Caroline Goldman

Caroline Goldman
Born	(1975-12-29)December 29, 1975 Paris, France
🏳️ Nationality	French
🏫 Education	Paris 5 University
💼 Occupation	Psychotherapist, author, podcaster
Notable work	Setting Educational Boundaries Go to Your Room!
👴 👵 Parents	Jean-Jacques Goldman (father) Catherine Morlet (mother)
🌐 Website	carolinegoldman.com

Caroline Goldman (born 29 December 1975 in Paris) is a French psychotherapist, PhD in clinical psychopathology, specialising in child and adolescent psychology. Sympathetic to psychoanalysis, she has made numerous public statements contrary to the scientific consensus, particularly regarding childhood depression and ADHD.

Biography

Born on 29 December 1975 in Paris, Caroline Goldman is the eldest daughter of singer Jean-Jacques Goldman and psychologist Catherine Morlet; she is the sister of producer Michael Goldman and paediatrician Nina Goldman. She is the mother of four children.

After studying psychology, she defended in 2008 at Paris 5 University a doctoral thesis in clinical psychopathology on the affectivity of intellectually gifted children, entitled "Gifted children: genius or madness? Theoretical and projective articulations: a psychoanalytic perspective", under the supervision of Professor Catherine Chabert.

In this psychological and psychoanalytic work, she studies childhood intellectual giftedness (i.e. with an IQ above 129).

Following her studies, she became a psychologist for children and adolescents. In the mid-2000s, she opened her practice in Montrouge.

In parallel, she taught for 15 years at university and at the École des psychologues praticiens in Paris, between 2011 and 2015. She hosts a podcast on child and adolescent psychology and education, entitled "Caroline Goldman – Doctor in Child Psychology". She covers topics such as siblings, motherhood, divorce, and bereavement.

Public profile and media presence

In an investigation published in late June 2023 by Arrêt sur images, journalist Thibaut Schepman noted that Caroline Goldman had become highly prominent in the media since late 2022, with multiple appearances in prestigious outlets such as Le Monde, Libération, Le Figaro, and Le Point (which devoted a front cover to her), as well as on radio and television, including the programme La Maison des Maternelles on France 5. He also noted that one of the few critical articles about her, published in Charlie Hebdo, was taken offline without explanation.

With 2.2 million readers and 300 new subscribers, her interview in Le Monde was the most-read article in that newspaper over the preceding two years, illustrating the success of its new parenting section.

During the summer of 2023, she hosted 40 programmes on France Inter. She then went through a period of reduced media presence, returning in mid-May 2024 to promote one of her books.

Positions

Positive parenting

She has criticised proponents of "positive parenting", which she regards as a source of behavioural disorders. She notably challenged psychotherapist Isabelle Filliozat and paediatrician Catherine Gueguen, two prominent figures of positive parenting.

Time-out

She declares herself in favour of "time-out" — temporarily isolating a child who transgresses family rules or becomes unbearable — arguing that it avoids falling into "the pitfall of shouting, hitting, verbal and physical violence, resentment, and repetitive aggressive debates that displace far more fundamental relational approaches for children." She has also stated that some parents are "tyrannised by their children."

Psychoanalysis

Goldman draws heavily on psychoanalysis, describing it as a family passion. Journalists Stéphanie Benz and Victor Garcia noted in L'Express that she constantly emphasises "the excessive weight, in her view, of scientific psychology and neuroscience in the care of children." Marie-Estelle Pech, writing in Marianne, noted that Goldman "wages a media crusade to defend psychoanalysis, today challenged in France by neuroscience," a point echoed by Benz and Garcia.

Regarding her book Why? Little psychology lessons for children aged 4 to 7, Goldman stated in Marianne: "It is pure psychoanalysis explained to children. There is a little hidden activism."

On France Inter, she delivered a "fervent plea in favour of psychoanalysis", accusing her critics of being "ignoramuses" and declaring that practising clinical child psychology requires "long years of study."

ADHD

Goldman publicly claims that ADHD is over-diagnosed in France. According to Doctissimo journalist Magali Régnier, she "calls into question the number of children affected, or even the disorder itself." She acknowledges ADHD only in "very rare children who have encountered prefrontal obstacles in the orbito-frontal part of their brain (for example due to after-effects of prematurity, foetal alcohol syndrome, or oxygenation problems at birth) and who, for this reason, are unable to concentrate and/or are agitated."

She also claims that child psychiatrists too readily prescribe medication to children diagnosed with ADHD, who she believes are agitated due to a lack of parental boundaries. Similarly, she deplores that the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has become "omnipresent."

