Thomas Burghagen

The shrink

I'm a social psychologist and licensed cognitive and behavioral therapist. I have studied in France (Université Paris X - Nanterre, AFTCC) and Germany (University of Potsdam). For a couple of years now, I've been working as independant psychotherapist France.

My therapeutic approach is principally based on cognitive and behavioral
therapy, in its classical form as well as in its newer therapeutic fields (Acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness based therapy). Furthermore, I apply aspects of the humanistic therapy approach and the systemic approach in my work in order to adapt to a wide range of psychological problems.

I have been always fascinated by the impact that thoughts, beliefs and language can have on our behavior and our perception of reality. Through my studies and my divers experiences, I deepened my understanding of the psychological, biological, social and linguistic mechanisms that create, maintain and strengthen our habits, whether mental or behavioral, whether well adjusted or harmful. Through my multicultural practice (working with refugees, expats and humanitarian personal from divers countries) in my therapeutic work, I pay particularly attention to the individual's cultural and social cognitive heritage in the development of psychologically problematical experiences.

The focus of (3rd wave) CBT is to be found in the experience of the here and now - thoughts, emotions and the way of how a person acts today is key to how we are going to help him/her tomorrow. In my practice, I often use tools that help the patient develop fine tuned benevolent auto-analytic observation skills. Therapist and patient team up in an "exploration party" looking to understand and to dismantle the complex nod-juggle of words, thoughts, feelings and images, in short, the inner world of the suffering individual. Another key element in my work is to inform the patient clearly and transparently about the psychological mechanisms causing the problem and how the applied treatment method will have an impact. The patient becomes his/her own expert on his/her mind's life. However, knowing the problem and its roots, is often not enough to achieve change. Therefore and as a central core feature of CBT, I'll help the patient to apply and experience different solutions through exercises, first within the rooms of the practice, then in the outside world, first under my supervision then autonomously.

to Services

The therapy

Cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy can be considered as an ensemble of treatment programs for mental pathologies using tested and validated knowledge from scientific studies and experiments. CBT focuses on the patient's problems in the here and now. It uses practical exercises centered around the apparent symptoms, often expressed in behavior. The therapeutic work intervenes on the level of mental processes first, that means cognitive and emotional processes, whether conscious or not, causing the behavioral problems. CBT is a short term therapeutic approach, striving to improve the patient's condition within a few weeks or months.

Process and goals :

Create a relationship based on trust and empathy
with the patient (therapeutic alliance)
Establish a rigorous and transparent diagnostic
approach (DSM5, ICD11) , allowing the patient to
understand their problem/pathology
Elaborate together with the patient a treatment plan that
is adapted to his/her everyday life
Solve internal cognitive conflicts and deconstruct
maladaptive beliefs and assumptions
Understand one's own neurolinguistic paradoxes and
bring some distance between one's perception and
automatic metal processes
Teach strategies and techniques to manage strong
emotional reactions
Restore and improve self-esteem and self-perception by
redirecting attention to the real qualities and potentials of the person
Confronting problematic or stressing situations, using progressive habituation (imagination, partial exposure and progressive exposure)
Leaving the slippery slope of maladaptive habits

to Work

The problems

Anxiety discorder

They represent different forms of fear and anxiousness of abnormal and pathological nature. Fear itself is not a pathological thing, but the emotion can turn on us, when it becomes invasive and brings considerable suffering to the individual. The object of anxiety can vary with regard to a specific type of disorder (specific animals, places or situations - phobia; general or specific social situations - social anxiety; fear of losing control over one's body, fear of losing consciousness or worse - panic disorder [with or without agoraphobia]; fear of the future and potential upcoming catastrophic events - generalized anxiety disorder; fears of failure and mischief that can only be reduced by frequent rituals - OCD;...) In CBT, the person learns first of all to deal with his/her emotions, then to manage maladaptive cognition and expectations and, finally, how to confront "complicated" situations.

