About grief
Grief after a loss is a natural process with no fixed timeline. Support can help when pain does not ease over time, when the loss was sudden or traumatic, or when it becomes very hard to carry on with daily life.
Psychoanalysts work with psychoanalytic or psychodynamic therapy, which explores how past experiences and unconscious patterns shape present feelings and relationships. It is usually a longer, in-depth process. Training and titles vary by country: check each professional’s background.
Getting mental health care in North Macedonia
Public health system · Public health system (Ministry of Health and Health Insurance Fund): community mental health centres and hospital psychiatry
Public mental health care is delivered through community mental health centres and hospital-based psychiatric services, with referral between primary, secondary and tertiary care. The national strategy for 2018-2025 aimed to decentralise care and reduce reliance on psychiatric hospitals. According to WHO Mental Health Atlas 2020 data, insurance fully covers mental health services and psychotropic medicines. More information
How to check that a professional is licensed
- Chamber of Psychologists of North Macedonia (Комора на психолози). Only psychologists who hold a general and/or special licence issued by the Chamber may provide psychological services. A general licence requires a year of practice, a professional exam and entry in the Register of Psychologists, and a special licence requires additional specialised training. The Chamber publishes a list of licensed psychologists. Search the official register
- Doctors' Chamber of Macedonia (Лекарска комора на Македонија). The Chamber issues doctors' working licences and publishes a register of doctors and a list of doctors with valid licences. Search the official register
Insurance and coverage
According to WHO Mental Health Atlas 2020 data, insurance fully covers mental health services and psychotropic medicines in the public system.
Urgent help in North Macedonia
If your life or someone else's is in danger, call the emergency number now. These services can help at any time:
- 112 · Emergencias
Information reviewed in November 2026 · Sources: who.int, borgenproject.org, komoranapsiholozi.mk, lkm.org.mk
Signs to look out for
Grief can bring sadness, longing, anger, guilt, disbelief, tiredness and even physical aches, and it often comes in waves. There is no right timeline. It may help to seek support when the pain stays just as intense for a long time, you cannot carry out daily tasks, you feel life has lost all meaning, you avoid everything linked to the loss, or you feel stuck in guilt or anger.
What helps: treatments and professionals
Most people do not need therapy to grieve, but support can help when grief is especially difficult. Grief-focused therapies, including cognitive-behavioural approaches adapted to prolonged grief, and meaning-centred or narrative approaches, have growing evidence. Psychologists and psychotherapists with experience in bereavement are the usual professionals. Support groups and family therapy can also help, especially after the loss of a child or a sudden death.
When to seek urgent help
If the pain of loss leads to thoughts of ending your life, wanting to join the person who died, or harming yourself, contact your local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department straight away. Seek prompt help too if you stop eating or drinking, or if alcohol or other substances have become your main way of coping.
What you can do in the meantime
Allow yourself to feel what comes, without forcing it or rushing it. Keep basic routines like sleep and meals, and accept practical help from others. Talking about the person who died, sharing memories or creating small rituals can help. Be aware that anniversaries and special dates may be harder. Reliable information about grief can reassure you that what you feel is common.
What does a psychoanalyst do?
A psychoanalyst works with people who want to explore how early experiences, desires, conflicts and unconscious patterns influence how they feel, relate and choose today. Day to day they listen closely, help connect present difficulties with personal history, and pay attention to dreams, repetitions and the relationship with the analyst. Sessions are usually frequent and the process tends to be long-term.
When to see a psychoanalyst
Psychoanalysis or psychodynamic therapy may suit you if you notice repeating patterns in relationships, a persistent sense of emptiness or dissatisfaction, or want to understand yourself in depth and are open to a longer process. If you need quick relief for a specific symptom, such as panic attacks or a phobia, a structured approach like CBT may be more appropriate first.
How to choose
When choosing, check the licence and training, the approach they use and whether they have experience with what you need. Consider practical aspects too: language, price, location or online sessions and availability. The relationship with the professional matters a great deal; if after a few sessions it does not feel right, it is fine to change.
Frequently asked questions
Does the public health system in North Macedonia cover psychological care?
Public mental health care is delivered through community mental health centres and hospital-based psychiatric services, with referral between primary, secondary and tertiary care. The national strategy for 2018-2025 aimed to decentralise care and reduce reliance on psychiatric hospitals. According to WHO Mental Health Atlas 2020 data, insurance fully covers mental health services and psychotropic medicines.
How do I check that a psychoanalyst is licensed in North Macedonia?
Chamber of Psychologists of North Macedonia (Комора на психолози): Only psychologists who hold a general and/or special licence issued by the Chamber may provide psychological services. A general licence requires a year of practice, a professional exam and entry in the Register of Psychologists, and a special licence requires additional specialised training. The Chamber publishes a list of licensed psychologists.