CBT · Paris
Depression, self-esteem & life changes
Three issues that are often linked: a mood that stays low, a fragile relationship with yourself, and periods of change that shake your bearings. One can lead to another, but each can also come on its own.
Each one calls for specific work in CBT.
Depression and mood disorders
Depression is more than sadness. It affects energy, pleasure, sleep, concentration and how you see yourself. It can follow a difficult event, or build up gradually with no obvious cause.
- Losing interest or pleasure in things that used to matter.
- Tiredness, slowing down, finding it hard to get going.
- Negative thoughts about yourself, the future or the world.
- Mood swings, irritability, a sense of emptiness.
- Changes in sleep or appetite.
Low energy → pulling back from activities → less pleasure → lower mood
For depression: getting moving again
CBT relies in particular on behavioural activation: gradually returning to activities that feel meaningful or good, to get your drive going again rather than waiting for it to come back.
We also work on negative automatic thoughts and rumination, which keep low mood going.
If your mood is very low or dark thoughts appear, medical advice matters alongside therapy. In an emergency in France, call 3114 (suicide prevention) or 15.
Self-esteem, confidence and assertiveness
Self-esteem is the value you give yourself. Self-confidence is the sense that you are able to act. Assertiveness is the ability to express your needs, limits and opinions with others, without shrinking back or overpowering.
- Harsh self-criticism, fear of not being good enough.
- Finding it hard to say no, to ask, or to disagree.
- Needing approval, fearing conflict or rejection.
- Constantly comparing yourself to others.
- Tending to hold back — or, on the contrary, to react too strongly.
For self-esteem: practical work
We identify the beliefs about yourself that have settled in over time — "I'm not … enough" — and test them against the reality of your experience.
Assertiveness is worked on very practically: spotting difficult situations, practising how to make a request, say no or give feedback clearly and respectfully, then trying it out in real life.
Life changes
Some periods shake your bearings, even when the change is chosen. They call for adjusting, making choices, and sometimes redefining who you are.
- Career choices, a change of career, job loss, burnout.
- Finishing studies, starting work, retirement.
- Separation, bereavement, a birth, changes in the family.
- Moving house, living abroad, immigration.
- Questions of identity and belonging, or tension between different sets of values.
- A search for meaning, a sense of being at a turning point.
For life changes: getting clear and moving forward
We clarify what is at stake: what you are leaving behind, what you are looking for, what really matters to you. The work helps you make decisions, live with uncertainty and move forward step by step, true to your values.