Common
questions.
Answered simply, and without jargon.
If your question is not here, write to me. Questions about whether therapy is right for you are particularly welcome.
Beginning
therapy.
How do I know if therapy is right for me?
You probably don't — not with certainty, and that is entirely normal. The best way to find out is usually to have a conversation. I offer a free initial consultation, without obligation, which is simply a chance to talk and to see whether the work makes sense for your situation. Most people have a reasonable sense, after that conversation, of whether they want to continue.
What happens in the first session?
The first session is usually exploratory. I will ask you to say something about what brings you, what you are looking for, and a little about your situation. There is no particular format — it is a conversation, and it can go wherever it needs to. Nothing is required of you except a willingness to talk. The first few sessions are also a way of establishing whether the work feels useful and whether the fit between us seems right.
How long does therapy take?
There is no honest answer to this in advance. Some people find what they need in a relatively short time — months rather than years. Others are engaged in a longer, deeper process that makes sense on its own terms. I do not impose a predetermined length. The question of duration is something we return to periodically, as the work develops.
Is online therapy as effective as in-person?
For many people, yes. Online therapy has its own particular qualities — it can feel both more intimate and more boundaried than in-person work. Some people prefer it; others find that being physically in the room matters to them. I work equally with both formats and do not believe one is inherently superior. If you are undecided, this is something we can explore together.
Fees and
practicalities.
What are your fees?
My fee is discussed during the initial consultation. I work with a standard fee and, in some circumstances, with a reduced rate for people for whom cost is a genuine constraint. The fee is not posted publicly because it is part of a conversation, not a transaction — and because the conversation itself is where the work begins.
Do you accept insurance?
I do not work directly with insurance providers. Some clients are able to claim partial reimbursement through their mutuelle or complementary health insurance — this depends on your specific policy. I can provide receipts (feuilles de soin) that you can submit to your insurer if this applies to your situation.
How often do we meet?
I work primarily on a weekly basis. The regularity of meeting is part of what makes the work possible — it creates a rhythm that the therapy can use. In some circumstances, fortnightly sessions are workable, particularly in the earlier or later phases of a treatment. This is something we discuss and agree on together.
What is your cancellation policy?
Sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours notice are charged in full, except in cases of genuine emergency. This is not a punitive measure — it reflects the fact that a reserved time has a meaning, and that the relationship between regularity and therapeutic progress is real.
What to
expect.
What is psychodynamic therapy?
Psychodynamic therapy takes seriously the idea that much of what drives our behaviour, our emotional responses, and the patterns in our relationships is not fully accessible to conscious awareness. The work is not about uncovering a hidden "true self," but about developing a more honest and nuanced relationship with one's own inner life — and with the ways in which the past continues to shape the present.
What is your approach to couples therapy?
I work with couples using a relational psychodynamic approach. The aim is not conflict resolution — it is understanding. We look at the patterns that repeat, at what each person brings into the relationship from elsewhere, and at what is being communicated through argument, silence, or the particular quality of the distance between them. Both partners are present; neither is the identified patient.
Do you work with people who are not in crisis?
Yes — and this is often the most productive context for the work. Many of the people I work with are not in acute crisis. They are people who sense that something is not working, or who want to understand themselves and their relationships more clearly, or who are navigating a significant life transition. Therapy does not require suffering to justify it.
Another question?
If something important is not addressed here, write to me. Questions about whether this work might suit your situation are particularly welcome.
Write to me