Wegweiser Crisis of meaning · Orientation & support Deutsch

🏢 Psychosocial advice centres

Short-term, mostly free advice without a diagnosis – run by municipalities, Diakonie, Caritas, AWO and other independent providers.

Psychosocial counselling Diakonie Caritas Life counselling centre Parenting counselling

In brief

Psychosocial advice centres offer conversations on life crises, relationship, family or meaning-of-life questions – without a diagnosis or referral being needed. They are usually run by municipalities, Diakonie, Caritas, AWO, the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) or Der Paritätische. The initial consultation is mostly free; some centres ask for a voluntary donation or, depending on the service and region, charge a graduated personal contribution.

Step by step

  1. Look for an advice centre nearbyAdvice centres nearby can be found via the websites of Diakonie or Caritas or via the local social welfare office (Sozialamt)/citizens' office (Bürgeramt).
  2. Get in touchA phone call or a short online registration is usually enough – a formal application is generally not needed.
  3. Attend the first conversationIn the first conversation, it is clarified what it is about and whether the service fits or a referral elsewhere makes sense.

Deadlines

Watch out – common mistakes
  • Not every advice centre is free – cost models differ by provider and federal state; you should ask about this at first contact.
  • Psychosocial counselling does not replace psychotherapy for a diagnosed mental illness.
  • Waiting times vary by region and are not published uniformly – if you need help urgently, also contact the TelefonSeelsorge or a crisis service.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Legal and organisational framework

There is no nationwide law on "psychosocial counselling" or general life counselling; funding is a mix of municipal, church and state (Land) funds. Pregnancy conflict counselling has a special status: it is separately regulated in the Schwangerschaftskonfliktgesetz (SchKG, Pregnancy Conflict Act) and in many federal states must be provided free of charge and as a mandatory service – this legal framework, however, applies specifically to pregnancy conflicts, not to general life or crisis-of-meaning counselling.

There is no nationwide, up-to-date overview of the cost structure of an individual advice centre; reliable information is provided only by the centre itself.

Who is responsible
  • Municipal, church and independent providers nearby (Diakonie, Caritas, AWO etc.)
Further reading
TelefonSeelsorge and church pastoral careSelf-help groups and discussion circlesAdvice and contact points for a crisis of meaning

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Psychosocial advice centres“?
Short-term, mostly free advice without a diagnosis – run by municipalities, Diakonie, Caritas, AWO and other independent providers.
What should I do first?
  • Look for an advice centre nearby: Advice centres nearby can be found via the websites of Diakonie or Caritas or via the local social welfare office (Sozialamt)/citizens' office (Bürgeramt).
  • Get in touch: A phone call or a short online registration is usually enough – a formal application is generally not needed.
  • Attend the first conversation: In the first conversation, it is clarified what it is about and whether the service fits or a referral elsewhere makes sense.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • Not every advice centre is free – cost models differ by provider and federal state; you should ask about this at first contact.
  • Psychosocial counselling does not replace psychotherapy for a diagnosed mental illness.
  • Waiting times vary by region and are not published uniformly – if you need help urgently, also contact the TelefonSeelsorge or a crisis service.
Evidence
  • Schwangerschaftskonfliktgesetz (SchKG), gesetze-im-internet.de – for distinction, not as a legal basis for general life counselling
  • General provider information from Diakonie Deutschland and Deutscher Caritasverband (retrieved September 2026)
As of

As of September 2026 · Sources and method

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.