Dr Maya Von Spreckelsen

Training and Qualifications

BSc Psychology and Sociology (Hons).

DPsych, Doctorate in Psychology, Counselling Psychology.

CPsychol, Chartered Member of the British Psychology Society (BPS).

Registered with the Division of Counselling Psychology, British Psychological Society (BPS).

Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Experience:

I have diverse experience working with children, adolescents, adults and older adults. I have worked together with clients experiencing interpersonal and relationship difficulties, separation/loss and bereavement, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, obsessive compulsive disorder, physical and psychological trauma, post traumatic stress, dissociation, childhood and adult abuse and neglect, childhood and adult sexual abuse, eating disorders, addiction, mood and personality disorders, psychosis, history of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation, self harm, neurological damage and cognitive impairment, stroke, dementia and ongoing physical ill health including chronic pain. My experience has included working together with clients individually, with/alongside their families, and I have also offered group therapy and workshops. 

My work experience includes working within multi-cultural frameworks and settings. My therapeutic approach includes exploration into and working with a person's family system and context, culture and community, and what meaning this holds for the individual and how they understand their experience to be. I have worked in varying therapeutic contexts, including working in NHS hospital in-patient and out-patient services, NHS Primary Care GP practice based mental health services, NHS Secondary Care mental health services, NHS Community Mental Health Team, Integrative Counselling Service offering long term counselling and psychotherapy and Employment Occupational Health Service offering short term counselling and psychotherapy. 

I began my journey in the field of psychology, counselling and psychotherapy in 1998 as a psychology undergraduate on placement at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. Here, I developed a particular interest in neuropsychology, and the psychological impact of neurological trauma and disease. This beginning later informed my doctoral research exploring the meaning and experience of psychotherapy for survivors of stroke. 

The NHS settings I have worked in include Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, the Wolfson Neurorehabilitation Centre St Georges NHS Foundation Trust, Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the Adamson Centre at St Thomas' Hospital South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the East London NHS Foundation Trust ELFT IAPT Primary Care Service for Adults, and for the Eating Disorders Project EDP at the East London NHS Foundation Trust. Most recently, I worked for the Brent Older Adults Service, Central and North West London CNWL NHS Trust whereby I worked both in the Community Mental Health Team and in the Memory Service. 

Outside of the NHS, I have worked at the Wimbledon Guild Counselling Service and the Wandsworth Council Counselling Service. I have also worked as a visiting lecturer of psychology at St Mary's University and as a sessional lecturer of psychology for Birkbeck University of London. 

My work experience to date has given me the opportunity to gain understanding and help people trying to manage both varied and complex issues in their lives. I have taken this experience to inform my private practice, where my focus is on the individual, their specific needs, and how best these can be explored in the therapeutic relationship. 

I have found that for many of us, trauma including childhood trauma and neglect, plays such an important part in our emotional development and is key to how we manage and regulate our emotions in the present. Particular life events and experiences can easily trigger past emotional trauma responses, often outside of our conscious awareness, and this can in turn increase feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation, shame, fear and anger. Trauma responses may also manifest as or contribute to physiological ill health. Increasing our awareness to our unconscious processes and finding ways to understand, manage and soothe our trauma responses can be integral to therapeutic process and outcome. Whilst therapy is by no means a cure, and cannot change what has already happened, it can offer a safe, non-judgemental and reflective space where some healing can begin take place. Therapy can also facilitate a greater sense of agency and trust in our ability to help our selves in the present and the future. 

I am aware that what I have written here may not cover what you know and understand your experience to be. However, please do not hesitate to make contact, as I would be more than happy to discuss any difficulties you may be facing and how I can help.

£120.00 per session

I offer remote sessions on Tuesdays and in-person sessions on Wednesdays at 19 Nassau Street, W1W 7AF, Thursdays at 3 Lombard Court, EC3V 9BJ, and Fridays at 37 Museum Street, WC1A 1LQ.