English-Speaking Therapy in Cologne |
Psychotherapie auf Englisch in Köln
Hi, I’m Judith Halbach, and I offer therapy and counselling in English in Cologne-Ehrenfeld.
Perhaps you’re at a point where you’d like to sort something out or create change – because of a crisis, depression, burnout, self-doubt, anxiety, attachment trauma, fear of commitment or people-pleasing, or because, as a highly sensitive or neurodivergent person, you’d like to understand yourself better. Sometimes it simply feels easier to put things into words in the language you feel most at home in.
Whatever brings you to me: as your English-speaking therapist, I offer an approach that gives you time rather than putting you under pressure. My work is rooted in evidence-based client-centred psychotherapy, complemented by mindfulness, self-compassion and a closer look at your needs and boundaries. I am currently training in Somatic Experiencing, a body-based approach to trauma therapy.
I’m a Heilpraktikerin für Psychotherapie, a non-medical practitioner authorised to practise psychotherapy in Germany.
For instance, I can help you with:
Life Crises & Adjustment Disorders
Reflecting on your current situation and gain an outside perspective; learning to cope with stress and build resilience; reducing inner restlessness and ruminative thoughts; adjusting to life in a new country/as an expat
Depression & Anxiety
Finding more self-confidence, serenity and a sense of ease; reconnecting with your feelings
Attachment Trauma & Developmental Trauma
Understanding your attachment style and feeling more secure in relationships; understanding trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawning); working through childhood trauma, past situations and relationships
Fear of Commitment & Avoidance
Overcoming fear of commitment and avoidance of attachment, and truly engaging in relationships; overcoming conflict avoidance
Burnout
Preventing burnout or finding your way back to life; exploring your performance-oriented mindset and the expectations you place on yourself; reducing your sense of responsibility and need for control
Self-doubt & Low Self-esteem
Comparing yourself less with others; resolving your imposter syndrome; boosting your self-esteem and self-confidence; practising self-compassion and self-acceptance
People-pleasing & Fawning
Reducing your fear of what others think of you, overcoming emotional dependence, recognising and asserting your boundaries, understanding and communicating your needs
High Sensitivity & Neurodiversity
Living well with your high sensitivity and/or neurodiversity (ADHD, autism), using your empathy for others more consciously
Fundamentally, I can support you in recognising and changing your behavioural patterns and negative beliefs.
Other issues can, of course, also be addressed.
Below, I outline my approach, as well as the methods we can use to work on these issues together.
“Judith supported me for about nine months. She helped me wonderfully during a difficult time. I learnt a great deal about myself during that period. Throughout, Judith repeatedly helped me organise my thoughts and never lost sight of the very different facets of my personality. In the end, everything came together to form a complete picture.
Judith doesn’t just dwell on explanations; she opens up avenues for change and offers genuinely sound advice. She always remains down-to-earth in a wonderful way, providing the support you sometimes need. I’d like to thank Judith for this journey and would call on her expertise again in a heartbeat.”
★★★★★
– Marc W., Google
Translation from German into English by me
The foundations of my psychotherapeutic work
Your nervous system can breathe a sigh of relief
As a client myself, I experienced first-hand how valuable it is to be given time for one’s own inner processes, rather than being rushed – and that is precisely what I would like to offer you. With me, you are allowed to feel unfinished, to struggle to find the right words, and not to have all the answers straight away.
We’ll move at a pace that your whole nervous system can keep up with. This deliberate slowness enables a deeper and more lasting change than any quick, superficial approach. Often, considerable changes can be felt after 5–10 sessions – so a slow-paced process doesn’t mean slow results.
You are allowed to be just as you are
Real change begins with you accepting yourself a little more as you are right now. Not because you are meant to stay that way forever, but because change and healing only become possible when we stop judging ourselves for our current state.
From this safe starting point, we’ll explore together: what do your emotional patterns look like, and how did they develop? What beliefs and convictions do you hold within you, which you may have unconsciously adopted from your family, your social circle or our performance-driven society? And in which direction would you like to grow?
