Therapeutic patient education: a paired vision

Chronic illness is a major challenge for both patients and clinicians since their prolonged and sometimes unpredictable evolution threatens patient's quality of life and, at the same time, defies clinician's expertise and self-confidence (WHO, 2013, 2023). Thus, to better cope with it, patients and doctors should learn to work together. Yet, hidden defence mechanisms and concealed emotions often represent a major obstacle to communication and collaboration (Oliveira et al., 2012; de Vries, 2019; Despland et al., 2009). This intriguing, yet debated topic is discussed here by two experts who spent their life in the arena chronic disease from two different yet complementary perspectives: a veteran hospital practitioner with a prolonged clinical practice in chronic immunological diseases and TPE, and a professor of Pedagogy, who interlaced her academic work with a singular personal history of chronic illness.