Mental Health Support for Expats Malta: Where to Turn (2026)

Short answer: mental health support for expats Malta starts with three numbers: 1579, the free national mental health helpline, open 24/7; 1770, Richmond Foundation’s helpline and OLLI.Chat on weekdays and Saturdays; and 112 if anyone’s life is in danger. For ongoing help, therapy in English is widely available through warranted psychologists and psychotherapists, Kellimni.com runs a free anonymous online chat 24/7, and your GP can assess you and refer you on. Alongside professional help, small regular social plans are one of the most effective things you can add. Information last checked October 2026.

Moving abroad is one of the big life changes, and Malta’s sunshine does not cancel that out. I have watched friends here go from excited to quietly flat in the space of a few months: the job is fine, the sea is beautiful, and yet the evenings are long and nobody is around to notice. If that sounds like you, you are not failing at expat life. You are having one of its most common experiences, and there is real help available in English.

Mental health support for expats Malta: the main options

Sources: Richmond Foundation, Get help now; Kellimni.com. Checked October 2026. Hours can change, so check before you need them.

Helplines and online chat

1579 is the government’s mental health helpline, launched in 2022 and staffed by mental health professionals. It is free and runs around the clock, so it is the number to save in your phone first. You do not need to be in crisis to call: feeling overwhelmed, not sleeping, worrying about a friend or not knowing where to start are all good reasons.

Richmond Foundation is Malta’s best-known mental health charity. Its 1770 helpline and its online OLLI.Chat offer emotional support and practical guidance from Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 20:00, and on Saturdays until 16:00. Outside those hours, it directs people to 1579.

Kellimni.com is a free online support service. It describes its chat as 100% free, 24/7, anonymous and confidential, with professional support, and it can also be reached by email and through Facebook Messenger and Instagram. If phoning feels like too much, typing often feels easier.

Finding a therapist in English

English is an official language in Malta, and most psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors work in it; many also offer sessions in other European languages. A few practical points:

• Check credentials: psychologists and psychotherapists in Malta must hold a warrant for their profession. Ask for it, or check the professional body’s listings.
• Use the directory: the Malta Chamber of Psychologists has a find-a-psychologist page.
• Ask about approach and fit: a short first call is normal. It is fine to try someone else if it does not feel right.
• Check costs and insurance: private sessions are paid per session. Some health insurance policies and employer assistance programmes cover a number of sessions; check your policy and ask HR.
• Online therapy with a therapist from your home country is an option too, especially if you prefer your first language. Check that they are licensed where they practise.

What your GP can do

A GP is often the best first step for ongoing problems such as low mood, anxiety or poor sleep. They can assess you, discuss treatment options, prescribe if appropriate and refer you to public specialist services or recommend private ones. You can see a GP at a public health centre or at a private clinic. Whether public care is free for you depends on your residence and social security status, so check your entitlement when you register; private GP visits are paid but usually easy to book quickly.

Before the appointment, write down what you have noticed: how long it has been going on, sleep, appetite, energy, and anything that makes it better or worse. It makes a short appointment far more useful.

Why expats in Malta struggle

• The three-month dip: many people feel a drop after the first few months, when the newness fades and the friendships have not formed yet.
• Loss of the safety net: family, old friends and familiar routines are far away.
• High turnover: friends you make often leave after a year or two.
• Work as the whole life: long hours, or remote work with no colleagues at all.
• Summer and winter: intense summer heat disrupts sleep; quieter, wetter winter months can feel isolating when the beach life stops.
• Costs and housing stress: rent, small flats and noise all add pressure.

Our guide to loneliness after moving to Malta covers the social side of this in more depth.

Small social steps that help

Professional support and social connection work best together. You do not need a big social life; you need a few predictable moments with other people each week.

Our 30-day plan for making friends in Malta and the guide to moving to Malta alone have more ideas. New parents can find specific advice in our guide for expat mums in Malta.

Support for specific situations

Students

Universities and many language schools have student support or counselling services; ask your student office what is available and whether it is free for you. Exam periods and the first term are the most common pressure points, especially if you are living alone for the first time.

Remote workers and freelancers

Working from a flat with no colleagues makes isolation creep up slowly. Build in contact during the working week: a coworking day, a lunchtime class or a standing coffee with another remote worker. Separate your workspace from where you sleep if you can.

Partners who moved for someone else’s job

The partner without a job or a ready-made social circle often carries the most change. It helps to say this out loud early and to plan independent activities, friendships and, if you want it, work or volunteering of your own, rather than waiting for things to settle by themselves.

Relationship breakdown far from home

A separation abroad can mean losing your home, your shared friends and sometimes your reason for being in Malta all at once. Lean on professional support, tell people at home what is happening, and get practical advice early on housing, residence and, if relevant, children.

Looking after yourself day to day

• Sleep and heat: in July and August, a fan or air conditioning, blackout curtains and a cooler evening routine make a real difference to sleep, and sleep makes a real difference to mood.
• Daylight and movement: a morning walk along the promenade or a swim in season costs nothing and helps.
• Alcohol: Malta’s social life often revolves around drinks; notice whether you are using it to cope, and plan some alcohol-free meet-ups such as coffees, walks and classes.
• Routine: fixed times for meals, work and going out give a shape to the week that loneliness finds harder to break.
• Contact with home: regular calls help, but if scrolling home news and friends’ lives makes you feel worse, set limits.

If you are worried about a friend

Expat friendships often mean you are the closest person someone has here. If a friend seems withdrawn, is not sleeping, is drinking more or talks about feeling hopeless, ask them directly how they are, listen without trying to fix everything, and offer to call 1579 with them. If they talk about ending their life or you think they are in immediate danger, call 112 and stay with them. Check in again the next day; a simple message matters more than you think.

Bringing medication and continuing care

If you take medication for a mental health condition, bring a supply and a letter from your doctor when you move, and book a GP appointment in Malta early so there is no gap. Some medicines have different brand names here, so bring the generic name too. If you had a therapist at home, ask whether you can continue online for the first months while you settle; continuity helps a lot during a big move.

Mental health support for expats Malta: FAQ

What is the mental health helpline number in Malta?

1579 is the national mental health helpline, free and available 24/7. Richmond Foundation’s 1770 helpline and OLLI.Chat run Monday to Friday 08:00 to 20:00 and Saturdays until 16:00. In an emergency, call 112.

Can I get therapy in English in Malta?

Yes. English is an official language and most psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors in Malta work in English. The Malta Chamber of Psychologists has a find-a-psychologist directory, and professionals in Malta must be warranted for their profession.

Is there free online counselling in Malta?

Kellimni.com offers a free, anonymous, confidential online support chat with professionals 24/7, and says it offers a limited number of free online counselling sessions. Richmond Foundation’s OLLI.Chat is also free during its opening hours.

Can my GP help with mental health in Malta?

Yes. A GP, whether at a public health centre or a private clinic, can assess you, discuss treatment and refer you to specialist services. Your entitlement to free public healthcare depends on your residence and social security status.

Is it normal to feel low after moving to Malta?

Very common. Many expats feel a dip a few months after arriving, when the novelty fades and routines and friendships have not formed yet. If low mood lasts more than two weeks or affects daily life, talk to a professional.

What should I do if a friend in Malta is in crisis?

If their life is in danger, call 112 and stay with them. Otherwise, listen without judgement, encourage them to call 1579 together, and check in again the next day.