Italy

Professional title for a Practicing Psychologist:

Forensic Psychologist

Criteria, Regulations and Procedures to obtain a License:

In Italy, in order to join a Regional Order, the professional needs to take a specific exam (“Esame di Stato per Psicologi”, literally translated as “State Examination for Psychologists”). This examination is taken in front of a board of experts and academics, and can be taken after a 5 year-degree in Psychology and 1000 hrs of professional training. To become a psychotherapist an Italian psychologist needs to enroll in a psychotherapy school (4 years training). https://www.psy.it/esame-di-stato- aggiornamenti.html In Britain, to join the BPS one is required to have: a specific curriculum in which psychology is one of the key subjects studied and a professional training in a specific area of competence. There are three levels of membership: Chartered Membership (CPsychol), Graduate Membership, Student Membership.

Even though for a psychologist in Italy it is required that one joins a specific Regional Order of Psychologists, depending on where one is most likely to practice, the license to practice is national. The British Psychological Society allows a psychologist to practice around the country within his/her specific area of competence. In the case of both Italy and Britain a qualified psychologist is allowed to use tele-therapy combined with therapy face-to-face, individual or in- group.

Licensing body – Order of Psychologists of Piedmont (Italy).

Any Supplemental Resources regarding procedures for Licensure:

• EuroPsy is a qualification standard developed by the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA). Psychologists who meet the standard receive the EuroPsy Certificate and are listed in a public EuroPsy Register. The EuroPsy Certificate serves as a Professional Card that aims to facilitate the recognition of the psychologist’s qualifications in other European countries (EU Directive2005/36/EC). https://www.europsy.eu/
• https://www.psy.it/disposiciones-sobre-la-profesion-de-psicologo?fbclid=IwAR3vMAOdT7ryQrJrg6OFTlnq0Tp4Rz5IbmOB8Vv68n5PxEZ-K9XlESbuNBk

Reciprocity of Licenses:

In Italy the reciprocity of licenses is not automatic and it is assessed and approved at the level of the Minister of Health. In Britain psychologists’ licenses in another country may be asked to integrate a specific area of competence. The EuroPsy system now makes it easier for psychologists graduated and trained in any part of Europe to practice in a different country if they have completed a specific university and training programme.

Temporary/Short-Term Licenses (which are often needed for psychologists doing humanitarian work in foreign countries):

Professional Psychologists in Italy have a license to practice within their area of competence. It is most likely that those psychologists who do humanitarian work are specialized in emergency psychology. The Regional Order of Psychologists does not provide short-term licenses.