- Attachment-based work
- Psychodynamic focus
- English and German
About Barbara
Barbara Engels is a BACP counsellor in the United Kingdom with 18 years of professional experience. She works with people facing relationship strain, self-esteem difficulties, anxiety, depression and life changes. She also supports those dealing with grief, trauma, parenting pressures and career uncertainty.
Barbara draws on attachment-based and psychodynamic ways of working to help clients understand patterns that repeat in relationships and daily life. Sessions focus on talking through feelings, spotting recurring interactions, and making practical changes that fit a person's life. She can work in English or German depending on the client's preference.
Her background includes long-term roles at Relate and an autism-specialist charity, where she supported individuals, parents and couples with relationship and autism-related concerns. That experience informs her approach to communication problems, intimacy issues and family conflict.
In sessions she attends to how past relationships affect current behaviour and emotions. Conversations look at attachment needs, recurring themes from earlier life, and how those show up at work and at home. Work on practical steps often accompanies deeper reflection.
Barbara also helps people exploring life purpose and midlife transitions. She offers coaching-style focus alongside therapeutic reflection for those weighing career change or parenting choices. To begin, clients are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire before booking a first session.
How attachment and psychodynamic work translate to online sessions
Attachment-based work looks at how early bonds shape current relationships. In practice this means identifying needs, triggers and recurring interaction patterns and then practising healthier ways of relating. It can help with intimacy issues, attachment concerns and communication problems.Psychodynamic work focuses on themes that repeat over time and on how past experience colours present behaviour. Conversations explore feelings, past relationships and unconscious patterns so clients can recognise habits that no longer serve them. This approach often suits issues like low self-esteem, grief and midlife uncertainty.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to decide whether attachment-based or psychodynamic focus, or a blend of both, best fits a person’s needs and goals. That choice can change as therapy progresses.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm the current options before booking. Online work can make fitting sessions into busy lives easier, for example by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins between commitments, or making it simpler to attend when living apart from a therapist. Registered or accredited professionals can guide practical arrangements so therapy fits into everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
18+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English, German
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with relationship difficulties, self-esteem, anxiety, depression and coping with life changes, including grief and trauma.
How does she approach feeling stuck or directionless?
Barbara combines attachment-based and psychodynamic approaches to look at repeating patterns and underlying needs while also identifying practical steps forward.
What experience does she bring?
She has 18 years of experience, including work for Relate and an autism-specialist charity supporting individuals, parents and couples.
What are her credentials and where does she practise?
She is registered with BACP and practises in the United Kingdom.
Which languages can sessions be held in?
Sessions are offered in English and German.
Can I work with her from another country?
She accepts international clients; confirm any regional requirements before scheduling.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.