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Self-Knowledge

Knowing yourself is the foundation of all true change and of all real transformation. It is the simplest and most direct path towards the essence of that which we seek. Whether the objective be the capacity to exist in relation with others, the capacity to live daily life or to succeed with life’s plans; or whether the goal is gaining access to healing, to confidence, to love, to happiness, to inner peace or to freedom, these are to be realized by knowledge of who we are.

Self-knowledge enables us to see that we truly and most certainly can transform ourselves, and permits us to see that the only real obstacle to change is not wanting to change.

Things that hold us back from change may be:
Thinking that we can’t change.
Not knowing how we can change.
On the path to change, following advice that harms us.
Being profoundly identified and attached to a way of life that is no longer appropriate and that limits us.
Being discouraged in the face of an overblown image of what change requires.
Thinking that the work can’t be done without pain.
Having no confidence in any method or possibility of change.

To know ourselves is to know that it is from our own needs, desires and goals that we create the life which suits us and that we decide the course of our lives.

We live our lives with who we are as starting-point. Our way of seeing life in its smallest details and our way of approaching life can either free us or subject us to the course of events, can either awake us to or make us unconscious of the nature of things, can make us happy or sad. Our vision of the world determines our way of life. There lies its source.

To know our own nature is to know our own workings, the workings of life, and it is to know the nature of existence.


The Counseling

The voyage through this life can be made without unnecessary suffering. And there is no thing or person that can oblige us to remain stuck with difficulties or in an unsatisfying life.

To be happy, the human being must find his or her own path. He must know himself, know what he wants and act accordingly. If he does not do this, it is because he is afraid or because he is unaware of that which affects him. He must then become conscious of both the wounds and the beliefs which he carries and which hold him back or limit him. He must release himself from the self-defeating obstacles which he carries within.

To take these steps, he needs to be received and accepted, listened to and understood. He needs to heal and to be guided. He needs a reassuring presence and a place where he can tell his story, without shame and without fear; and in total safety. He needs a place where he can see where he has been, where he is, and where he is going. He needs assistance to clearly, easily and quickly understand what his path is.



After having drawn up a portrait of the essence of your life or your situation, I will guide you towards your needs, your aspirations and towards the path which is yours. I will throw light on your path towards new awakenings and towards a decision-making process whose starting-point is your own choices. I will accompany you on the journey towards a life which is more in harmony with what you really seek and with what matters most for you.

Solutions to difficulties, love and inner peace, force of life and self-confidence are accessible and within our reach. The encounters that I am proposing to you represent a direct access towards the realization of happiness and the freedom which we seek.


Sources and Influences

The fields which have influenced my approach the most are the three fields of humanistic psychology, non-dualist* philosophy and the spirituality of the great teachers. This is because these fields share in common the human aspirations, that is to say the healing of suffering, the pursuit of happiness and the search for liberation. They are different paths which tend towards the same ultimate goal.

* Non-dualism: see half-way down the History page.


Structure of Sessions

To begin, simple, precise and directed questions are asked. These questions carry us to the heart of the person’s lived experiences and to the source of one’s personal story. While respecting the invitee’s personal boundaries, they bring us to the essential in the person’s life the most direct way possible. They direct us towards a clear vision and understanding of the subjects broached, while avoiding losing sight of the goal of the session and also avoiding getting sidetracked. They allow in-depth exploration of personal subjects or of fundamental questions.

A look at beliefs is often essential. Beliefs affect our lives directly. They are what we have learned about life, no longer having, on our arrival, familiarity with the truth. We make use of them to create our lives, to make choices, to make decisions. They affect the way we see life in all its details. Beliefs are at the base of our system of thought. They often prevent us from being free and from living life in accordance with our greatest desires and our greatest needs.


Recall of Certain Principles

There are certain conditions that make possible the creation of an inspiring and benevolent climate where what we are really seeking is brought to light. A context favourable to openness is thus created; favourable to the soothing of pain and to the personal development process. What are then these conditions?

With his experience, his knowledge and his understanding of how the human being and life itself function, the counselor accompanies the invitee towards a greater understanding of that which he has been through, of who he is, and of his present experience. This allows the person who is accompanied to better see where he is situated in his own life. And, knowing better what he wants to do in his life, he makes more enlightened and more conscious choices. With this new knowledge, he makes better life choices. He is at peace and feels freer.

The counselor, together with the invitee, creates a context favourable to openness and to clear insight.
Amongst other things, the counselor should have three important qualities if he is to create such an atmosphere: a capacity to listen, the capacity to understand and a quality of presence.
In the approach that I favour, the invitee must feel truly listened to. He must feel welcome and accepted, and he must have the space and the time necessary to allow him to pause and rest, tell his story and be helped with those issues which concern him the most. In this way, he can feel that he is in the right place, and at the right time. Then the counselor must be able to really understand and to clearly see the invitee’s situation. He must shed light on things and be able to see with him the essence of what he has experienced and of what he is currently living, the most fundamental points of his situation and of his personal story. He must be able to assist him in the realisation of new life plans. And finally, the counselor must have a good quality of presence: openness of the heart, broadmindedness, insight, attentiveness. I would say that this presence is often the counselor’s most important quality when attending to someone who suffers and who feels lost, or for communicating well with someone who is involved in the delicate process of personal inner searching.



On the Services page you have an outline of some subjects that may be tackled and on the Philosophy page you will see some extracts of texts on these same subjects.