High intellectual potential

On the topic of high intellectual potential (HIP) — the subject of her thesis — Goldman rejects the idea that being intelligent "could be a problem." A video interview on this topic was viewed more than 70,000 times. She disputes that intelligence is a source of depression or social isolation and accuses some psychologists of attributing patients' difficulties to their HIP because "this narrative goes down better with patients." She also argues that linking difficulties to HIP serves to "de-responsibilise" parents from their educational duties.

She highlights a recruitment bias in psychological consultations involving HIP individuals, since only those in distress tend to seek help, leading to a skewed perception.

School bullying

She considers that schools are not automatically to blame in bullying cases, arguing that the phenomenon may stem from dysfunctions within the families of both bullies and victims.

Criticism

In February 2023, cognitive scientist Franck Ramus opposed her discourse, arguing that Goldman's psychoanalytic stance amounts to "a form of denial of the existence of neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, ADHD, learning disabilities), seeing in them only symptoms of relational problems between parents and children."

In March 2023, more than 280 researchers and early childhood professionals opposed her repressive vision of time-out, arguing it is ineffective, increases children's anxiety, and does not teach them what behaviour is expected. Goldman responded with an op-ed defending herself against charges of promoting "coercive education" and citing scientific references in support of her positions. Shortly after, The Washington Post described her as "ultra-strict" and noted that her positions "might sound extreme to American ears."

In mid-June 2023, psychologist Thomas Villemonteix, quoted in L'Express, described Goldman's claim that ADHD is a diagnosis created around methylphenidate by the pharmaceutical industry as "dangerous rhetoric, outside the scientific field." He also pointed to the lack of solid evidence for the efficacy of psychoanalysis, particularly compared to cognitive-behavioural therapies. Journalist Antoine Beau noted that while there is no biological test for ADHD, "scientific evidence of its existence is accumulating", making Goldman's position a marginal one.

On 23 September 2024, the French Haute Autorité de Santé (High Authority for Health) published a report on ADHD in children concluding that scientific data contradicts Goldman's views.

Psychiatrist Hugo Baup highlighted numerous medical errors and scientific approximations in Goldman's summer 2023 chronicles on France Inter, particularly regarding childhood depression (she unnecessarily blamed parents without scientific backing), gender identity (she promoted a hypothesis with "zero scientific standing" put forward by Christian Flavigny), and ADHD (denounced as scientifically false by multiple specialists and associations). The association TDAH Partout pareil filed a complaint with Arcom requesting the cancellation of Goldman's ADHD chronicle for "disinformation." Andréas Werner, president of the French Association of Ambulatory Paediatrics, stated, contrary to Goldman, that Ritalin is not over-prescribed to children diagnosed with ADHD in France.

Psychiatrist David Masson declared himself shocked by "the dogmatic aspect of her discourse, delivered with disconcerting self-assurance. She lectures on what one should believe, with a contemptuous tone towards science, without moderation, without sources and without perspective." He added that her discourse places undue guilt on parents of children with mental health conditions.

In Télérama, journalist Marion Mayer questioned France Inter's choice to "present Goldman's theses as absolute truths, with no countervoice", noting that "the public broadcaster forgoes debate on a question that is far from settled."

According to an investigation by Victor Garcia, the decision to give Goldman a regular slot may reflect the personal preferences of France Inter's director, Adèle Van Reeth, who herself undergoes psychoanalytic treatment and is a supporter of the practice.

Goldman's April 2023 appearances on France Inter drew very mixed reactions from listeners, with some approving and others condemning her views. Regarding her summer chronicles, France Inter's media ombudsman noted "particularly numerous" criticisms that "raise important concerns related to the ethics of a public service radio station and its responsibility towards its listeners."

Works

For professionals

• The PN Test. Clinical Interpretation Guide, Montreuil, ECPA-Pearson, 2013 (ISBN 978-2-902656-35-6 Search this book on .).
• Should everything be told to parents? Returning psychological assessment results in the service of parental guidance, La Celle-Saint-Cloud, Creaxion, 2016 (ISBN 978-2-911041-61-7 Search this book on .).
• Projective test assessment in child clinical practice, Malakoff, Dunod, 2018 (ISBN 978-2-10-077619-1 Search this book on .).
• Establishing educational boundaries. Assessment, diagnosis, therapeutic action, Malakoff, Dunod, 2019 (ISBN 978-2-10-079462-1 Search this book on .).

For the general public

• Go to Your Room! Setting educational limits for your children, Malakoff, InterÉditions, 2020 (ISBN 978-2-7296-2158-2 Search this book on .).
• Why? Little psychology lessons for children aged 4 to 7, Dunod, 2023.
• Guide for today's parents, Flammarion, 2024 (ISBN 2080429957 Search this book on .).

External links

• Official website

This article "Caroline Goldman" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Caroline Goldman. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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