Counseling & Mental Health
in Amsterdam and Copenhagen
Therapeutic Approaches, Group Counseling & Mental-Health Systems across the Netherlands and Denmark
Sustainable Development Goals in Action
The Destination
Program Overview
Amsterdam and Copenhagen rank among Europe's top cities for innovative mental-health services, making them ideal destinations for an immersive study-abroad program focused on counseling practices and therapeutic approaches. Both cities sit within progressive European systems known for accessible, forward-thinking approaches to mental health and well-being.
The program offers students comprehensive exposure to world-class mental-health institutions and therapy practices, while building professional networks and insight into European counseling methodologies from practitioners' perspectives. Interactive sessions with mental-health professionals and visits to specialized organizations give students firsthand knowledge of evidence-based interventions and the group-counseling techniques used across Dutch and Danish contexts.
Woven throughout are cultural explorations, from historically significant sites such as the Anne Frank House to Amsterdam's scenic canals and Copenhagen's waterfront, that deepen students' understanding of the social contexts shaping mental-health services and group-counseling approaches in these progressive European cities.
What You'll Do
Key Program Elements
Explore European Counseling & Group Therapy
- Engage with organizations specializing in group therapy and with mental-health network associations across the Netherlands and Denmark.
- Learn Dutch and Danish approaches to counseling and group therapy through practitioner-led sessions.
- Gain firsthand knowledge of the evidence-based interventions used in European mental-health contexts.
Learn from Academic & Clinical Institutions
- Visit leading university medical centers and psychology departments in both countries.
- Engage with academic researchers and experts in areas such as child and adolescent psychiatry, positive psychology, and well-being.
- Draw comparative perspectives on educational and clinical approaches to mental health.
Understand the Social & Cultural Context
- Explore museums dedicated to the history of the mind, medicine, and social welfare.
- Visit historically significant sites, including the Anne Frank House, and experience Amsterdam's canals and Copenhagen's waterfront.
- Reflect on how each society's history and social systems shape its approach to mental-health care.
Impact
UN Sustainable Development Goals in Action for this Program
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
- Provides direct exposure to world-class mental-health institutions across two European cities.
- Introduces students to evidence-based interventions, group-counseling techniques, and preventative, holistic models of care used in European contexts.
SDG 4: Quality Education
- Facilitates quality international education through visits to leading medical centers and universities.
- Develops cross-cultural competencies and specialized knowledge for future counseling professionals through interactive sessions with mental-health experts.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Examine inclusive mental-health services in countries known for progressive, equitable healthcare systems.
- Studies models, including social organizations focused on accessibility and inclusion, that can be adapted to reduce health disparities in students' home communities.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
- Builds global professional networks between students and European mental-health practitioners.
- Creates cross-cultural academic connections that can lead to future research collaboration and knowledge exchange in the mental-health field.
Beyond the Clinic
Program Highlights
What You'll Take Home
Learning Outcomes
European Counseling & Therapeutic Approaches
Gain firsthand understanding of the counseling methodologies, group-therapy techniques, and evidence-based interventions practiced across Dutch and Danish mental-health systems.
Cross-Cultural & Comparative Practice
Compare mental-health systems, policies, and cultural attitudes across two progressive European countries and relate them to practice in your home community.
Evidence-Based & Reflective Practice
Connect clinical and academic engagements to reflective analysis, strengthening the evidence-based, self-aware practice essential to counseling professionals.
Global Professional Networks & Well-Being
Build professional relationships with European practitioners and researchers, and develop a global perspective on mental health, equity, and well-being.
Day by Day
Sample Itinerary
Specific organizations visited are curated based on the faculty's learning objectives and may vary by cohort. The categories below reflect the types of engagements included in this program.
Arrival in Amsterdam
Arrival and transfer to the program accommodation, a centrally located 4-star hotel in Amsterdam. Afternoon: an independent visit to the Van Gogh Museum. Evening: welcome dinner, with an orientation and safety briefing led by the Authentica Program Manager.
Meals: DMemory, Culture & Community
Morning: free time. Afternoon: a visit to the Anne Frank House and a talk with a non-profit organization working in Amsterdam's Red Light District. Evening: an Amsterdam canal boat tour.
Meals: BClinical & Academic Engagement
Morning: a visit to a leading university medical center focused on mental health. Afternoon: free time.
