Afraid to see a therapist ?

The idea for the book Mon psy & moi came from an observation : many people are still afraid to see a therapist, and there are a lot of clichés about therapists and psychotherapy. So I wanted to write this book to help people feel more comfortable walking through the door of a therapist’s office and to share my experience as a psychologist.
I had the pleasure of being invited to appear on the RFI program Priorité santé to talk about the fear of seeing a psychologist : “Overcoming your fear of the psychologist.”

I wrote it in a question-and-answer format with illustrations, using a light tone and a touch of humor. And fundamentally, I want people to feel free to ask psychologists any questions they want, so that it’s no longer a mysterious or impenetrable world.

I selected these 60 questions by thinking about all the questions people might ask when they are unfamiliar with the world of psychologists and psychotherapists, and all the stereotypes that surround it. Some of the questions come from my patients, who have shared with me their difficulties in coming to see me, and the stigma that is still very much present when you say you are going to see a psychologist.

The most revealing question in the book about preconceived notions about psychologists is : “Does going to see a psychologist mean you’re crazy ? ” This idea that psychologists are only for crazy people, or people labeled as weak or vulnerable. People can seek counseling for a variety of reasons, and I don’t think anyone is completely invulnerable.

If I had to convince someone who is afraid to see a therapist, I would say : “It’s not weird to be afraid. Therapists are people just like everyone else. Psychotherapy can be very practical, and you can learn new behaviors at any age !”