"WHY DO I FEEL SO ANXIOUS ABOUT DRIVING?"

Therapist A is a counsellor with a psychodynamic approach with experience of working with adults and young people.

You ask ‘why do I fear this car?’ which is a good starting point. If you could understand where the fear is coming from then you could find ways of tackling it. Your fears may come from obvious experiences, such as an accident in the past, not quite trusting yourself on unfamiliar roads and with new signs to learn or maybe you don’t trust the vehicle itself. It might seem a bit small to offer protection in a possible accident.

However I am wondering, from what you have written, if driving has never been easy for you and if, until your move to France, you have never been dependent on a car for your independence. Perhaps you have a more general anxiety, arising from your recent relocation to France, and this has become focused on the car. A move, especially when it means leaving people and familiar places behind and starting afresh, may seem exciting but is never easy. Maybe there is something about the relationship you have with your boyfriend that is symbolized by the car?

These are things you might think about. Would it be possible to talk things over with your boyfriend? Perhaps he could drive with you for a while. A few sessions with a counsellor, however, might help you to get to the bottom of your fears and start finding practical ways to overcome them.

Therapist B is a Relate-trained counsellor with experience of working with relationship issues and is an experienced couples counsellor
I'm sorry that you are feeling so nervous about driving, but reckon it is quite normal & that even experienced drivers have to pay a lot of attention when the rules/different side of the road are concerned. It sounds as though you have some pressure/incentive to conquer your nerves as you need to be independent, so I am sending a web site link which gives a few sensible pieces of advice on how to stay calm etc. www.womenandcars.co.uk/how-to-reduce-nerves-when-getting-behind-the-wheel/

However, maybe it is also worth talking through with either a close friend or your boyfriend - although sometimes those close to us aren't the best teachers! Perhaps you can start to go out on short trips with no particular time/destination, & put a time limit to try it out on a quiet road with someone alongside you to start with? A friend won't mind if you make any mistakes, & provided you find a quiet spot it will help you to get used to the experience & hopefully reduce your anxiety.

I hope this helps but another solution may be to book a few lessons with a sympathetic professional, maybe you could ask in the local village for a recommendation? There is nothing wrong in feeling cautious to start with, & I hope you will soon start to get accustomed to both driving & living in a new country- good luck & bon courage.
Therapist C is a psychotherapist trained in gestalt psychotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming

Hello, it sounds like you are having a difficult time imagining yourself as an independent driver. I wonder where your fear of cars or driving comes from? Is there a story or event that has shaken you? Sometimes one can hear stories of events that have happened and the stories become a source of anxiety. Or on the other hand perhaps you have some personal experience of an event that happened to you or someone you know?

In either case it would be an idea to see or talk to a counsellor for a few sessions and see if you can find the source of your anxiety. Once you've got some idea of what's in the back of your mind you may be freer to start addressing the actual task of learning to drive in France which is a matter of practice and support from people who are trained in guiding others through this type of experience. I think most people are nervous about learning to drive in the beginning and it's good to find a professional who knows how to teach this activity. If you can find people that can support you in finding positive sensations and thoughts around this learning process it may turn out to be a good experience for you. Lots of luck.