Mental Health

Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, and it is especially important for students to have access to adequate support. The pressures of academic life, combined with personal challenges and societal expectations, can take a toll on students' mental well-being. We understand the importance of mental health and providing proper support and resources to those, that might find themselves struggling.

Our Student Services team treat students' health and wellbeing as a high priority and offer psychological support and advice. They can also provide information on healthcare such as dental and medical within the city. The team also organise Wellbeing activities such as yoga, meditation and coaching.

Prague Integration

PCU offers students psychological counselling free of charge. It is provided by Prague Integration, an independent multi-lingual counselling centre that offers holistic mental health support in 15+ languages. 

The service is confidential and client communication is treated in absolute confidence. No personal information is ever disclosed to others without consent or unless required to do so by law.

Examples of commonly discussed issues are:

1. academic and university life: exam stress, presentation anxiety, study skills, adjustment to university life, culture shock, time/stress management
2. (mental) health issues - depression, anxiety, eating disorders, sleeping problems, drug/alcohol problems, dealing with chronic illness
3. interpersonal or partnership difficulties
4. other – grief, loneliness, low self-esteem, discrimination, traumatic experience

The free sessions are limited to 3 sessions per student (in-person or online), per semester. If more are needed, additional sessions can be offered based on capacity. 

How to sign up

To sign up for your sessions you will need to fill out Prague Integration's form here and use the code #PCU2024. A staff member will be in touch within 24 hours to set up an appointment. At your first appointment you will need to confirm that you are a PCU student by showing your student card. 

Please note that if you are unable to make your appointment you must cancel 48 hours in advance.

Phone and Email Helplines:

Linka Bezpečí (Help Line)
+420 116 111 (non-stop)
pomoc@linkabezpeci.cz (replies within 3 days)

Linka Bezpečí is for children and students up to 26 years of age.

When you contact the Helpline, you do not need to introduce yourself by name or give them any other personal details (such as where you live or where you go to school) unless you wish to do so. This means you are anonymous. The service is free and the staff will listen and give advice without judgement.

In Lustitia
+420 773 177 844 (Mon-Fri)
poradna@in-iu.cz (replies within 3 days)

In Lustitia provides services to people affected by prejudicial violence, in particular racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia, gender-based violence, violence based on age, health, social status or membership of a subculture. It also provides services to particularly vulnerable victims and victims of assault.

Modrá Linka (Blue Line)

help@modralinka.cz (replies within 3 days)

Modrá linka offers support for any struggles that you are facing so that you do not have to face it alone. So if you are feeling disconnected from yourself, and/or concerned about your mental well-being, the counsellors at Modrá Linka are here for you and ready to lend an empathetic ear and provide guidance on difficult life situations.

Help Centres

Crisis Intervention Centre of the Psychiatric Hospital Bohnice

A medical facility providing 24 hour services to patients with urgent psychiatric and psychological problems in a situation of mental crisis, without need to have an appointment. There are always doctors that speak English.

The service is covered by Czech public health insurance. If you have private health insurance, it depends on the contract conditions.

RIAPS Crisis Centre

RIAPS provides crisis intervention and psychological support. The centre's team consists of experienced crisis interventionists from the ranks of psychologists, psychiatrists and paramedical staff.

Do I need a Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Psychotherapist or Coach?

Here is a guide to finding the right specialist who can offer you the help and understanding that you need. 

Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a doctor with an MUDr. (M.D.) degree from a medical school. Therefore, they must have completed 5 years of practice and passed a certification exam in psychiatry. They may specialise in various subfields of psychiatry, such as child psychiatry or addiction treatment.

The psychiatrist makes the diagnosis, creates a treatment plan and can prescribe medication. Unlike a psychologist or psychotherapist, they do not treat the patient with words, so you would not go to them for therapy (unless they have psychotherapy training on top of their education). They may, however, recommend therapy as part of your treatment plan.

When to seek Psychiatric help?

Simply, any time your suffering is so great that you feel you cannot cope without medication. A Psychiatrist can help you with severe and chronic conditions such as depression and anxiety, sleep and mood disorders, eating disorders, addictions, loss of touch with reality, and more.

Psychologist

A Psychologist has completed a single-subject Master's degree, or a Doctoral degree. They may have a different focus or work specialisation, for example, as a School or Prison Psychologist.

A Psychologist offers psychological counselling and psychodiagnostics. In contrast to therapy, counselling is short-term, often only a one-off. On the basis of the examination, the Psychologist will recommend an appropriate course of care. For example, they may refer you for a specialist Psychiatric examination or a certain type of therapy. Often, they are also able to conduct the therapy themselves.

When to seek Psychological help?

You can never go wrong when seeing a Psychologist. They can help you with both minor and more serious problems. Simply put, a Psychologist treats with words, while a Psychiatrist treats with drugs. A Psychologist is able to recommend the ideal course of treatment and refer you to other specialists if necessary.

Psychotherapist

A Psychotherapist has completed several years of accredited psychotherapeutic training culminating in an examination. They may have a mixed educational background, often they are graduates in Psychology, Psychiatry or Social Work. You can also tell the expertise and professionalism of a Psychotherapist from their membership of a Psychotherapy Association. Psychotherapy treats patients with words, and is long-term.

When to seek Psychotherapy help?

The range of topics that a therapist can help you with is incredibly wide. You can go to them with any kind of psychological pain, sadness, milder forms of depression and anxiety, relationship problems, stress and burnout, traumas, low self-esteem, loss of motivation and the desire for self-knowledge and self-development. They will listen, ask questions that make you look at situations from different angles and help you re-evaluate a situation, formulate plans and help you find answers.

www.czap.cz/Foreign-therapists