Seeking help is not an easy step.

It involves becoming aware, at least partially, of a form of psychological distress, which can be difficult to accept.

You, or your child, may be experiencing difficulties in your personal life or at work.

You might want to investigate the deeper meaning of existence, or simply to become more aware of yourself and your limitations, in order to find joy and freedom. 

You may be an expatriate facing cultural misunderstandings, the distance from loved ones, or feelings of homesickness. My own similar experience of relocation—combined with the ability to speak in your native language and share cultural references—will make your therapy more fluid and exhaustive, helping yourself regain clarity and confidence, and help your child feel secure and adapt more easily to her new environment.

We naturally tend to minimize anything that doesn’t seem like a “real illness,” to think it will pass on its own, to overestimate our strength. It’s also not easy to accept help from someone we don’t know, when our instinct is often to first talk to those close to us—family, friends. And yet, despite their good intentions and willingness to listen, loved ones are often not the best suited to help. Psychological issues require unbiased listening and emotional distance, which loved ones cannot provide, and which calls for the help of a professional: a psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or psychoanalyst.

Overcoming these initial obstacles is difficult, but if you’ve decided to seek help, that’s a strong beginning.

 

Which method?

Who should you see: a psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or psychoanalyst?

All are qualified to treat psychological disorders, though not necessarily the same ones (for example, someone suffering from serious psychotic disorders must be treated by a psychiatrist), and not in the same way. The main difference lies in the treatment method.

The psychoanalytic method—which is the one I offer—aims to trace the origin of psychological troubles, often unconscious and conflictual, and to strengthen your defenses against these conflicts. The goal is to help you manage them better, so they no longer hinder your personal growth, in order to restore a healthier relationship with yourself and others.

 

A psychotherapy helps to uncover the contents of your unconscious—and be free to respond to them, or not.

Psychoanalysis does not focus solely on symptoms; it is based on deep, in-depth work to try to untangle the root causes of those symptoms. That said, it does not necessarily mean the treatment will be very long.

In the end, whatever type of support or treatment suits you best, the relationship of trust you build with your therapist is essential.This is why I invite you for a free initial consultation session, which entails no commitment other than allowing yourself to be listened to with kindness by someone who deeply understands transitions, identity and cultural challenges.