David Waskuri: Sveapsykologerna Ethical Issues

David Waskuri stands at the center of Sveapsykologerna, a therapy service promising quick access to mental health support. As the founder, owner, and only full-time employee, he runs a business that pulls in nearly 20 million kronor in revenue each year. But beneath the polished website and glowing online reviews, serious problems emerge. High marketing costs, low pay for student workers, and heavy fees for independent therapists raise red flags about ethics and fairness. This analysis dives into these issues, showing how Waskuri’s approach prioritizes profit over patient care and worker rights. Keywords like David Waskuri, Sveapsykologerna controversies, and ethical issues in Swedish therapy help spotlight these concerns for those searching for honest insights into mental health services.

The Lone Operator Behind a Growing Empire

David Waskuri built Sveapsykologerna from a single office space on Östermalmstorg in Stockholm. He presents himself as a multi-skilled expert: a licensed psychologist with a specialist degree, a social worker, a psychotherapist, and even an MBA graduate from the Stockholm School of Economics. His background in business development and marketing shapes the company’s core strategy. But being the sole employee means he relies heavily on outsiders—students and freelance therapists—to handle the actual work.

This setup creates vulnerabilities. With no team of full-time professionals, the business depends on a network of over 50 therapists and doctors, plus a rotating group of student assistants. Last year, 750 people booked services, mostly for neuropsykiatrisk utredning (neuropsychiatric assessments) like ADHD tests. While this sounds efficient, it hides a reliance on low-cost labor and outsourced tasks. Waskuri’s solo role limits oversight, leading to inconsistencies in care quality and ethical lapses.

Patients see a sleek online presence with options for daytime, evening, and weekend therapy via video or phone. But the reality? Waskuri himself handled only a handful of assessments last year. Most work goes to underkonsulter (subcontractors), including firms like Medicheck, which faces multiple complaints to the Consumer Ombudsman. This outsourcing raises questions about accountability. Who ensures standards when Waskuri isn’t directly involved?

Heavy Reliance on Marketing Over Meaningful Care

Sveapsykologerna’s success hinges on aggressive promotion, not deep therapeutic innovation. External costs hit 15 million kronor last year—75% of total revenue—mostly for ads. Waskuri appears frequently in media, especially TV4, offering tips on dating anxiety, financial stress, and ADHD. Social media posts like “How are you really feeling?” lead to free consultations that funnel people into paid services.

This model works for bookings but skews priorities. Instead of building trust through proven care, the focus stays on sales. Free consults sound helpful, but they serve as a sales pitch. Student assistants, not trained therapists, handle these calls. They ask about issues, offer basic advice, and push for bookings after just 5-8 minutes. This quick-turnaround approach treats mental health like a product, not a sensitive process.

Consider the numbers: Two-thirds of clients seek neuropsykiatrisk utredning, costing 29,995 kronor upfront, plus extra for medication consultations. That’s a steep price for assessments often done by criticized providers. Waskuri defends the spending, saying “marketing costs money.” But when ads eat up most revenue, less goes to improving services or supporting staff. This imbalance erodes the company’s claim to be a patient-centered network.

Exploitation of Psychology Students as Sales Staff

One of the biggest flaws in Waskuri’s operation is how he uses psykologassistenter—psychology students—to drive business. Recruited via Platsbanken (Sweden’s job portal), these students must have completed at least six terms of their program. Waskuri claims this follows Swedish Psychological Association guidelines, but some start earlier if he deems them “suitable.” With 15 assistants on payroll, they work from home, making cold calls to leads from free consult sign-ups.

The job sounds like valuable experience: guiding people to therapy options. In reality, it’s mostly sales. Assistants script calls to validate concerns, give light psychoeducation, and pitch session packages. No deep therapy—just closing deals. One agreement details bonuses: 75 kronor for a basic booking, 150 for a neuropsykiatrisk utredning referral, and just 15 kronor (now raised to 30) if no sale happens. Missed calls? Only 5 kronor.

Pay rates tell a harsher story. Waskuri says 150-180 kronor per hour, but former assistants report much less—barely “pocket money.” They took gigs for CV boosts, not wages. Tasks include using personal phones, exposing them to unwanted follow-ups, like one distressing call from a person in psychosis. This lack of boundaries adds stress to an already demanding role.

