Starting therapy

Once the decision to go to therapy has been made, a new challenge arises : finding the person most suitable to help you.

Contact details

My practice is located at 2 Jules Lejeune street in 1050 Ixelles.

You can reach me by telephone on +32 (0)477 625 782.
If I cannot answer, please leave me a voicemail and let me know your availabilities.

I do not work by text messages (SMS) or instant messaging.

Therapy sessions last 45 minutes and cost 70 EUR. If you are a student or under financial strain, I yield time slots at a lower rate.

I also offer a single counselling session that focuses on a precise matter you wish to gain more clarity on. This consultation lasts 90 minutes and costs 150 EUR.

Most mutual insurance companies partially reimburse sessions through a form (Partenamut, Mutualité chrétienne, Hélan, Mutualité neutre…) that you can print out and bring to your appointment for me to fill out.

Some mutual insurance companies will not reimburse sessions that cost more than a threshold determined by them (Solidaris) or that are given by subsidised practitioners (CAAMI), neither of which I subscribe to.

If you have a private insurance or work for the European Commission, I will give you an official receipt that you can enclose with your reimbursement claim.

You can find an overview of my agenda on the DoctorAnytime website. Please note availabilities vary throughout the week hence some may not appear in real time. Should you not find a suitable time slot, do not hesitate to contact me directly by phone in order to find one.

The type of therapy I practice, and why

The approach I use is based on principles that yield long-term results given the transformations that take place during the course of treatment.

These principles come from several currents of psychology and psychoanalysis. They are enhanced with esoteric and philosophical thoughts that gain perspective. This is called an integrative approach.

Psychology allows us to apprehend human thoughts and behaviours in order to understand and anticipate a certain number of them.

Psychoanalysis is based on a fundamental notion: the unconscious. This part of our psyche, mysterious and powerful, plays a considerable role in thoughts and behaviours that we cannot explain. Everyone has free will and bears responsibility for their actions – and therefore their life. This is why it is crucial to be able to do them consciously. However, many human beings have not had the resources necessary to cope with life and to feel they can thrive in it. A lot of suffering had to be forgotten, repressed in the unconscious, to continue living… or rather surviving.

This is why my approach is mainly aimed at gaining awareness through highlighting unconscious patterns that hinder our freedom of thought and action. Giving yourself the chance to act consciously transforms your life and has the gift of relieving the symptoms (e.g. depression, burn-out, alcohol consumption, etc.) that led to seeking therapy.

Esotericism and philosophy remind us that knowledge is not enough to navigate serenely in the world in which we evolve. There will always be – and fortunately so – something beyond us that we will not be able to fully grasp… Which can be frustrating but guarantees us freedom of thought and the promise of always having something to discover.

How do sessions work?

A first appointment will allow us to get to know one another and to discuss in more depth what leads you to consult. Then the only exercise that is required of you during therapy will begin: to say everything that comes to mind, without filtering or censoring yourself. Which can be rather more complicated than it seems ! But it gives the opportunity to express oneself like nowhere else and to discover, sometimes with astonishment, what happens…

As you speak, I will not only listen to what you are saying but also pay attention to what is being said beyond words, unconsciously. I will occasionally intervene with questions, observations and interpretations while leaving room for silence and its distinctive properties.

Sessions take place on a weekly basis, on the same day at the same time. Regularity is essential to therapy. Indeed, knowing that you are expected every week in a space and at a time entirely devoted to you is therapeutic in itself. In addition, regularity is necessary to push forward in the discovery of yourself. Just like one learns a language better by practicing regularly.

Should your schedule require flexibility, we will schedule the month’s sessions in advance.

Sessions may take place online or on the phone by prior arrangement.

How long does therapy last ?

It is not easy to determine the duration of therapy since it depends on a number of factors, such as the symptoms that lead to consultation or one’s ability to speak freely. In general, therapy lasts from 8 months to 3 years. It may of course last less time or take longer.

The decision to end therapy usually stems from reasons specific to each individual: a sense of well-being that is considered sufficient, a satisfactory resolution or evolution of symptoms, a move or a deep inner transformation that positively impacts all aspects of life.

Is this the right therapy for you?

The right therapy will first and foremost be the one where you feel at ease with your therapist. Studies conducted on patients satisfied with their therapy years after its completion show they most often attributed their therapy’s success to the quality of the therapeutic alliance, i.e. their collaboration with their therapist.

That being said, your therapist should be able to assess whether their approach is right for you. An initial consultation may sometimes lead a therapist to refer the patient to another professional deemed best placed to help them, or to encourage the patient to receive additional care during therapy (e.g. talk to their GP/physician about a course of medication to help deal with their depression).

No matter whom you select to help you, it is crucial to trust yourself and talk to your therapist if you feel uncertain their approach is the best fit for you. It can be difficult if you feel vulnerable or exhausted, but any therapist is required to welcome their patients’ questions or doubts, as well as to respect their eventual wish to end therapy.

Good to know

1. Since it may not be easy to find one’s way around:
   • A psychologist holds a master’s degree in one of the specialized fields of psychology.
   • A clinical psychologist is specialised in mental health and has a fundamental understanding of psychotherapy.
   • A psychotherapist is a clinical psychologist who holds a post-master’s certificate in psychotherapy from a recognised institution. They help their patients recover or optimise their mental health through regular sessions.
   • A psychoanalyst can be a psychologist or a medical doctor (psychiatrist or not), a philosopher or a sociologist…
     Practicing psychoanalysis used to be the prerogative of medical doctors but can now be practiced by anyone who has been duly trained in psychoanalysis and has done an analysis with a certified psychoanalyst.
   • A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specialised in the treatment of mental disorders. They can prescribe medication, whereas psychologists cannot. They may choose to study and practice psychoanalysis or psychotherapy after their medical studies.
2. It is recommended not to consult the therapist of someone you know, especially if their therapy is still ongoing. Even if it has ended, should that friend or acquaintance wish to resume sessions at some point, this duality could cause interference in your respective therapies.
   Alternatively, their therapist may be able to recommend another experienced professional to help you.
3. There are state-subsidised mental health services (SSM, Services de Santé Mentale) throughout Belgium where psychologists can be consulted at a very affordable price. The same goes for planned parenthood centres.
   They are available to all residents, who will most often be put on a waiting list before having access to a therapist.
4. All therapists are bound by professional secrecy and may only disclose pieces of information under certain circumstances:
   • The content shared must be aimed at optimizing the patient’s therapy and be limited to what is strictly necessary
   • They may not transmit any details or sets of details that would allow another person to identify their patient
   • They must obtain their patient’s prior consent if they are to discuss their condition with another health professional (e.g. the patient’s GP/physician)
   • They may reveal their patient’s identity to the authorities should they strongly believe them to be at risk of harming themselves or others (the risk must be serious, imminent and have a high degree of certainty of occurring)
   • They are summoned to do so in the context of a judicial case, by a court order. This is the only instance in which a psychologist may be required to fill in a file about their patient (*).
     In all other instances, the decision to comply with a file request will be left entirely to the psychologist’s discretion.

(*) With the exception of psychologists sanctioned by the INAMI, who are required to draw up a functional assessment about their patient (cf. Article 7 of the INAMI agreement) and send it to the INAMI (National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance).

© Raphaëlle Sapieha 2025