English-speaking psychologist, near La Défense

Therapy in English, in person

La Défense is the largest business district in Europe, and home to a large international community. Many people who move to the Paris region for work find that, when it comes to speaking about what really matters, their mother tongue, or simply English, allows a freedom that a second language does not. I offer that: in-person sessions in English, in a stable and confidential setting, a few minutes from the esplanade.

Who I work with

I see adults, adolescents and children. Among the people who come to me are expatriates and international professionals working at La Défense and in the surrounding towns (Courbevoie, Puteaux, Neuilly), as well as long-term residents who prefer to work in English. Common reasons include the strain of relocation and isolation, work-related stress and burnout, anxiety, low mood, relationship and family difficulties, or simply the wish to understand oneself better. You do not need to be in crisis to come.

My approach

I work in a psychodynamic, analytic tradition. In practice, this does not mean silence or the couch by default; it means paying attention to what, beneath the symptoms, is trying to be said, and taking your own history seriously rather than applying a standard protocol. The aim is not only to ease a symptom, but to understand what keeps returning, so that change can last. It is patient work, and I am honest about that: it is not the fastest route, but often a deeper one. If you would like an overview of the different methods (CBT, EMDR, hypnosis, analytic therapy) and what the research actually says, I have written about it (in French) on this page.

Finding your way in the French system

For newcomers, a few landmarks help. Care in France is organised on two levels: the public sector, free of charge, through local mental-health centres (CMP) attached to your area of residence, with longer waiting times; and the private (libéral) sector, like my practice, with direct access and free choice of practitioner, but paid out of pocket. Sessions with a private psychologist are usually not reimbursed by social security, though some private insurers cover part of the fee on receipt. In an emergency, call 15; for psychological distress or suicidal thoughts, 3114 is free and available 24/7. If at any point a public, multidisciplinary or free setting would suit you better, I will say so.

Practical information