Kazakhstan requires psychologists to join a register that doesn't exist yet

Since 2 September 2026, Kazakhstan has had a law called "On Psychological Activity". It bars anyone who is not listed in the state register of psychologists from offering psychological help, or even from calling themselves a psychologist. There is one catch: the register does not exist yet. The rules for getting into it were opened for public comment by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection on 31 August, and that comment period runs until 18 September.

What this means in practice. If you are looking for a therapist in Kazakhstan, you cannot look anyone up, because the database has not launched. If you are a psychologist working there, including from abroad, article 21 gives you one year from the day the law took effect, so until 2 September 2027, to register.

What is banned without a register entry

Article 13 sets out three bans for anyone not on the register. You cannot practise or provide psychological help. You cannot call yourself a psychologist. And the law closes the side doors too: it also bans derivative and related titles built on the root "psycho-" that could mislead people about what you do. A sign reading "psycho-coach" will not help.

Advertising takes a hit as well. Article 18 forbids a psychologist from guaranteeing a specific result, including in ads. "Your anxiety gone in five sessions" is now against the law. And if a client shows signs of a mental disorder, the psychologist must refer them to a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who can diagnose and prescribe) instead of treating them.

Where the 2 September date comes from

The law itself names no date. Article 22 says it takes effect sixty calendar days after first official publication. It was published in the state newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda on 3 July 2026. Count it out: 28 days left in July plus 31 in August puts the sixtieth day on 1 September, so the law started working on 2 September. The same arithmetic puts the registration deadline from article 21 at 2 September 2027.

One piece is delayed. Certification of psychologists (article 17) only starts on 1 January 2028. That creates a wrinkle worth watching. The Ministry's draft order describes the register as a database of "certified psychologists" that people will use to check whether a specialist holds a valid certificate. Those certificates are still two years away. The draft is under discussion and the wording may change.

How to vet a psychologist while the register is missing

The register is not running, but the law already hands you five things you can check at a first session.

Education. A psychologist under this law holds a university or postgraduate degree, or an academic degree, in psychology. If they work through an online platform, article 19 requires them to publish their education and qualifications there.
Informed consent. Article 8 requires written consent before any work begins. The exceptions are signs of suicidal behaviour, a crisis situation, and evidence of domestic violence.
No promised outcomes. Guaranteeing a particular result breaks article 18 outright.
Continuing education. Article 15 requires it at least once every five years, at the specialist's own expense. Ask when they last trained.
Non-medical psychotherapy. This is talk-based work on hard life situations, without medication. Article 10 allows it only after extra training plus a period of practice under supervision, meaning regular review of their casework with a more experienced colleague.

One more detail people forget: recording a session on video or audio requires your consent (article 9).

Getting to a specialist at all is its own barrier. Men ask for help far less often than women: why men stay silent about depression.