Read this article published in Cercle Psy’s Hors-Série « Who are psychologists really? »

Neither psychologists, nor psychoanalysts, nor psychiatrists, they nevertheless intend to practice psychotherapy. Who are psychopractitioners? And what do psychologists think of them?

Tucked away in their offices, psychology professionals who cannot claim the title of psychotherapist practice under a variety of names: the majority call themselves psychopractitioners, but there are also psychocounselors, psychoanalysts, psychosomatic therapists, mental health counselors… The list is long. Regulation of the title of psychotherapist has led to this proliferation. « It’s a pity that the law didn’t take into account all these designations, which are clearly intended to circumvent it, » laments Jacques Borgy, clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and General Secretary of the Syndicat national des psychologues (SNP).

« Psychopratician?

« Psychopratician » is now the term used to describe the hundreds of professionals who undertake training in psychotherapy other than those regulated by law. A terminology agreed upon by the associations representing the profession:  » Various names were considered. In the end, a consensus was reached on the term psychopratician, adopted by AFFOP. [Association fédérative française des organismes des psychothérapies relationnelle et psychanalytique, n.d.l.r.], SNPpsy [Syndicat national des praticiens en psychothérapie relationnelle et psychanalyse, n.d.l.r.], FF2P [Fédération française de psychothérapie et psychanalyse, n.d.l.r.], Psy’G [Groupement syndical des praticiens de la psychologie, psychothérapie, psychanalyse en exercice libéral, n.d.l.r.], and Psy en mouvement« , notes Bruno Décoret, psychologist, doctor of psychology, psychotherapist and president of the organization Psy en mouvement, on his website (1). This terminology does not designate a title as such, but rather the name of an activity, as might be the case for computer specialists. As a result, it’s difficult to determine which professionals are hiding behind this term, which comes in many variations: psychocorporal psychopractitioner, neuro-psychopractitioner, multi-referential psychopractitioner… ». We complement psychologists. While psychologists focus more on the why, we help patients find solutions, in particular with the tools of neuro-linguistic programming. *Nathalie Jacquet-Moitié, clinical psychoanalyst, co-director of the Institut Européen de Psychologie Appliquée (IEPA) and co-founder of the Psy en mouvement association.

« As these practitioners do not have the minimum training in psychopathology required by law, they say they do not diagnose or treat serious pathologies. But how do they know that the people they treat have only mild disorders? Psychopathology isn’t written on patients’ foreheads « warns Jacques Borgy.

Watch out for abuses!

Why haven’t these practitioners opted for state-recognized training? Lack of motivation to follow at least five years of assiduous teaching, punctuated by anxiety-inducing midterms? Or have they chosen to « flirt » with alternative methodologies? In the case of her students, Nathalie Jacquet-Moitié cites a lack of availability:  » Most of our students are aged between 30 and 40, and already have a job and a family to support. Their schedules don’t allow them to take courses at university. That’s why we offer evening courses and weekend internships.  » These psychotherapists are trained at various fee-paying training centers, with varying degrees of credibility and professionalism. The words « certifying training » that many of them display mean that, at the end of the training, a certificate is issued that is recognized by the federations claiming the same methodology, and not by the State itself. In short, it’s not enough to attest to the legitimacy of these courses. Their content is left to the whim of each school director. Some schools teach psychotherapy in one or two years, others suddenly increase their fees during the course of their students’ studies, and still others offer hypnosis training by correspondence: « Distance hypnosis training with paper and audio support, or by e-mail, lasting a minimum of one month and progressing at your own pace », as one online training center puts it. Faced with the multiplicity of such practices, Nathalie Jacquet-Moitié adds:  » I don’t affiliate my school with any other existing schools, which is why we haven’t adopted the title of psychopractitioner but that of clinical psychoanalyst. Unlike most schools, our theoretical teaching is in line with that of the university, and our courses and teachers are declared to the Rectorat every year. And our students can apply to the Faculty of Psychology for a University Diploma (DU) at Master 1 or 2 level.  »

The excesses of these alternative training courses and the disrespectful practices of some of these professionals have led to an outcry from psychologists. On the www.ordredespsychologues.fr website, associations denounce « the explosion in the commodification of the psyche, the trade in empty training courses and abusive practices inspired by psychology, and the worrying exposure of the public to the multiplication of practices relating to the psyche that are charlatanic, superficial, uncontrolled, dangerous and sectarian« . Protecting users from these aberrations is the raison d’être of the Psychothérapie Vigilance association: « For the past fifteen years, under the guise of psychotherapy, professionals have been indulging in experiments that are literally criminal and punishable by the courts« , denounces Guy Rouquet, the association’s president, on his website (2). The backlash? A general loss of confidence in these practitioners, without distinction, at the risk of condemning good therapists too… ∞

(1) See www.psy-en-mouvement.com
(2) See www.psyvig.com

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