Brossard, Francesca

HELPING INDIVIDUALS & COUPLES. Relationship counselling
Sometimes it seems as if everybody else is in a happy relationship except us. We long to find a loving, attractive partner but meeting and trusting someone seems so elusive. For the lucky ones who meet "the one", everything is so magical and harmonious at the start.

But as time goes on and life gets in the way, suddenly stumbling blocks appear and we question whether we are really happy. Shall I stay or shall I go? Whether we are alone or in a relationship, at times, we need confidential help from a trained professional who can guide us to find our true values, lost magic and new beginnings.

English: Home: Welcome
MY STORY
Psychological counselling
I have been working in psychology, clinical sexology and couple counselling since 2008. I am an accredited psychotherapist in the UK and Switzerland. I use a 3rd wave cognitive-behavioural approach, aiming for mutually defined solutions within a minimal time frame.

Whilst I acknowledge and explore each person's origins and shaping influences from their past, my focus is on "the here and now" with the potential of future improvements.…Having lived in various countries and having a mixed cultural heritage, I am comfortable working with people of all ages, cultures and sexual orientations.

Member of the following associations:
The British Psychological Society (BPS). Swiss Society of Psychologists  (FSP). Swiss Institute of Hypnosis  (IRHyS)
Swiss Society of Clinical Hypnosis  (SHyPS)
The Swiss Association of Complementary Medicine  (ASCA)
Swiss Society of Sexology (SSS)
International Society of Schema Therapy (ISST)
l’Institut Sexocorporel International (ISI)
European Society of Sexual Medicine (ESSM)
Get in Touch
SOLUTIONS BASED APPROACH
INDIVIDUAL SESSION
A one-off exploratory consultation, a particular issue or a need for deeper exploration.

Finding one's confidence after a health, relationship or professional crisis. Getting ready to date again after a divorce or a long period of celibacy. Explore the patterns you keep repeating in life. even when you change partners, jobs, home or country.

COUPLE COUNSELLING
Life stages that bring about new needs and desires and that destabilise what was once a happy relationship. What to do? One partner wants more intimacy, a different type, the other less or none. Our bodies and minds are in constant evolution and we don't always both evolve in the same way.

How to negotiate changes in the couple without drifting apart or damaging each other? CLINICAL HYPNOSIS
A long acquired habit or a sudden fear. Chronic stress or acute pain. Hypnosis can be a powerful tool to help us work with the automatic, sub-conscious processes that we seem to have no control over.

From a few sessions to integrating self-hypnosis into your life, come and explore how to become a master of these mechanisms. The following are some of the problems for which hypnosis can be used synergistically in therapy:
Addictions (substances including alcohol and tobacco)
Phobias (i.e. fear of flying)
Anxiety (e.g.panic attacks) & depression
Sleep problems
Pain (chronic or acute)
Attention deficit
Sexual dysfunctions
Menopause related issues
Weight loss
Exam stress & student blockages
MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is a way of life, bringing ancient wisdom into your day.

It is a way of becoming aware of your inner and outer reality, slowing down and accepting with compassion what cannot be changed. It is a way of interacting with others, accentuating cooperation, kindness and emotional regulation. Useful for stress management, pain and finding the joy and quality in life.

Group sessions for specific problems can be arranged upon request. Common areas:
Stress management
Depression and relapse prevention
Pain
Ageing
SCHEMA THERAPY
Why do we repeat patterns in our relationships, whether with friends, lovers or family? Find out what your life traps are, how you tend to react and what are your unmet needs.

Through an in-depth exploration using inventories, imagery rescripting and chair work, issues such as dependence, promiscuity, insecurity and perfectionism can be reduced helping you be the happier, secure adult you wish to be. DREAM WORK
Working with dreams, once reserved for psychoanalysis, can be integrated into a cognitive-behavioural approach.

Dreams can be presented in therapy. The therapist helps the client to make meaning of the material and make connections with schemas (repetitive maladaptive patterns). This thought-provoking and creative activity can unearth rich material to be used in the therapeutic process.

FAQS
Your Questions Answered
WHAT ARE YOUR FEES? Psychotherapy session: 155 CHF/60 minutes
Couple counselling: 232 CHF/90 minutes
Evening/weekend session: Please note a 25% surcharge will be made. HOW AND WHEN DO I PAY? Sessions are paid in full after the session by credit card, TWINT or by bank transfer for regular clients.

If you have Swiss Insurance, you can get your sessions reimbursed by your basic insurance (LAMAL) if your GP or other Swiss Doctor fills in a prescription form. This form can be obtained through email or on the site. WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS MY SESSION? Please note that any cancellation must be made at least 24 hours in advance, otherwise
you will be charged
For a missed couple counselling session of 90 minutes, 232CHF will be charged.

If you come late for your session or miss it you will need to pay full amount of the session. DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS? Within Switzerland private sessions can be paid through TWINT. From abroad a Bank transfère can be arranged. CAN I BOOK AN INTAKE SESSION?

Please call for an initial phone consultation. This will allow us to discuss the nature of the problem and if I can help you. This phone session is free and  will take 5-10 minutes. Subsequent appointments can be booked at the end of the session or online.

CAN MY SESSIONS BE REIMBURSED? Please check with your individual health insurance whether your session can be reimbursed. The sessions are covered by basic insurance in Switzerland but a prescription form has to be filled in by your Swiss medical doctor
BEFORE STARTING THERAPY.

CAN I HAVE THE CONSULTATION IN ENGLISH? Yes, of course. I am English and have done part of my education in the UK. I am up to date with the latest theories and approaches in Switzerland and abroad. CAN I BOOK AN INTAKE SESSION? All appointments are made directly with me.

You can contact me by email, phone or on WhatsApp to organise a session. CAN I HAVE A CONSULTATION ONLINE? Yes of course. For people who travel or who are based abroad, we can arrange a session through Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp. This is also the case for couples who are geographically apart.

DO YOU WORK OUTSIDE OFFICE HOURS? My office hours are 12.00 -19.30, Monday to Friday. Appointments after those hours during the week or on Saturday or Sunday can be arranged through Zoom and will be charged at a rate of 180CHF an hour. HOW LONG DOES THERAPY LAST?

This really depends on what brings you to therapy. Some therapies can be as short as 1-2 sessions, some can last a year or two if they are long-standing problems revolving around pathologies. HOW DOES THERAPY END? When you have made the progress that satisfies you and have learnt new tools and strategies.

The door is always open to reach out and come back if there is a new issue to deal with or if you just wish to have a "top up" session. Still have more questions? Get in touch and I’ll be happy to answer them as soon as possible. Suggestions
Your comments and suggestions matter.

Please address them to me at
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Quai Gustave-Ador, 18 , Geneva, Switzerland
PLEASE NOTE, ALL APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE IN PERSON VIA EMAIL
Francesca
.brossard@gmail.com OR WHATSAPP
AND ACCORDING TO AVAILABILITY. NEWS & TIPS
Popular requests
I have been getting requests for women and men in relationships who hesitate to consult as they have the belief that one goes to couple therapy as