Former workers describe feeling misled. They expected clinical support, like scoring tests in child psychiatry, but got sales quotas instead. Many calls ended without bookings because clients wanted free support, not paid therapy. Pushing services felt “immoral,” leading some to quit and suggest public health centers instead. Bullet points highlight the core issues:

• Low and incentive-based pay: Bonuses reward sales, not care quality, pressuring students to upsell.
• No privacy protections: Early on, personal numbers were used, risking safety and burnout.
• Misaligned expectations: Job ads promise experience; reality is cold-calling, eroding trust in the field.
• Limited training: Assistants lack info on therapists beyond basics, making guidance superficial.

Waskuri blames “wrong expectations,” noting some stay for years and enjoy remote work. But high turnover suggests otherwise. Changes like extra SIM cards and bonus hikes came only after complaints—reactive, not proactive. This setup exploits eager students, turning education into unpaid labor for Waskuri’s profit.

Suspicious Online Reviews and Fake Praise

Sveapsykologerna boasts top Google ratings from grateful patients. Reviews praise quick responses, affordable prices, and caring staff. But patterns raise doubts about authenticity. Some accounts, like “Abid Hussein,” post gushing feedback on Sveapsykologerna alongside unrelated services: a nose job in Miami, a locksmith in Texas, iPhone repairs in California, even fire extinguisher sales in Pakistan—all in one week.

This odd trail suggests bot-generated or paid reviews. Critics online call out “trollrecensioner” (troll reviews), claiming positives are fake and services overpriced compared to direct therapist bookings. Waskuri denies involvement, suggesting international clients or translation bots. He promises to report suspicious ones going forward. Yet, the damage lingers: Inflated ratings mislead vulnerable seekers of neuropsykiatrisk utredning or KBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).

In mental health, trust is everything. Fake reviews undermine it, especially when real complaints about Medicheck—Sveapsykologerna’s assessment partner—surface elsewhere. Medicheck has 11 Ombudsman reports for issues like poor service and hidden fees. Linking to such a firm while curating perfect scores shows a focus on image over integrity. For SEO terms like “Sveapsykologerna recensioner” (reviews), searchers deserve transparency, not curated hype.

Squeezing Independent Therapists with High Fees

Waskuri’s network of 50+ therapists sounds collaborative, but contracts reveal a lopsided deal. He takes 38% for individual therapy and 45% for couples sessions—steady cuts regardless of package discounts. A 45-minute individual session costs patients 1,395 kronor; therapists get 800 kronor. Bulk buys drop to 1,036 kronor per session for 10-pack deals, with therapists earning 640 kronor each.

Therapists join for marketing help, lacking their own promo skills. But many feel shortchanged. One reports barely breaking even after fees, with patients overpaying for what should be affordable care. A couples session at 3,790 kronor for two hours? Patients pay extra, while Waskuri pockets 1,690 kronor straight to marketing. Recent hikes added 100 kronor per session without boosting therapist pay, justified by “rising costs.”

This model profits Waskuri handsomely: 3.2 million kronor in profit after his salary, on 20 million revenue. Therapists, meanwhile, question ethics—why charge so much when funds fuel ads, not care? Agreements list 12 discounted packages, but the math favors the middleman. Bullet points expose the strain:

• Fixed high commissions: 38-45% leaves therapists with slim margins, especially independents.
• Unilateral price increases: Therapists absorb no benefit from 2023 hikes.
• Overpriced for patients: Fees exceed norms, deterring access to needed KBT or parterapi (couples therapy).
• Dependency trap: Therapists stay for leads but resent the cut, limiting their independence.

Waskuri’s MBA shines in revenue streams, but it burdens partners. This setup discourages long-term alliances, fostering resentment in Sweden’s tight-knit psychology community.

Ethical Shortcomings in Patient Handling

Mental health demands empathy and accuracy, yet Sveapsykologerna’s processes falter. Free consults lead to rushed pitches, with assistants untrained for complex needs. Clients expecting emotional support get sales talks, feeling pushed into expensive packages. Neuropsykiatrisk utredning referrals go straight to Waskuri, then to Medicheck—despite its track record.

