The wish to change

Some people seek help because a substance or a behaviour has taken up too much space: alcohol, cannabis, gambling, screens, food. Others come without a specific “problem”, but with the feeling of going round in circles, repeating the same difficulties in their relationships or work, or not fully living the life they would like.

In both cases, the aim is to understand what keeps repeating, what it soothes or helps avoid, and to find other ways of doing things. This work often takes time, kindness towards yourself and support that does not judge.

Addiction

We speak of addiction when a person loses control over a substance or a behaviour, and continues despite the negative consequences for their health, relationships, work or finances. Addiction can involve substances (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, medication) or behaviours (gambling, video games, shopping, sex, screens).

Addiction is neither a vice nor a lack of willpower. It often develops because the substance or behaviour was first a solution: to relax, sleep, forget, cope with anxiety or loneliness. For people living abroad, isolation and the stress of adjustment can play a part. Understanding this function is an essential step towards being able to do without it. I work in addiction medicine and psychiatry at the Centre Hospitalier de Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or, and I also support people with these difficulties in my private practice. To find out more: addiction: alcohol, cannabis, gambling, screens.

Personal development

In psychology, personal development is not a demand to be ever more high-performing or positive. It is work to know yourself better, understand how you function, your emotions and your history, and gain freedom in your choices. It can focus on self-esteem and self-confidence, assertiveness, difficulty making decisions, relationship patterns that repeat, or the big questions of meaning that run through a life. To find out more: personal development and self-esteem.

What links these two paths

Addiction and personal difficulties are often linked. Low self-esteem, social anxiety or emotions that are hard to live with can encourage a habit; conversely, coming out of an addiction often raises deep questions about who you are and what you want. In both cases, therapy does not only aim to stop a behaviour, but to build a calmer, freer relationship with yourself.

How I can help

My approach is integrative (find out more). Cognitive behavioural tools help you spot risky situations, manage cravings and put new habits in place. The systemic approach takes into account those around you, often deeply affected by an addiction, whom I can see when that helps. Existential and psychoanalytic approaches make it possible to explore what, in each person’s history and choices, is being replayed today.

Sessions last about 50 minutes, at the Brotteaux practice, 134 rue de Sèze in Lyon 6th, or by video, in English, French or Portuguese. Fees are listed on the home page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to have stopped using before starting therapy?

No. You can start therapy at any point, including when you are still unsure about changing. The goal, stopping completely or cutting down, is agreed together.

Someone close to me has an addiction: can I seek help for myself?

Yes. The people around someone with an addiction often experience great suffering and a sense of powerlessness. Support can help you take care of yourself and find the right place alongside your loved one.

Is personal development a form of therapy?

Doing personal development work with a psychologist means relying on a clinical framework and validated approaches, with a professional trained to recognise any deeper psychological suffering. You do not need to be unwell to seek help.

Useful resources