual first stop, according to The Hague International Centre. This guide focuses on adults.

3. The front door: your huisarts and the POH-GGZ

Everyone living in the Netherlands is expected to register with a local GP practice. If you haven't, do it before you need it. The GP is the gatekeeper and decides whether you need more specialised care.

When to see your GP

Thuisarts.nl's page on feeling low says a low mood usually passes within a few weeks or months. It suggests contacting your GP in situations like these.

You don't need to decide for yourself that it's "serious enough". Booking when you first start to wonder leaves more options open than waiting until daily life stops working.

What a POH-GGZ is

The POH-GGZ (praktijkondersteuner huisarts GGZ) is a mental health professional working inside the GP practice. Many are trained psychologists, social workers or psychiatric nurses. They see people for a short series of sessions for stress, mild depression, anxiety and burnout. Expatica describes them as the first step towards referral when a problem goes beyond what they can handle.

IamExpat's guide describes the same role as the GP practice's psychologist. They run an intake, may use questionnaires, treat mild cases themselves and refer the rest. The names differ between outlets, but the job is the same.

Small practices sometimes have no POH-GGZ of their own and share one with a nearby practice. Ask the assistant: "Is er een praktijkondersteuner GGZ?"

What to say when you call

GP appointments are usually booked by phone, and the doctor's assistant will ask what it is about. Saying that it is a mental health concern can get you a longer slot.

The exploratory conversation

Since 2025, basic insurance has covered a verkennend gesprek (exploratory conversation). In it, a GGZ professional and your GP look at your situation with you before deciding on a referral. According to Zorginstituut Nederland, it does not count towards the deductible. The aim is fewer wrong referrals and less time spent queuing in the wrong place. Not every region uses it yet, so ask your GP.

4. Referrals and what comes next: basic and specialist GGZ

When your GP or POH-GGZ decides more help is needed, they write a verwijzing (referral). Zorginstituut sets three conditions for basic insurance to pay. You must be 18 or older and have a mental disorder classified in the DSM-5. The treatment must meet the standard of science and practice. And you must have a referral. Treatment without a GP referral is not covered.

Company doctors and paediatricians can also refer, according to government.nl.

Basic versus specialist GGZ

Contracted versus non-contracted providers

Once you have a referral, you choose where to be treated. The most important question is whether the provider has a contract with your insurer (gecontracteerd).

With a cheaper natura policy and a non-contracted therapist, you can be left paying the difference. The percentage varies by insurer and policy, so ask your insurer before booking. IamExpat also notes that many private psychologists have no insurer contracts.

The payment system changed in 2022

Be careful with older guides. Xpat.nl's explainer still describes the DBC system, where the final price was only known when treatment ended. Since 1 January 2022, both basic and specialist GGZ have been paid under the zorgprestatiemodel, which bills per service delivered, according to the NZa.

One practical effect is that invoices arrive sooner. Treatment that runs across two calendar years now triggers the deductible in both years, a change the patient organisation MIND has criticised. If your treatment starts late in the year, expect the deductible to come round again in January.

5. Waiting times and the NZa norm

Insurers and providers have agreed maximum acceptable waiting times, called the Treeknorm. The NZa supervises whether they are met.

The averages come from the Radar analysis reported by NL Times, not from an official NZa table. From 2026, the NZa is moving to waiting-time figures derived from billing data. It says a dashboard will show waits by region and diagnosis group.

Outlets quote different numbers

Different outlets give very different waiting times, mostly because they measure different things.

The realistic reading is around six months on average, up to a year for some. Waits vary a lot by diagnosis and region. Assessments for personality disorders and autism tend to take longer.

If you have to wait: ask your insurer

Insurers have a duty of care (zorgplicht) to arrange basic-package care within a reasonable time and travel distance. In February 2025 the NZa said that people facing long waits can ask their insurer for mediation (wachttijdbemiddeling or zorgbemiddeling).

