Maïeusthésie: My Approach to Counselling in Victoria, BC
A gentle, respectful, person-centred approach at the heart of my work, in English or French.
What is maïeusthésie?
The word comes from Greek: maieutikē, “the art of helping someone give birth”, and aisthēsis, “feeling, perceiving”. Maïeusthésie (sometimes written “maieusthesia” in English) is the art of sensitively supporting the birth of the self: helping a person reconnect with, and fully become, who they are.
The approach was developed in France by Thierry Tournebise. It focuses first on the person, more than on the problem or the information. What matters is not only what is happening to you, but who you are in the middle of it.
A different way of looking at difficulties
When we go through something too painful, a part of us is often set aside so that we can keep going. This is a natural form of protection, and it serves us. But that part is not forgotten: a recurring feeling, a sense of unease, tiredness, or a reaction that takes us by surprise keeps reminding us of it.
In maïeusthésie, these signals are not enemies to silence. They are like buoys at sea: they mark where something important is waiting to be recognized. When that part of you is finally welcomed and understood, a sense of calm often follows on its own, without any part of your story being denied or erased.
What a session looks like
- You know the way. I am a bit like a driver without the map: you hold it, and together we explore your inner landscape at your own pace.
- I don’t steer you. I have no ready-made plan for you. I ask questions without assuming the answer, and you never have to answer.
- I listen to truly understand you. I reflect back what you say to make sure I have understood, and I acknowledge the good reasons you have for feeling or acting as you do.
- It is less about telling your story than meeting yourself. When the time is right, we may reconnect with the person you once were, for example during a hard period of your life, and give them the recognition they never received.
- The body has a voice too. Tension, pain or tiredness can carry their own message, one worth listening to.
Everything happens gently and with care. Many people feel, after a session, that inner tension has eased and that they are more at peace with themselves.
How is it different?
- Understanding rather than fixing. The aim is not to get rid of a symptom or correct a flaw, but to understand what it is pointing to.
- The person before the problem. The focus is on who you are, more than on what you do or what happens to you.
- No imposed solutions. I don’t want anything for you; I am with you in what you are going through, and I trust what is seeking to grow in you.
- Your whole journey matters. The different stages of your life, and sometimes your family history, may have something to say.
I am a certified practitioner in maïeusthésie, and this approach is the anchor of my practice.
To learn more, you can visit the official maïeusthésie website (in French).
Wondering whether this approach is right for you? Book a free 15-minute conversation to ask your questions.