Do you have to be traumatized to see a psychologist?

It is not easy for everyone to enter a psychologist’s office to take care of the psyche. Some, despite seeming suffering, don’t feel “legitimate” to see a mental health professional and are almost afraid to replace someone who needs it more. It was as if experiencing a traumatic event that produced intense emotions, feelings of helplessness, or terror were the only valid reasons for seeking psychotherapy. But is it really so?

Mental suffering

“You don’t have to be traumatized to see a psychologist,” Marie-Victoire Chopin, a clinical psychologist, immediately answers. All suffering is legitimate and worthy of care.” The psychologist also intervenes in the daily work of patients, understanding the ways of reacting to situations and communicating with others, as well as in pathological situations, he reports. “In psychology, we are primarily interested in how emotions, thought processes, and behavior interact within each person to define identity and the way they see the world.”

The simple fact of feeling a desire or a need is reason enough to make an appointment. Emotions and repetitive behaviors can be good indicators for identifying a need. Anxiety, stress, reflections… “If we regularly find ourselves in a situation of disappointment, incomprehensibility, anger, sadness, then it is important to take them into account,” says the clinical psychologist. And this, even if the situation does not seem “so dramatic” to us. “Recognizing the problem and discussing it with a specialist is a matter of a certain lifestyle and self-respect,” he claims.

Good listening

You also don’t have to wait until you’re sick to get counseling, adds Delfina Pee, a clinical psychologist who specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy and a comic book author. The other side of the couch. In the life of my psychologist (1). “For example, we may question our values ​​and what gives meaning to our existence,” he says. Or you just want to know yourself better and regulate your emotions on a daily basis.”

Because that’s what psychotherapy is all about: achieving a better understanding of yourself and others. “If we consult a psychologist, we will first receive a caring and non-judgmental hearing,” promises Delfina Pee. In cognitive and behavioral therapies, the patient works hand-in-hand with the therapist to feel good on three axes.” And these goals can apply to anyone.

(1) The other side of the couch. In the life of my psychologistBy Delphine Pea (Ed. Leduc), 160 pages, 20.90 euros.