Josefine Speyer, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Josefine Speyer

LONDON NW2 English, German
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Josefine Speyer, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Josefine Speyer

LONDON NW2 English, German
Email Therapist
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My Approach

The short answer is my approach is Integrative and psychodynamic.
My original training was in body psychotherapy which included Biodynamic massage. Through additional training and personal experience and study of psychoanalytic therapy and group analysis as well as psychoanalytic and attachment based supervision and trauma theory, I have broadened my approach . A further important aspect of my work is my personal and professional experience of accompanying and working with the dying and the bereaved All of this has informed my work.
At the heart of ii is the relationship you have with yourself, impacted to a large extend by your earliest experiences with your care givers. Good enough attachments formed during our early life can provide the resilience to deal with adversity life can present us with. Emotions and conflict can sometimes be expressed by the body through posture or illness. I aim to provide a safe space for exploration of how things are at the present time and to what extend they might mirror experiences of the past.
As part of the therapy I encourage making notes of dreams. Diary writing may also be useful for some people.
As I said above, I no longer offer long-term work. Although I generally work online, I may be able to see you in person by arrangement. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have about what I might help you with.

About Me

I am an Integrative Psychotherapist with nearly 40 years experience, working with adults of all ages and different cultural backgrounds. I work with people affected by anxiety and depression, issues around ageing, retirement, people affected by cancer or other serious health issues. I have a special interest in working with grief and bereavement and in particular unresolved grief and attachment trauma across the lifespan.
I also provide supervision for individuals and organisations including professionals who are working with people who are terminally or seriously ill, the dying and the bereaved.

I am a founder of the Natural Death Centre charity (www.naturaldeath.org) (1991) and The Befriending Network (1994 - 2001). I offer death education. worships or study days. For many year I hosted Death Cafes. From time to time I offer closed groups to talk about ageing, death, or bereavement.. Prior to becoming a psychotherapist I trained as an artist in Berlin. I am a mother and grandmother.

I work with

  • Groups
  • Individuals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Age-related issues such as health related issues with ageing, dealing with menopause, retirement or facing old age, facing your own mortality can bring up difficulties in a number of areas and affects how you feel about yourself, your sense of identity and how you relate to others. Psychotherapy can provide a confidential, non-judgemental space where you can explore your thoughts and feelings freely, exploring any conflicts you might have.
I have a special interest in working with grief, loss and bereavement. Untimely or sudden death or multiple bereavements can be hard to bear. Sometimes we realise only years later that we have been unable to grieve. A traumatic experience of loss can make it difficult 'to get on with life'. Death can make us question the way we live and challenge us to re-evaluate what we consider to be important. It can bring up questions about our religious or spiritual beliefs. Previous ways of coping may no longer work. Counselling or psychotherapy can offer a safe, non-judgemental space for exploration towards integrating complex feelings and dealing with 'unfinished business' in order to find some acceptance and peace with the new reality. Bereavement can also make us want to look more deeply at ourselves and at unresolved issues of the past, how these have affected us, and lead us to personal growth. I also work with people who are faced with their mortality, either because they had a diagnosis of a serious illness or as part of ageing. Talking therapy can offer invaluable emotional support at this time.
A cancer diagnosis can turn one's life upside down, as a patient, a carer or a loved one close to the patient. It can greatly stress relationships. Going through treatment can arouse many fears, It can sometimes feel like a very dark and lonely place to be. Counselling can offer support in adjusting to this new reality and finding a way through to gain a new sense of balance. Cancer can make us face our mortality. Although many people make a good recovery from cancer and live a good life for many years, for some sadly this is not the case. I have been deeply inspired by Lawrence LeShan's book Cancer As a Turning Point. You might want to try to buy this book via Amazon second hand as it is now out of print. I believe we can use the remaining time in our life, however long or short, to live in the most meaningful and creative way and the most joyful way we can, so that one day we can die with the least regret.
Relationships are at the centre of what psychotherapy is about. There is the relationship you have with yourself, how you feel about yourself and how you feel about others and you relate to them. We are social beings and our earliest experiences of care, or lack of care, will have left an imprint in how we relate to the world, as a safe or not very safe place to be. In therapy we will explore how you feel about yourself and the early relationships you had in your family. It helps us understand you and your present difficulties better. I aim to provide a safe place for exploration to help you find your way forward.
I offer clinical supervision, individually or in small groups. I work with trainees, with newly qualified therapists and with qualified and established counsellors and psychotherapists. I also work with professionals who are working with people who are terminally or seriously ill, the dying and the bereaved. I have many years of experience as a supervisor for bereavement services offering time-limited work. I enjoy the collaborative and creative exploration within supervision, supporting therapists, building on their strengths and helping them to develop awareness in areas where attention might be needed. I like to create a safe environment for learning. As part of supervision I have a particular interest in - exploring attachment patterns and how these affect the working alliance - looking at issues of ending and absence: the ending of sessions, missed appointments, holidays, planned and unplanned absences; the ending phase of therapy - planning and working towards retirement and closing your practice - exploring transference issues - working with dreams I am familiar with supervising open-ended, long-term and short-term work. All my supervision work is now online via Zoom. If you have questions and would like to find out more, please contact me by email.

Types of Therapies Offered

  • Integrative Psychotherapist

What I can help with

  • Age-related Issues
  • Anxiety
  • Bereavement
  • Cancer
  • Chronic Illness
  • Cultural Issues
  • Depression
  • Health-related Issues
  • Online Counselling
  • Relationships
  • Separation
  • Spirituality
  • Stress
  • Supervision
  • Trauma

Types of sessions

  • Online Therapy
  • Telephone Therapy

LONDON Office

Heber Road
LONDON NW2 6AA
UK

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UKCP College

  • Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy College (HIPC)
Josefine Speyer

Josefine Speyer

LONDON NW2
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