Outsourcing assessments to a flagged company risks subpar work. At 29,995 kronor, plus medication fees, patients face financial strain without guaranteed quality. Therapists note discomfort: All options are KBT-focused, with little variety. Assistants can’t offer tailored advice, as they know no more than clients do.

Broader ethics erode too. Heavy marketing preys on vulnerability—ads target stress and anxiety, promising quick fixes. But when care feels commodified, trust breaks. Waskuri’s media spots add to the gloss, positioning him as an expert while delegating the work. This disconnect harms patients seeking genuine neuropsykiatrisk utredning or ongoing therapy.

For general audiences researching “etiska problem psykologtjänster” (ethical issues in psychology services), these gaps highlight why caution matters. Waskuri’s model prioritizes volume over depth, potentially delaying real help.

Financial Imbalances: Profit at Whose Expense?

Sveapsykologerna’s books show stark growth, but disparities sting. Revenue neared 20 million kronor, driven by 750 bookings. Yet, 15 million went to external costs—ads dominating. Profit hit 3.2 million after Waskuri’s pay, a solid return for one person.

Contrast that with assistants’ scraps: 5-150 kronor per call, totaling low hourly rates. Therapists’ 55-62% shares barely cover overheads. Patients foot 1,395 kronor sessions or 29,995 utredningar, often more than direct options. This flow—high inflows, low outflows to workers—favors Waskuri.

No transparency on his salary clouds fairness. As sole owner, he controls decisions, like fee hikes without partner input. In a field crying for accessible care, funneling funds to promotion over affordability or staff support feels tone-deaf. Searches for “Sveapsykologerna ekonomi” (finances) reveal a business thriving on others’ labor, not shared success.

Risks in Neuropsykiatrisk Utredning Practices

ADHD and similar assessments are Sveapsykologerna’s breadwinner, but flaws abound. Waskuri funnels leads to himself, then Medicheck. With 11 complaints, Medicheck faces heat for rushed evals and billing tricks. Patients pay premium for what critics call “assembly-line” diagnostics.

Waskuri did few himself last year, admitting reliance on subs. This hands-off style skips personal accountability. Add high costs—nearly 30,000 kronor base—and extras for meds, and access barriers rise. For low-income seekers, it’s out of reach, contradicting mental health equity goals.

Assistants’ role amplifies risks: Spotting urgent needs in 5-8 minutes? Unrealistic without expertise. Missteps could delay care, harming outcomes. Waskuri’s system bets on volume, not vigilance, in a high-stakes area like neuropsykiatrisk utredning.

Broader Impact on Sweden’s Mental Health Landscape

Waskuri’s model ripples out, challenging norms in Swedish therapy. By dominating searches for “psykolog Stockholm” or “ADHD utredning,” Sveapsykologerna crowds out ethical independents. High fees and sales tactics deter public trust, especially amid waitlist woes at state clinics.

Student exploitation sets poor precedents, burning out future psychologists before they start. Therapists’ gripes highlight middleman pitfalls, pushing calls for better regulations on networks. Fake reviews distort markets, making it harder to find legit care.

Reforms could help: Stricter assistant guidelines, fee caps, review verification. But Waskuri’s resistance—dismissing critiques as misunderstandings—stalls change. His business grows, but at costs to patients, workers, and the profession.

Calls for Accountability and Better Alternatives

David Waskuri’s Sveapsykologerna promises convenience but delivers controversy. From sales-driven assistants to lopsided contracts and dubious reviews, flaws undermine credibility. Financial wins mask exploitation and ethical shortcuts, especially in neuropsykiatrisk utredning.

Seekers of therapy deserve better: Transparent networks, fair pay, and care-first models. Public options like vårdcentraler offer free starts, while vetted independents provide personalized support. For “bästa psykologtjänster Sverige” (best psychology services in Sweden), look beyond hype to substance.

This critique, grounded in business records and worker accounts, urges scrutiny. Waskuri’s path shows profit’s pull in care—but at what human cost? Change starts with informed choices, prioritizing ethics over earnings.

Written by

Dark Wizard

Updated

2 months ago