1. Have your referral and the waiting time the provider gave you to hand
2. Find "wachtlijstbemiddeling" or "zorgbemiddeling" on your insurer's website and phone or use the form
3. Say the wait exceeds the Treeknorm and ask for a contracted provider with capacity
4. Mention any constraints straight away, such as distance or language

The Hague International Centre also suggests asking whether your insurer covers online mental health care, which can be quicker. In many practices you can keep seeing the POH-GGZ while you wait.

6. Money: what basic insurance covers and the eigen risico

Dutch basic insurance (basisverzekering) pays for qualifying mental health care, but you first pay the annual eigen risico (compulsory deductible). According to Rijksoverheid, it is €385 in 2026.

The exemptions for the GP and POH-GGZ appear on both the Zorginstituut and Rijksoverheid pages. Referred treatment does count, so you pay the first €385 of it in a given year.

If you have chosen a voluntary extra deductible (vrijwillig eigen risico) to lower your premium, your threshold is higher. If you expect treatment next year, consider dropping it when you review your policy before 31 December. Our guide to switching health insurance for 2027 covers how to weigh that up.

€400 planned for 2027

In its budget on 15 September 2026, the government announced that the deductible will rise with inflation from €385 to €400 in 2027. A previous cabinet had introduced a bill to cut it to €165 from 2027, and over the summer some reports said it would stay at €385. The budget plan replaces those. Parliament still has to approve it, so check the final figure in your insurer's year-end letter.

What basic insurance does not cover

This is the most common misunderstanding. Zorginstituut Nederland excludes problems that are not mental disorders.

Burnout comes up a lot among internationals, but it cannot be treated under the basic package. Talking to the GP and POH-GGZ is still free. Combine that with the company doctor, an EAP, or any psychology allowance in a supplementary policy (aanvullende verzekering). Whether a supplementary policy includes mental health support varies by insurer.

Longer hospital stays

If you are admitted, the Health Insurance Act (Zvw) pays for the first three years. After that, the Long-term Care Act (Wlz) takes over. IamExpat, DutchReview and government.nl say insurance covers the first three years, while Expatica says the first three years are free "under the WLZ". The outlets name the schemes inconsistently. In practice, the funding source changes at the three-year mark.

Paying privately

Some people skip the queue and pay a private psychologist directly, without a referral. There is no official price guide. If you go private, check that the therapist is BIG-registered (the Dutch register of healthcare professionals) or registered with the NIP (the Dutch association of psychologists). Similar-sounding titles can be treated differently by insurers.

7. Help in English and other languages

Limited Dutch makes it harder to ask for help. There are plenty of English-language entry points, but therapists who treat in English are in demand and have their own waiting lists.

ACCESS is a non-profit founded in 1986 to support the well-being of the English-speaking international community. It runs a network of licensed English-speaking professionals and makes free referrals on weekdays. The same article advises that if only a Dutch-speaking professional is available, it's better to start there than to delay.

In The Hague, the AMW (general social work service) helps with loneliness, stress, relationship problems, dealing with authorities and money worries, with no referral needed. The Hague International Centre's page also lists partner providers that specialise in care for internationals.

The original article was itself written by one of those partner clinics. Partner lists are a useful starting point. But for any provider, check three things yourself: is it contracted by your insurer, how long is the wait, and do you need a referral?

Support in your own language

If English isn't your first language either, look at your home country's services as well. Many embassies keep lists of doctors, and some governments fund chat lines for citizens abroad. Your employer's EAP may also offer counselling in other languages. These are valuable for talking things through. They do not replace the Dutch entry point, though, because they can't refer you into Dutch care. Use them alongside your GP, not instead of it.

8. Support through work: the company doctor and EAPs

If you are employed, your workplace offers routes too. Work-related strain is common. RIVM's monitor, based on the CBS and TNO survey, reports that 20.7% of employees had burnout complaints in 2025.

