This paper reports on a survey on the use of practice guidelines in psychiatry. The survey consists of semi-structured interviews with the heads of the postgraduate programmes in psychiatry in the Netherlands. The respondents have given their opinions among other things on advantages and disadvantages of practice guidelines, the differences and similarities with the use in somatic medicine and their expectations for the future. The respondents were divided into three groups on the basis of their reactions: the `emotional', the `mixed' and the `rational' group. These groups correspond to the respondents' different positions in the process of changing. In the discussion the backwardness of psychiatry in the use of practice guidelines is evaluated. Different strategies for advancing the implementation of practice guidelines are recommended.