Alain Grandhenry

Systemic therapy teaches us that the symptom "says something" to members of the community (often the family and/or the social-professional milieu) in terms of changing relationships. When did the symptoms emerge? What was happening at that time in the environment, the relational context? What new events have disrupted the balance? The therapy will therefore be interested in present and past relationships in order to understand what, if anything, is being replayed in terms of adjusting emotional distances, affects that have been "affected" and that have triggered the appearance of difficulties, of "ill-being". Offering a guarantee of professional listening equipped by university training and experience is certainly important and primordial, it is the necessary condition for therapy, but in my opinion it is not sufficient. To offer a secure framework by creating a climate of confidence where the humanity which is in each one of us finds its rightful place, such is the state of mind of the consultation. A warm welcome, benevolence, kindness, empathy, non-judgment and unconditional respect for the patient's "experiences" while adopting an unconditional positive attitude towards the person, who he is, are the key words and milestones that must order the "patient-therapist" encounter.