Anticipatory concern in the therapeutic accompaniment of adolescents at school: an experience report

Abstract

This account aims to discuss the practice of Therapeutic Accompaniment (TA) in schools, based on the author’s internship experience accompanying two students at a private school throughout an academic year. The individuals being supported were a 14-year-old student diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and a 15-year-old student diagnosed with autism and schizophrenia. The narrative provides an account of the author’s work as a TA and the relationships established with these students, weaving them together with phenomenological psychological literature that explores the care relationship between the psychology professional and the adolescent. The reflection centers on comparing traditional therapeutic accompaniment techniques with a personalized focus on human connection, as advocated by phenomenological psychology.  The accounts reveal two ways of being with assisted existences: substitutive concern and anticipatory concern. In the mode of substitutive concern, the focus is on identifying the problem to be solved—whether it’s disruptive behavior in the classroom or low academic performance—and seeking solutions for these issues. However, adopting an attitude of anticipatory concern led to a different approach. By maintaining a singular personal relationship, autonomy was preserved for these students, and it encouraged creative perspectives that contradicted their diagnoses. This care approach facilitated a more authentic existence, opening up new future possibilities for these young individuals. Sharing this experience may encourage more professionals to approach the existences they accompany with openness, rather than immediately framing them as problems to be solved. Additionally, we hope these reflections provide examples of phenomenological-existential psychological practice within an educational context.