Barbara Josik , BACP

Barbara Josik is an integrative psychodynamic counsellor who creates a warm, non-judgemental and compassionate space for people to explore difficult thoughts, feelings and life events. She works from an integrative framework that draws on psychodynamic ideas to help clients become more aware of patterns that were previously outside their consciousness, supporting gradual change through increased understanding and reflection.

Her practice is shaped by a range of modalities chosen to match each person’s needs, including psychodynamic, humanistic, trauma-informed approaches, body psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, Gestalt techniques and inner child work. This flexible approach allows therapy to address emotional, relational and embodied aspects of a person’s experience rather than focusing on a single method.

Sessions are typically held weekly for fifty minutes, with the possibility of more frequent meetings when clinically appropriate and available. The focus in any session is whatever matters most to the individual that day, whether it feels large or small. The initial meeting is treated as an opportunity for both parties to get to know one another, to outline what has brought the person to therapy and to discuss how best to work together going forward.

Barbara has experience working in a variety of mental health and therapeutic settings, supporting people with issues such as anxiety, depression, abuse, social anxiety, anger management, trauma, relationship and family difficulties, stress, loss and bereavement, and low self-esteem. She holds BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, which is a professional organisation for counsellors and psychotherapists in the United Kingdom.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Barbara integrates psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in her online work. Psychodynamic therapy focuses on exploring patterns from past and present relationships and how they shape current feelings and behaviours, which can help with persistent relationship issues, attachment concerns and long-standing emotional patterns. CBT is a practical, structured approach that looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and offers tools to manage anxiety, low mood, stress and unhelpful habits.

She also uses mindfulness-based ideas to help people build present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity, which can be useful for stress, anxiety and improving emotional regulation. Choosing the right combination of approaches is a collaborative process - Barbara works together with each person to identify the methods that best match their goals, preferences and life circumstances, and she adjusts the plan as therapy progresses.

Online therapy with Barbara can take place by video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access therapists from home or while managing other responsibilities, and they enable continuity of care even when in-person meetings are difficult. Barbara aims to make therapy practical and accessible while tailoring the approach to each individual.