Minister of Health: New stringent regulations for practicing psychotherapy
Ibrahim Muhammad: Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi issued Ministerial Decision No. 225 for the year 2026, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework and strict controls for licensing the practice of psychotherapy and psychological counseling in both the public and private sectors. The decision outlines operational requirements for complexes and specialized facilities, with strictness aimed at protecting clients and prohibiting activities not based on scientific foundations.
The decision dedicates significant space to purging psychological practice from false claims and academically unverified methods. It imposes an absolute ban on providing or promoting any therapeutic services that do not rely on proven scientific evidence, including a detailed list of prohibited activities, the most prominent of which are:
• Energy and Spiritual Therapies: Energy healing, Reiki, Pranic healing, stones and crystals, spiritual healing, cosmic healing, “Star Seeds,” astral projection, and the activation of chakras, aura, or energy fields.
• Non-Evidence-Based Programming and Mental Coaching: Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), cognitive programming, mental and psychological engineering, positive affirmations, activation of psychological genetic stimulation, and psychological or neuro-spiritual coaching.
• Hypnotic and Pseudoscientific Practices: Stage or fake hypnosis, therapy based on the Law of Attraction, graphology (handwriting analysis), body language analysis, and timeline therapy.
• Relaxation and Frequency Techniques: Psychological yoga, breathing control for meditation, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), color therapy, frequency and sound vibration therapy, tapping, and thought field therapy. Additionally, the decision regulates “Life Coaching” and self-development activities, ensuring they are not practiced outside the framework of an accredited professional license.
Academic Requirements
The decision defined the regulated professional titles in the sector, including “Senior Psychotherapist,” “Psychotherapist,” and “Psychological Specialist,” alongside a specialized track for Applied Behavior Analysis (Senior Applied Behavior Analyst, Behavior Analyst, and Assistant Behavior Analyst). It mandated that licenses be granted only to individuals holding qualifications from recognized educational institutions with official equivalency, emphasizing regular, in-person attendance. The decision also required clinical training under direct supervision and documentation of a specific number of face-to-face therapeutic sessions within licensed health facilities.
• Psychological Specialist (Bachelor’s Degree): Their role is limited to conducting preliminary interviews, collecting data, and applying psychological measures under the direct supervision of a “Senior Psychotherapist.” They are strictly prohibited from providing any therapeutic interventions, holding independent sessions, developing treatment plans, or misleading the public into believing they are psychotherapists.
• Psychotherapist: They are responsible for clinical assessment, case formulation, and diagnosis according to recognized systems such as the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11. However, diagnoses are for assessment and treatment planning purposes only and do not carry any medical or pharmacological implications.
Prohibition of Pharmacological Intervention and Organic Treatments
All practitioners who are not physicians are prohibited from prescribing, modifying, or dispensing medications, drugs, or supplements. The use of electroconvulsive therapy or neuromagnetic stimulation techniques of all kinds is also prohibited, reserving these exclusively for specialized physicians. The decision stipulates that practitioners must immediately refer clients to a psychiatrist or specialized hospital when dealing with active suicidal ideation, severe agitation, or acute symptoms of psychoactive substance use.
Facility Regulations
The decision imposed regulatory requirements on private complexes and centers, including:
• Providing examination rooms with a minimum area of 9 square meters, ensuring isolation and privacy, equipped with an alarm system to request assistance.
• Restricting surveillance cameras to corridors and waiting areas only, with recordings retained for three months. Photography during sessions is prohibited without prior written consent from the client.
• Mandatory appointment of a full-time “Senior Psychotherapist” to manage the complex professionally.
• Prohibition of misleading advertisements and promotion of psychological services through unlicensed platforms and centers.
The decision granted existing offices and companies that had initiated licensing procedures before its issuance a six-month grace period to regularize their status and meet the requirements. Conversely, it mandated an immediate cessation of operations for entities that had not begun the procedures. Furthermore, it set a deadline of 18 months for practitioners in the public sector to adjust their status in accordance with the new regulations.
