President Milanović Meets Psychotherapy Association Representatives on the Occasion of World Mental Health Day
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović met today with representatives of the Union of Psychotherapy Associations of Croatia, the Životna linija (Lifeline) Association, and the Croatian Union of Mental Health Associations on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, which is observed on the 10th of October.
Representatives from these unions and associations informed President Milanović that, in honour of World Mental Health Day, the First National Conference on Mental Health and the Third Conference of Psychotherapy Associations of Croatia, titled “The Role of Psychotherapy in Preserving and Improving Health,” will be held. The conferences will bring together leading experts in psychotherapy, psychology, and psychiatry, as well as public figures who contribute to the destigmatization of mental health through their work or experience. Mental health is as important as physical health, emphasized the association representatives.
The meeting also addressed the role of psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychotherapists within the Croatian healthcare system. The representatives highlighted that mental health remains insufficiently recognized by state healthcare institutions. They noted that they have repeatedly appealed to the Ministry of Health to establish a cooperative model with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) to make psychotherapy – i.e., professional help – more accessible to a greater number of Croatian citizens, but these efforts have so far been unsuccessful. Current public healthcare capacities are inadequate, they explained, and HZZO participation in the cost of psychotherapy services would allow far more people in need to access professional care.
The Union of Psychotherapy Associations of Croatia was founded in 1998 and is a voluntary coalition of several psychotherapy associations. Its mission is to promote psychotherapy as an independent scientific discipline and professional practice; to develop and enhance education, research, and practical work in the field of psychotherapy in Croatia; to improve the functioning of member associations; to internationally promote Croatian achievements in psychotherapy; and to regulate and enhance the professional status of psychotherapists in Croatia.
Attending the meeting at the Office of the President were: Katarina Komarica, President of the Union of Psychotherapy Associations of Croatia; partner psychotherapist Ljiljana Bastaić; Tanja Dejanović Šagadin, Deputy President of the Croatian Chamber of Psychotherapists; Sandra Markač Greif, Founder and President of the Institute for Logotherapy, Education and Counselling – DOBRO; Nataša Barolin Belić, psychotherapist and President of the Croatian Society for Sexual Therapy; Sandro Belić, psychotherapist and member of the Board of Directors of the Croatian Society of Gestalt and Integrative Psychotherapists; Tomislav Kuljiš, counselling psychotherapist and Director of the School of Integrative Body Psychotherapy; Tomislav Senečić, counselling psychotherapist and President of the Institute of Body Psychotherapy; Aleksandra Zoe Krušelj, counselling psychotherapist; Tin Pongrac, President of the Croatian Union of Mental Health Associations and President of the Životna linija (Lifeline) Association; Davorka Vukadin, Board member of the Croatian Union of Mental Health Associations (SUMEZ); and Radmila Stojanović Babić, secretary of SUMEZ.
President Milanović was accompanied by Jadranka Žarković, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek