What This Service Is — And What It Is Not
Understanding which level of mental health support is right for you helps ensure you access the most appropriate care.
This GP-level mental health assessment is appropriate for:
- Initial assessment of anxiety, low mood, depression, and stress
- Screening for common mental health conditions using validated clinical tools
- Assessment of how mental health symptoms interact with physical health
- Clinical recommendations and care planning at the doctor's professional discretion
- Referral for psychology, psychiatry, or other specialist support where indicated
- Guidance on mental health services available in Spain in English
- Review of existing mental health management and ongoing support
- ADHD — initial screening and referral pathway where indicated
This service is not appropriate for:
- Crisis intervention — if you are in crisis, use the resources at the top of this page
- Psychiatric assessment — if you need a psychiatrist, your doctor coordinates referral
- Psychotherapy or counselling — this is a medical assessment, not a therapy session
- Assessment of psychosis, severe bipolar disorder, or complex psychiatric conditions
- Involuntary psychiatric assessment or treatment
Not sure which level of support is right for you? Start with this assessment. Your doctor assesses your presentation and advises on the most appropriate next steps.
Conditions Commonly Assessed
Anxiety and stress
- Generalised anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety and performance anxiety
- Health anxiety
- Panic attacks and panic disorder
- Work-related stress and burnout
- Adjustment difficulties — new country, new job, relationship changes
- Expat-specific stress — cultural adjustment, isolation, identity concerns, family separation
Mood
- Low mood and depression
- Persistent sadness and loss of interest
- Emotional exhaustion and anhedonia
- Postnatal mood changes — low mood and anxiety after childbirth
- Seasonal affective disorder
- Grief and bereavement
Sleep and behaviour
- Insomnia and sleep disturbance with psychological contributors
- Fatigue with psychological contributors
- Appetite changes and eating patterns related to mood
- Concentration and cognitive difficulties related to anxiety or depression
Trauma and life events
- Initial assessment of trauma-related symptoms — with referral to specialist psychological support where indicated
- Adjustment to significant life events — bereavement, relationship breakdown, job loss
- Expat stress and relocation — cultural adjustment, isolation, identity concerns
Ongoing mental health management
- Review of existing mental health conditions managed at GP level
- Mental health assessment in the context of chronic disease management
- ADHD — initial screening and referral for formal assessment where indicated
What Your Consultation Includes
Confidential clinical assessment
Your doctor conducts a structured and comprehensive mental health assessment — covering your current symptoms, mood, sleep, energy, appetite, concentration, relationships, work or academic pressures, medical history, and any previous mental health support. The conversation is guided, confidential, and non-judgmental.
Validated screening tools
Where appropriate, your doctor uses validated clinical screening tools — including PHQ-9 for depression and GAD-7 for anxiety — ensuring a structured, evidence-based assessment.
Safety assessment
Every mental health consultation includes a structured safety assessment — conducted with sensitivity as a standard component of clinical care.
Personalised care plan
Based on the assessment, your doctor advises on the most appropriate next steps — which may include wellbeing and lifestyle recommendations, referral for psychology or psychotherapy, guidance on community and specialist services available in Spain in English, psychiatric referral where indicated, or clinical recommendations at the doctor's professional discretion.
Navigation support
Navigating the mental health system in Spain as an international resident is genuinely difficult. Your doctor provides clear guidance on what services are available in English, how to access them, and what to expect.
Clinical documentation — at the doctor's professional discretion
When clinically indicated at GP level, your doctor issues appropriate clinical documentation.
Note: Controlled substances and certain psychiatric medications require special documentation that cannot be issued electronically under Spanish law. Your doctor advises if this applies to your situation.
Mental Health Support for Expats in Spain
Mental health difficulties are disproportionately common among expats and international residents — driven by isolation, cultural adjustment, language barriers, family separation, and the cumulative stress of building a life in a new country.
Accessing mental health support in Spain as an international resident brings additional challenges. English-speaking psychologists and psychiatrists exist in Madrid and Barcelona — but availability is limited, waiting times can be long, and the cost of private mental health care in Spain is significant. For expats outside major cities, the options narrow further.
Our service provides an accessible first step — a structured, confidential GP-level mental health assessment, same day, from anywhere in Spain — with clear guidance on next steps and how to access specialist support where needed.
Confidentiality
Everything discussed during your mental health consultation is confidential and protected under Spanish and European data protection law — including Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) implemented through Organic Law 3/2018 (LOPDGDD) and Law 41/2002 on patient autonomy.
There are two circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be carefully considered — when there is serious and immediate risk to your life or safety, or when there is serious risk to the safety of another person. Your doctor discusses confidentiality with you at the outset of the consultation.
