Nice Premium: Who is behind this “K fait psy”?
Fabien Berrais: We were more or less inspired by various things happening at the national level. It was very important for us to find a gathering place and have an opportunity to speak, bringing a little bit of the psychological dimension into the public forum. It seemed obvious to the entire collective, in continuation of our work from July 1st, to set up psycho cafés. We found the idea of starting from a café philos concept and turning it into a psycho café to be quite good.
NP: At the national level, what were you inspired by?
FB: For example, there are some university dorms that adopt the principle of meeting around a coffee, in a friendly space, to talk about psychology. We were inspired by such initiatives.
NP: What is the objective of this “K fait psy”?
FB: There are multiple objectives. The first is to get people out of their homes, to meet, think, and discuss. It’s like a support group, even if it isn’t actually one. The goal is to revisit societal concepts. Psychology is not merely an individual matter, nor is it only for when things are going wrong. There is also the possibility of bringing proposals and different ways of thinking to solve everyday problems. There will be themes on youth, teenagers, marital relationships, love, etc., topics that make up our daily lives. The idea is to propose avenues of thought. Having different perspectives and ways of seeing things can also enable people to have choices, other options, and sometimes even answers.
NP: Why choose the theme “Art, Creativity, and Psychotherapy” for the first “K fait psy”?
FB: We chose this theme because some members, including myself, use art therapy as a focus. We found it pertinent to start somewhat in this continuity. On July 1st, we carried out an action of mourning. [The action on July 1st](https://www.nicepremium.fr/spip.php?article5907) was related to the title of psychotherapist alongside the implementation of a decree that was, to some extent, nonsensical. Following the regulations of this decree, there are currently no psychotherapists in training in France. To close this chapter, it was important for us to include a notion of dynamism and creativity, hence a form of “rebirth” through action. Creativity is fundamentally related to action. What also appealed to us was moving beyond topics that have already been discussed. Indeed, in France, the dimension of art therapy is relatively unknown. Since 1999, art therapy has been considered a profession in England. Art therapy is gradually finding its place in institutions. With diseases like Alzheimer’s, doctors realize that alongside medicinal treatments, art therapy yields very good results. Medications without art therapy do not optimize outcomes. We found it interesting to discuss something that is quietly emerging in France.
NP: What is art therapy?
FB: It is a technique that uses artistic media (collage, clay, painting, drawing, etc.) to express what words have difficulty expressing. Often, there may be blockages on an emotional level, in memory, or representation. Art therapy is a tool that extensively uses the emotional dimension. It is also a way to be closer to one’s unconscious compared to speaking. When working on what truly emerges in the creation, it’s evident that the individual is much closer to their unconscious. The interest also lies in directly associating the mental with the emotional. Awareness becomes much more effective. If my awareness is purely intellectual, it does not mean that I will implement something that leads to change. However, understanding while having experienced an emotion beforehand (sadness, anger, joy, etc.) already makes sense.
NP: When does the first “K fait psy” take place?
FB: It takes place on October 20th, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, at the Grand Café des Arts. We also have the pleasure of welcoming one of our honorary members, [Alain Héril](https://www.alainheril.com/alainheril.com/Accueil.html), who is a psychotherapist, writer, and sexologist. He frequently uses art therapy as a tool.
