Who Counsels at Studifit: Psychologists with a Bachelor's Degree, Under Supervision
At Studifit, your counselor holds at least a bachelor's degree in psychology (B.Sc.). Our counselors work under the supervision of licensed psychotherapists ("approbierte Psychotherapeut:innen"). They offer counseling. They do not treat illnesses and they do not make diagnoses.
This article explains what a bachelor's in psychology covers, what supervision is, and why the line between counseling and psychotherapy matters to you.
What do you learn in a bachelor's program in psychology?
Six semesters of psychology, covering the foundations, research methods, assessment, and applied subjects such as clinical psychology.
According to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs, the German Psychological Society), the bachelor's program takes six semesters and 180 credits almost everywhere. The foundations include general, biological, developmental, personality, and social psychology. On top of that come statistics, research methods, and psychological assessment, plus applied subjects such as clinical psychology, work and organizational psychology, and educational psychology. According to the DGPs recommendation, a work placement is part of the program.
Since the reform of the Psychotherapeutengesetz (the German Psychotherapy Act) in 2020, many universities offer what is called a polyvalent bachelor's program. It can be the first stage on the path to a license as a psychotherapist ("Approbation"). For this path, the Approbationsordnung (the licensing regulations) requires, among other things, coursework on mental disorders, assessment, and professional ethics.
| Area in the polyvalent bachelor's program | Minimum scope under the licensing regulations |
|---|---|
| Foundations of psychology | 25 credits |
| Research methods | 15 credits |
| Psychological assessment | 12 credits |
| Mental disorders | 8 credits |
| General principles of psychotherapeutic methods | 8 credits |
| Professional ethics and professional law | 2 credits |
The table shows an excerpt. Not every counselor took this particular program, but all of them have a bachelor's degree in psychology.
How is this different from psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy treats illnesses and is reserved for licensed psychotherapists. Counseling does not treat illnesses.
The Psychotherapeutengesetz describes psychotherapy as identifying, healing, or alleviating disorders with clinical significance. Anyone who calls themselves a "Psychotherapeutin" or "Psychotherapeut" (psychotherapist) needs a license. After the bachelor's, the license requires a suitable master's degree and a state examination.
The Heilpraktikergesetz (the German Healing Practitioners Act) requires a permit for any activity that identifies, heals, or alleviates illnesses. Psychological counseling does none of that and therefore does not need this permit. In practical terms, this means for you:
| Psychological counseling at Studifit | Psychotherapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Counselors with a bachelor's degree in psychology (B.Sc.), under supervision | Licensed psychotherapists |
| What it is about | Personal strain, decisions, conflicts, stress | Treatment of mental illnesses |
| Diagnoses | None | Yes |
| Payment | You pay yourself | Health insurance |
If you suspect that you have a mental illness, an initial consultation with a psychotherapist ("psychotherapeutische Sprechstunde") is the right first step. How to get one is explained in the article Finding a Therapy Slot as a Student: What You Can Do While You Wait. Counseling can support you while you wait. It does not replace therapy.
What is supervision?
Supervision means reflecting on your own work, professionally, with experienced colleagues.
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Supervision und Coaching (the German Association for Supervision and Coaching) describes supervision as "counseling for people and organizations whose own primary task is working with and on people." It enables "continuous reflection on one's professional role."
At Studifit, this means our counselors discuss their work with licensed psychotherapists. Those conversations deal with questions such as: Is counseling the right fit for this concern? When is a recommendation for therapy needed? What helps in a difficult situation?
How you can recognize quality
By clear boundaries, by professional guidance, and by the fact that you can switch counselors or stop at any time.
In psychotherapy, there is solid evidence that the working relationship matters. A meta-analysis by Flückiger and colleagues with 60 samples and just over 6,000 participants found a moderate association in 2020 between the relationship and the outcome, even after accounting for patients' starting points and the course of treatment. For treatment by video or phone, a 2024 meta-analysis with 34 samples found a smaller but still clear association. Whether the same holds for counseling by psychologists with a bachelor's degree has hardly been studied. Because nobody can predict how well two people will click, you can switch counselors with us.
At Studifit, these points help ensure quality:
- Supervision by licensed psychotherapists
- Feedback after every session, which you can give if you want to
- Switching counselors if the chemistry is not right
- Money-back guarantee: Up to 7 days after a paid session, you can get the price refunded through the refund form, as long as you have not booked another session since
When counseling is not the right choice
In an acute crisis, if you have suicidal thoughts, and when an illness is at the center.
Psychological counseling is not psychotherapy, not covered by health insurance, and not a crisis service. If a counselor notices that your concern needs a medical or psychotherapeutic evaluation, they will tell you and point you to places that can help.
In an acute crisis, please call the TelefonSeelsorge (a free crisis line, 24/7, in German) at 0800 111 0 111. If your life is in danger, call 112. You will find more numbers on the page Help in a crisis.
Students can also use the free psychological counseling offered by the Studierendenwerke (the student services organizations at German universities). Learn more in the article Psychosocial counseling at the Studierendenwerk. What Studifit costs is listed on the pricing page.
Sources
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie: Aufbau des Psychologiestudiums (Structure of the psychology degree, in German) and Empfehlungen zum Bachelor (2014) (Recommendations on the bachelor's program, in German)
- § 1 Psychotherapeutengesetz (Psychotherapy Act), § 1 Heilpraktikergesetz (Healing Practitioners Act), Anlage 1 der Approbationsordnung (Annex 1 of the licensing regulations), all in German
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Supervision und Coaching: Supervision (in German)
- Flückiger, C. et al. (2020): Assessing the alliance-outcome association adjusted for patient characteristics and treatment processes. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 67(6)
- Aafjes-van Doorn, K. et al. (2024): The association between quality of therapeutic alliance and treatment outcomes in teletherapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 110
All information in this article was carefully researched, but we cannot guarantee that it is complete or up to date. Services, waiting times and legal rules can change. As of October 2026.