Mood disorders
The term mood disorders describes an ensemble of pathologies in which a long lasting situationally independent emotional state is having a maladaptive influence on the perception, the cognitions and the behavior of a person. The most prominent ones are the following : Depression is characterized by an intens sadness, a lack of motivation and a loss of joy and interest for the things that used to be pleasant and exiting. Bipolar disorder is associated with periods of mania and hyper-mania (feeling energetic, very happy, irritable), often followed by intens depressive episodes. CBT proposes different therapeutic programs to tackle these disorders: The patient learns to monitor his/her emotions, how to recognizes the antecedents of an episode, how to mobilize internal and external ressources and how to prevent a relapse. Sometimes, collaborating with a psychiatrist is possible in order to provide medical traitement in extrem cases.

Online Addiction
The term describes a frequent and irresistible desire to experience a certain state, independent of the person's will or effort, not to give in to that desire. The object of addictions can be substances (alcohol, cigarettes or other drugs) or forms of activity (gambling, online gaming, net-pornography or other activity related to technology, etc.). In all cases, the addictive behavior creates a disturbance in the personal (relationship, social contact, personal health) and professional live (performance, work relations). The developments of the digital revolution have helped us gaining acces to some of our most basic and fundamental needs, deeply rooted within human neurobiology. Today, big companies and firms are using the this technological backdoor into our need-systems to capture and keep our attention during extensive and growing periods of time, in order to enrich themselves. As a consquence, people can develop an exessive need for online behaviour and its associated technologies. CBT treatment can allow the patient to identify the causes and circumstances of the addictive online behavior and help to replace these demeanours by more adaptive strategies and a healthier relationship with his/her personal experience and needs.

Posttraumatic stress disorder

PTSD is characterized by frequent and intrusive memories, i.e. the re-living of one or several highly terrifying events, in which the person had been confronted with or had to witness a live threatening danger, an intense threat to his/her/someones moral integrity or heavy injury (Accident, aggression, terror attack, rape, natural catastrophes, humanitarian mission in risk zones, ...). It is a special type of anxiety disorder, but its "outstanding" nature, puts it apart from other pathologies in the same category. The flashbacks, the nightmares and memory interferences are frequent and disturb the pursuit of a normal life, even months or years after the actual events. The fear of having to re-live these terrible things again is omnipresent. In therapy we try help the person to understand and accept what has happened, to manage and reduce the anxiety when faced with situations or memories associated to the trauma, and, finally, to rebuilt a normal live, free of dark visions of future terrors. With the NET-approach ( Narrative Exposure Therapy) we seek construct and reconstruct the life story of people having sufferred through multiple traumatic events during their life time. Patients learn during the sessions to place the difficulte events into their specific contexte and how to reduce their emotional impact in their current everyday life.

Critical live events and live counseling

Live can challenge us in very different ways: relationship problems, a painful split-up, becoming a parent, challenges at work, harassment, having troubles with studying, procrastination, sleeping problems, thinking about changing one's personal or professional live in a profound manner, etc. Often, we have to deal with change, and it is not always up to us, if we want that change or not. CBT counseling allows you to recenter your perspective in order to quietly identify your difficulties and all the ideas, beliefs, goals and values associated with the problem. Furthermore, inner and outer resources will be highlighted, strengthened or developed and through a regular follow-up, your progression will be monitored and supported. .

Ancre 1

Health insurance

Social security unfortunately is not taking charge of Psychotherapy sessions in France. However, your private health insurance or union fund (mutuelle) might partly help you with the reimbursement. I suggest to contact them and find out if they are in favor of CBT treatments. Here is a list of "Mutuelles" that reimburse the majority or at least part of your CBT therapy costs.

– GMC
– CEGEMA
– SWISSLIFE
– SANTE TRANQUILLITE
– SOLLY AZAR
– COGEVIE
– THELEM ASSURANCES
– LA MUTUELLE GENERALE
– MIEL MUTUELLE
– LA MUTUELLES DU MEDECIN
– REUNICA

- CREDIT AGRICOLE
- LMDE

- MGEN

- RATP

- HARMONIE MUTUELLE

Active member of the French Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy Association (AFTCC)

Member of the Federal Association of German Psychologists (BDP) Member of the Regional Union of liberal professions (ARAPL)

ADELI : 35 93 27 39 2 SIRET : 79 14 14 88 10 00 31