At a recent briefing, Nurgul Ibraeva, head of the primary medical care department of the Ministry of Health, and Boris Li, a psychiatrist from Family Medicine Center No. 6, discussed issues related to the activities of fake psychologists and the risks for citizens.
Ibraeva emphasized that just 5–7 years ago, residents of Kyrgyzstan rarely sought the help of psychologists. This usually concerned only children with speech or mental development delays.
“Today, there is an increase in requests for psychological help from the adult population. This has likely created a favorable environment for the emergence of fake psychologists who offer their services without the appropriate education,” she added.
Ibraeva highlighted medical psychologists who have specialized training and can provide highly qualified assistance. She believes that the increase in requests is related to the growing awareness of the population about mental health.
In response to a question about how to distinguish a professional from a charlatan, Boris Li offered several simple recommendations: the presence of a diploma in higher psychological education (preferably in clinical psychology), as well as training in psychotherapy for doctors; current continuing education certificates, membership in professional associations, and the use of licensed methods without resorting to esoteric practices.
“Every client seeking help at a private clinic should request documents—licenses, certificates, and diplomas,” Nurgul Ibraeva added.
Additionally, she noted that in response to received complaints, inspections have begun, which revealed a significant number of fake psychologists. In this regard, a law was passed prohibiting the advertisement of psychological services in the country.