The bedrijfsarts (company doctor)

According to Arboportaal, the government's occupational health site, employers must have a contract with a company doctor or occupational health service (arbodienst). The contract must give workers free access. You can go even if you aren't on sick leave. The company doctor advises independently of your employer and is bound by medical confidentiality.

NOS reports that because regular care has such long waits, more employees are being referred by company doctors to workplace psychologists. Problems that basic insurance does not cover, such as burnout, can sometimes be handled through work.

EAP (Employee Assistance Programme)

An EAP is a service your employer buys from an outside provider. It gives staff a few anonymous counselling sessions. International employers often offer it in several languages. It isn't a legal requirement, so check with HR or your intranet.

What you tell the company doctor is not passed to your employer without your consent. Your employer only learns whether you can work and what adjustments you need. For sick pay and contract questions, see our guide to Dutch employment contracts.

Self-employed and students

The self-employed have no company doctor by default, and the RIVM monitor puts burnout complaints among them at 11.8%. For them, the GP and POH-GGZ are the main route. Students can usually use their university's student psychologists or counsellors alongside their GP. Check your institution's student wellbeing pages.

9. In a crisis: 113, 112 and the huisartsenpost

Who to contact depends on the situation. If you're not sure, call and let them decide. You will not be wasting anyone's time.

Your GP can bring in the local crisis team, which government.nl says is available 24/7. At night and at weekends, call the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service) instead. Rijksoverheid advises contacting the huisartsenpost before going to a hospital emergency department, unless a life is at risk.

The 113 number varies between sources

The outlets don't agree on the 113 phone number. 113's English page says calling 113 is free and that phone and chat are available 24 hours a day. Calls only work from within the Netherlands; from abroad, use the chat.

IamExpat lists 113 at standard rates and 0800-0113 as free. DutchReview and Expatica give 0800-0113. The Hague International Centre's page lists 0900-0113. Numbers beginning 0900 are normally premium-rate, so use 113 as stated on 113.nl, or 0800-0113. Friends and family can also call 113 if they're worried about someone.

10. Seasonal low mood and light therapy

The original article suggests light therapy for the autumn and winter dip. We covered sunrise and sunset times and the official vitamin D advice in our guide to Dutch winter time and the dark months. Here we only cover how light therapy fits into the care route.

Thuisarts.nl's winter depression page names light therapy as the main treatment and says your GP can help you arrange it.

The Dutch depression care standard also includes light therapy for depression with a seasonal pattern. It advises people with bipolar disorder not to start it on their own. Lamps are easy to buy online. If low mood, poor sleep or loss of interest persist, see your GP before you buy one.

11. If you're used to another system

Many internationals come from countries where you book a psychiatrist or therapist yourself, or where private insurance pays for therapy without a GP. The Dutch model takes some adjusting to.

Dutch GPs often begin mild to moderate problems with conversation, practical adjustments and POH-GGZ sessions rather than medication. You can say what you want, including whether you'd like to discuss medication. If you took medication before moving, bring a note with the name and dose. Ask your GP before bringing or shipping supplies from abroad, because import rules depend on the medicine.

12. Common pitfalls

These are the things that trip people up most often in practice.

13. Steps to take this week

If something hasn't felt right for a while, working through these steps in order keeps things simple.

1. Check you're registered with a GP. Have your insurance card and BSN ready; if you aren't registered, contact a local practice
2. Call your GP practice. Give the reason, how long it has lasted, the impact and your language preference. Ask whether there's a POH-GGZ
3. Read your policy. Natura or restitutie? Any voluntary deductible? Does your supplementary policy include mental health support?
4. Check your workplace options. Find the company doctor's contact details and whether there's an EAP
5. Once referred, call your insurer. Confirm the provider is contracted, and ask for waiting-list mediation if the wait is long
6. Plan support for the wait. Keep seeing the POH-GGZ, use online programmes, and decide who you can talk to
7. Save the urgent numbers. Put 112, 113 and your regional huisartsenpost in your phone

14. Example situations (fictional)

These people are fictional. Your situation changes which routes are open and what the first step is.

