Ethical and legal frameworks in psychology emphasize that obtaining informed consent from patients is a fundamental condition for initiating psychotherapy. While this requirement is well established, little is known about psychotherapists’ actual views on informed consent and the ways it is applied in clinical practice. An online survey was completed by 155 psychotherapists practicing in Switzerland to explore their perspectives on informed consent. The majority of respondents agreed on key elements that should be communicated to patients. Nearly all emphasized the importance of explaining confidentiality and its limits (95%) as well as supporting patients’ autonomous decision-making (97%). More than 80% considered information about treatment fees and empirical evidence of effectiveness as essential. About 60% valued the disclosure of therapists’ personal information. In addition, broader objectives linked to therapy were rated highly, such as fostering patient autonomy (97%), clarifying treatment goals (93%), and encouraging hope (80%). Most practitioners viewed informed consent not as a single event at the outset of therapy, but as a continuous process. Factors such as age, type of postgraduate training, therapeutic setting, and patient population influenced their attitudes. Findings suggest that psychotherapists see informed consent as both a demanding and beneficial aspect of their work. Continued research is needed to refine its clinical and ethical implementation.
