Summary
Counselling Associations
All Professional Bodies, National Associations (e.g. Mental Health, School, Guidance, Addiction, Faith-based etc.) and Accrediting Organisations.
Universities and Other Education and Training Institutes
Europäische Universität
- University Website: www.eut.edu.al
- Programme Website: N/A
- Programme Types: Bachelor Psychology (with profile mental health), Master Psychology (with profile clinical psychology, counselling psychology)
University of Tirana
- University Website: www.unitir.edu.al
- Programme Website: N/A
- Programme Types: Professional Master in Psychological Counselling (Faculty of Social Science)
University of Beder
- University Website: www.beder.edu.al
- Programme Website: N/A
- Programme Types: Master of Counselling Psychology
Counselling Agencies, Services, Group Practices, Counselling Centres
Background & Context
Counselling is not an independent profession in Albania. Counselling is only linked with the psychology field of study and practice. The first Psychology major in Albania is being introduced in 1996 due to the socio-political transitions in post-communist Albania. During communism, the psychiatry was the only field of study responsible for the treatment of mentally ill. During communism, psychiatry was used as an additional instrument to control people’ s behavior and treat what was considered ‘deviant’ behavior by the totalitarian ideology.
Current Regulatory Status / Level of Recognition:
Counselling is not regulated by law in Albania. Psychotherapy is also not regulated by law in Albania (as of 2017)
Practice Settings
- school
- private practices
Challenges & Trends
Challenges:
The mental health care system has not yet caught up with the European standard, although past political repression and persecution has led to widespread mental disorders.
Moreover, psychotherapeutic treatments are still only accessible to a fraction of the population. There is a need of establishing formal procedures of training as it has been done with psychotherapy for example. It is a grey area in determining who is monitoring counselling services in Albamia and how this is being implemented.
Trends:
People are asking for counselling services and this is a great change occurring in 5 last years, but there is a gap in the quality of what is being offered. Most of the reliable services offering psychological counselling are those who are run by professionals who have studied abroad.
Additional Information & References
Albania