Well-established methods and compassionate support
With me as your guide, you can explore what is going on inside you at your own pace – without getting lost in the process. My work is founded on client-centred psychotherapy as developed by Carl Rogers. I also incorporate Gestalt therapy, body-oriented work, mindfulness and self-compassion into my practice.
This combination allows me to tailor my support specifically to you and your situation – sometimes focusing more on conversation, sometimes on the body, and sometimes on mindful self-awareness. In this way, I support you, step by step, in becoming more of the person you wish to be – with greater inner security, self-confidence and zest for life.
Client-centred psychotherapy
Client-centred psychotherapy is an evidence-based method within humanistic psychotherapy. It was developed by Carl Rogers and his colleagues in the mid-20th century and is an effective treatment option for conditions including depression, anxiety disorders and adjustment disorders.
It is based on the belief that every person has an innate desire to grow and develop – yet fears, negative beliefs or subconscious patterns often stand in the way of this. In our sessions, you can speak openly about your feelings and thoughts without being judged. This creates the sense of security needed to be more honest with yourself – and is often the first step towards genuine change.
I will then support you in applying what you have learnt to your life. This can help to resolve deadlocked situations and change your feelings. I help you to find your own solutions – rather than analysing you and telling you what to do. In this way, you can develop independently and sustainably.
"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."
– Carl Rogers
Gestalt Therapy
Gestalt therapy focuses on what is alive within you in the present moment – thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and behaviour. Rather than simply talking about an issue, we make it a direct experience, for example by exploring what is happening inside you as you talk about it.
This helps to bring unconscious patterns to light, to allow suppressed feelings such as anger, grief or shame to surface, and to develop a clearer sense of your own needs and boundaries.
Body-oriented work
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented, bottom-up approach to processing stress and trauma, developed by Peter Levine. The basic idea is that distressing experiences leave their mark not only in the mind, but also in the nervous system and the body. SE works gently with these physical reactions to release trapped stress and trauma energy and to reprocess past experiences. This enables you to respond to current challenges in a lively and flexible way – rather than falling back into old patterns.
I am currently undertaking SE training and have completed the first of three years. Elements of Somatic Experiencing are already being incorporated into my work, adding a physical dimension to the more conversation-based approaches.
"Feelings come and go,
like clouds in a windy sky.
Conscious breathing is my anchor."
– Thich Nhat Hanh
Mindfulness & Self-Compassion
Mindfulness, body awareness, breathing and self-compassion are integral parts of my work. Sessions often begin with a short mindfulness exercise tailored to your specific issue. This can help with the following: becoming more attuned to what is going on inside you, reducing stress and rumination, regulating your emotions more consciously, better understanding the connection between body and mind, and treating yourself with greater kindness and acceptance.
I am particularly inspired by the psychotherapist and Buddhist Tara Brach, the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, and the concept of mindful self-compassion developed by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer.
I draw on my knowledge as a yoga teacher as well as my own many years of meditation and mindfulness practice.
Psychotherapy or Coaching?
Not every form of distress constitutes a mental health condition. If you are facing a decision, going through a period of upheaval, or recognise patterns such as people-pleasing, self-doubt or feeling overwhelmed – without these constituting a clinical condition – I can also support you through coaching.
Psychotherapy is aimed at people with mental health issues that meet the criteria for a clinical condition, such as depression or the after-effects of trauma. It focuses more on your personal life story and emotional experiences.
In practice, the two approaches often overlap. During the initial consultation, we’ll find out together which form of support is right for you. If you have any questions in advance, please feel free to send me an email.
My practice in Cologne-Ehrenfeld is situated in a quiet side street off Venloer Straße.
The local train station “Bahnhof Ehrenfeld” nad the tram stop “Venloer Straße/Gürtel” are just a few minutes’ walk away.
Hansemannstraße 20
50823 Cologne