Elvira Kirchoff was a colleague whom I met on the UCL Diploma Course in Forensic Psychotherapeutic Studies in 1993. She was a lively and engaging woman and I, along with several others in the year, became friends with her. Tragically, Elvira died suddenly on 4th March this year at the age of 43. At the time of her death, which was completely unforeseen, she was about to complete a doctorate in clinical psychology at Surrey University and was also about to adopt two children, aged seven and ten years, with her husband, Harvey Gordon, a consultant psychiatrist at Broadmoor Hospital. Her death was wholly unexpected and came as a great shock to those of her friends and colleagues.
Elvira was born on 25th March 1955 in Bremerhaven, Germany. She was the middle child of three, with an older brother and a younger sister. In early life the family lived in a poor area of Bremerhaven near the docks. Her father, who died when she was 28, had worked as an engineer. Elvira completed her schooling and did an apprenticeship in a factory before going to college and obtaining a degree in psychology at the University of Bielefeld. In 1983, when Elvira was 28, she came to England where she was supported by Professor Stuart Sutherland, Chair in Psychology at Sussex University. In 1984 Elvira began a Master of Science degree in clinical psychology at Liverpool University, which she completed in 1987.
After qualifying in clinical psychology Elvira worked in Brighton in adult mental health before moving to the special hospital formerly known as Park Lane Hospital, where she remained for approximately four years. She subsequently moved to Broadmoor Hospital in 1989 where she worked until her death. She reached the level of Principal Clinical Psychologist at Broadmoor and, during her time there, was offered a senior management position in Germany, which she declined.
Elvira contributed significantly to clinical psychology at Broadmoor Hospital where she became particularly interested in female offender patients. She had a keen interest in the assessment and treatment of female sex offenders and made modifications in the Thorne Sex Inventory for use with female patients. She had both a sensitive understanding of psychodynamic issues in offender patients and an awareness of the importance of thorough and comprehensive assessments, using formal measures where needed. The thoroughness and sophistication of Elvira’s psychological reports was appreciated by clinicians throughout Broadmoor. Her reports combined psychological testing and psychotherapy assessment, and were considered invaluable in assisting clinical decisions relating to these very disturbed offender patients. Elvira was also interested in developing rehabilitation schedules and worked for several years at Broadmoor on the rehabilitation wards.
She participated in three international conferences, presenting a paper on female sex offenders in Tel Aviv, as well as taking part in conferences in Moscow and Germany. She had four publications including a paper on anorexia nervosa, published in a German journal, and a paper on group therapy published in Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health in 1998. Despite her considerable professional achievements and excellent reputation as a clinician, Elvira remained a somewhat modest person who did not push for professional advancement.
Elvira’s professional interests were wide-ranging and she combined a solid knowledge of psychological assessment techniques with a keen interest in psychoanalysis. She completed both the one year course in forensic psychotherapy at the Portman Clinic and a year long introductory course in psychoanalysis at the Tavistock Clinic. She herself was engaged in personal analysis for many years.
As well as being rigorous and scientific in her application of psychological principles to clinical work, Elvira was very creative, with a particular interest in art and music. She was familiar with both contemporary pop music and with classical music. She also painted throughout her life, keeping a visual diary of her experiences; she expressed her originality and vitality through her art work. Her interest in the therapeutic as well as aesthetic value of art was evident in her professional as well as personal life. Elvira developed the idea of an art therapy service at Broadmoor Hospital and was gratified to see that subsequently an art therapist was appointed. I have had the privilege of seeing her artwork, which decorates the home she shared with her husband. I was struck by the variety, strength and passion of her work.
In her personal life Elvira explored her identity as a German, particularly in relation to the holocaust. I remember Elvira discussing her deep seated feelings of guilt in relation to Jewish people, like myself, and her husband, and how this conflicted with her sense of pride in other aspects of her national identity. I was told by a colleague of Elvira’s overwhelming excitement when Germany won the World Cup in 19990 and I also remember speaking German to her, encouraged by her forgiving attitude to my poor grammar. Elvira was very open and reflective in relation to her mixed feelings about being German and it did not surprise me to learn of her developing commitment to Judaism.
Elvira eventually converted to Judaism in 1995, entirely of her own volition, and became a member of a reform synagogue. She is buried in a reform Jewish section of a multi-faith cemetery. She had learned to read Hebrew and travelled to the Middle East, mainly with her husband. In recent years she went to Russia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and also to Palestine areas of Gaza and the West Bank. She also went to Auschwitz with her synagogue. She was well known and liked by both Israeli and Palestinian colleagues and was very influential in setting up the joint Britain/Israel Conferences in Forensic Psychiatry. The fourth international Britain/Israel conference in Forensic Psychiatry was held at Broadmoor on 17-18th November 1999. There were papers in her honour, and also a memorial lecture by the Head of Psychology Services at Broadmoor, Dr Derek Perkins.
Elvira’s sudden death is a deep loss to many, both in her professional and personal life. She was a vibrant, generous, original and wholly honest person, whose vitality, intelligence and humour will be greatly missed. Although serious minded, with a deep sense of intellectual integrity, she was also fun-loving and very sociable. Elvira was also a talented and highly dedicated clinician. Her funeral was very well attended and amongst the letters of condolence her husband received, many were from her patients, testifying to her value and significance in their lives.