15. Things not to do

16. Checklist

• I'm registered with a GP and have the practice's number
• I know whether my practice has a POH-GGZ
• I know whether my policy is natura or restitutie
• I've checked for a voluntary deductible and supplementary mental health cover
• I know how to reach the company doctor and whether there's an EAP
• 112, 113 and the regional huisartsenpost are saved in my phone
• I've identified someone, or a service, I can talk to in my own language

17. Summary

• Mental health care starts with your registered huisarts. POH-GGZ sessions are free and don't count towards the deductible
• Basic insurance only covers psychologists and psychiatrists with a referral and a DSM-5 diagnosis. Burnout, overstrain and adjustment disorders are excluded
• The waiting-time norm is 14 weeks, but the reported 2025 average was 24 weeks. Your insurer must help you find faster care
• Referred treatment counts towards the €385 deductible in 2026, set to rise to €400 in 2027
• In English, try ACCESS, 113 and insurer or employer services. Employees can also use the company doctor and EAPs
• In an emergency, use 112, 113 or the huisartsenpost. When in doubt, call and let them decide

Sources

Starting article and international outlets

• Feeling low on energy: what can I do to help myself? — The Hague International Centre: the starting article (20 October 2026, supplied by a partner clinic)
• Mental health care — The Hague International Centre: local routes, AMW, CJG, its listing of the 113 number
• An essential guide to mental healthcare in the Netherlands — IamExpat: basic vs specialist GGZ, 6 weeks to a year, helplines
• Mental healthcare in the Netherlands — DutchReview: primary and secondary care, helplines
• Accessing mental health services in the Netherlands — Expatica: POH-GGZ, youth care, regional waits
• Finding good mental healthcare in the Netherlands — ACCESS: English-speaking referrals, online therapy
• Mental Health care in NL — Xpat.nl: referrals and insurance (describes the former DBC system)
• Mental healthcare waiting lists top 101,000 people — NL Times: 2025 waiting numbers and averages
• Foundation sues Dutch State over long waiting lists — NL Times: the waiting-list lawsuit
• Mental health services lose track of 62,500 people — DutchNews: people with severe illness out of care

Primary sources

• Geneeskundige ggz (Zvw) — Zorginstituut Nederland: coverage, exclusions, deductible rules for POH-GGZ and the exploratory conversation
• Eigen risico — Rijksoverheid: €385 in 2026 and exempt care
• Budget announcement, 15 September 2026 — Rijksoverheid: €400 planned for 2027
• Huisartsenpost or emergency department — Rijksoverheid: who to call out of hours
• Help for mental health problems — government.nl: referral routes, crisis teams, the three-year rule
• Access to mental health care under pressure (22 July 2025) — NZa: Treeknorm and current waits
• Waiting times remain long (11 February 2025) — NZa: 33% and 61% within the norm; insurer mediation
• Waiting-time dashboard — NZa: measuring waits from 2026
• Zorgprestatiemodel ggz — NZa: the payment model since 2022
• Burnout complaints among workers — RIVM: 20.7% of employees and 11.8% of the self-employed in 2025
• Any mental disorder — RIVM: about 26% of 18–75-year-olds in the past year (NEMESIS-3)
• Bedrijfsarts — Arboportaal: free access and confidentiality
• More employees see company psychologists — NOS: referrals through work
• Ik voel me somber — Thuisarts.nl: when to see your GP
• Winter depression — Thuisarts.nl: how to use light therapy
• Depressive disorders: treatment — GGZ Standaarden: light therapy for seasonal depression
• 113 Suicide Prevention (English) — 113: free 24/7 phone and chat

All sources were checked on 26 October 2026. Rules and amounts change, so check official sites and your insurer before you book or sign up. This article is not medical advice.

Original article

Feeling low on energy: what can I do to help myself? — The Hague International Centre