My friend Keith Reed, who has died of cancer aged 61, was an analytical psychologist whose work brought peace and tranquillity to many. His sensitivity, compassion and commitment made him much respected and highly valued.
We both grew up in North Cheam, Surrey. I recall playing football at the London Transport ground, despite being chased by the ground staff, and scrumping in the adjacent orchards. Our friendship persisted despite me being dragged off by him to watch his beloved Fulham football club.
After graduating from Warwick University with a degree in economics and economic history, in 1974 he became a social worker and obtained an MSc in applied social studies at Oxford University. He specialised in therapeutic work with children in long-term care and became a consultant for other multidisciplinary workers engaged with children at risk and their families. He undertook analytic training at the Tavistock Clinic and qualified as a Jungian analyst in 1989.
His overriding interest was the development of therapeutic skills for work with adults and children who had experienced childhood trauma. In 1986 he resigned from his social work post. He then worked primarily as an adult analyst. Keith considered a Jungian attitude helpful, and his more pragmatic approach allowed him to offer psychoanalytic psychotherapy to those not usually undertaking it. The therapy could be quite intense, consisting of several sessions a week, sometimes over many years.
He provided supervision and consultation services for the public sector and for more broader-based organisations and training bodies. The courses he helped run were regarded by many as the best in London.
When possible he swam every day, and he enjoyed walking; the Thames path, the North Yorkshire coast, the Pennine Way and the Coast to Coast walk were all favourites. He also loved dogs and cats – his cat Crosby only reached the Methuselan age of 19 because Keith rescued him from a well.
Keith's response to those who said life could be so very hard and unfair was "Yes, that's how it is." And, on his own death: "It can't be that hard, lots of people have done it."
He is survived by Rowena, to whom he was married for 24 years, and who lovingly nursed him in his last few weeks; and by Angela, his sister; five nephews and two nieces.