Meals: BUniversity-City Day Trip
Full day: travel to the nearby historic university city of Leiden for a visit to a university medical center.
Meals: B, LTravel to Hamburg
Full day: rail journey from Amsterdam to Hamburg.
Meals: BOnward to Copenhagen
Full day: continue by rail to Copenhagen. Evening: a visit to a Danish welfare-history museum.
Meals: BDanish Mental-Health Systems
Morning: a visit to an international school in Copenhagen. Afternoon: a visit to an organization supporting family reunification and mental health. Evening: free.
Meals: B, LCulture & Farewell
Morning: free time. Afternoon: a Copenhagen harbor city tour by boat. Evening: farewell dinner.
Meals: B, DDeparture
Check-out and transfer for onward travel.
Meals: BAt a Glance
Program Snapshot
Meals Included
Sustainability
On-Ground Support
Insurance
Investment
Pricing & Inclusions
Program Cost
*Costs may vary depending on group size, program inclusions, number of program days, and other factors. Please contact us for a customized quote.
What's Included
- 8 nights' accommodation (breakfast & Wi-Fi included) at centrally located 4-star hotels
- Public transport cards in Amsterdam and Copenhagen
- Standard return train ticket (Amsterdam–Leiden–Amsterdam)
- First-class one-way train ticket (Amsterdam–Copenhagen)
- Group meals — 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners
- Guided cultural tours by English-speaking professionals, including entrance fees
- Coordination of visits and engagements with host institutions
- Carbon offset for all participants (certificates provided after the program)
- 24×7 on-ground support by an Authentica Program Manager
- Orientation and safety briefing
- Tips for guides, drivers, and waiters (group meals)
- All applicable taxes
Good to Know
FAQs About the Program
1. When is the best time of year to run this program, and what is the weather like?
Amsterdam and Copenhagen are at their best from late spring through summer, roughly May to September, when both cities enjoy long daylight hours and mild, pleasant temperatures (typically the high teens to low 20s °C). This makes for an ideal window for both institutional visits and cultural exploration. Programs can be tailored to your academic calendar; pack layers and a light waterproof jacket, as northern European weather can change quickly.
2. Who is this program designed for?
It is designed for students in counseling, psychology, mental-health counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, education, and public health — anyone preparing for a career in mental health who wants firsthand exposure to European counseling methodologies and progressive systems of care.
3. What will students gain professionally from this program?
Students engage directly with mental-health practitioners, academic researchers, and clinical institutions to build knowledge of evidence-based interventions and group-counseling techniques, develop cross-cultural competencies essential for future counseling professionals, and form international professional networks — all valuable for graduate study and clinical careers.
4. Are the specific clinics, institutions, and visits guaranteed?
Institutional engagements are curated around the faculty's learning objectives and may vary by cohort, depending on the availability of relevant stakeholders. Every effort is made to arrange equivalent visits that meet the same learning objectives.
5. Do I need a visa, and how does travel across two countries work?
The Netherlands and Denmark are both part of the Schengen Area, so a single short-stay entry typically covers the whole program; many nationalities, including U.S. citizens, can enter visa-free, though a simple pre-travel authorization (such as ETIAS) may apply depending on nationality and timing. Requirements should be confirmed by passport well ahead of departure.
6. What language are the sessions in?
Program sessions, guided tours, and institutional visits are conducted in English. English is very widely spoken in both the Netherlands and Denmark, so participants do not need to speak Dutch or Danish to take part fully.
7. How do money, cards, and tipping work across the two countries?
The Netherlands uses the euro (EUR) and Denmark uses the Danish krone (DKK); both are among the most cashless societies in the world, so cards and mobile payments are accepted almost everywhere and little cash is needed. Tipping is modest and not expected; the program already includes tips for guides, drivers, and group meals.
8. Is the program safe, and what support is provided?
The Netherlands and Denmark are consistently ranked among the safest countries in the world. The group travels together by train between cities and by public transport within them, a dedicated Authentica Program Manager provides 24×7 on-ground support, and the program opens with an orientation and safety briefing. Authentica carries a US$5M commercial general liability policy and a US$1M errors & omissions policy.
Interested in a Similar Program?
Contact us at info@authentica.com to design a faculty-led immersion around your objectives.