"There is no greater agony than bearing
an untold story inside you."
- Maya Angelou
My approach to Therapy
I have a person-centred approach to therapy, which means that I value the therapeutic relationship as a tool for healing and meaningful change. I believe that when individuals are given a safe space where they feel comfortable to explore and process their concerns, they will be able to take their insights and coping strategies gained outside of the therapeutic space and into their day-to-day life.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy focuses on the belief that past experiences continue to affect the way we feel and behave in the present. In everyday life, we might not even notice how we behave or respond to others. Why? Because these behaviours become second nature, a pattern that seems to repeat itself. A psychotherapeutic framework allows us to explore early experiences, and to discover new ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting in the present, to become more self-aware, grounded, and resilient. While I may incorporate aspects from other therapeutic modalities to best suit your goals, I use this understanding of a person as my foundation.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CBT is based on the concept that our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours are very closely connected. Throughout the day, negative thoughts might pop into our minds - which we assume are true - and then we act on them. This can lead to a vicious spiral of negative emotions and behaviours. CBT helps us become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking, so we can view challenging situations clearly and realistically and respond to them in a more effective way. I find that CBT can be a very helpful tool, either alone or in combination with psychotherapy, in treating specific mental health disorders, or helping individuals learn how to better manage stressful life situations.
Mindfulness-based therapy
Mindfulness-based therapy helps us notice our thoughts, feelings, and reactions, with self-compassion and without judgment. A lot of the distress we experience in daily life is because we find ourselves dwelling in the past (how could they do that to me?) or worrying about the future (the worst thing will happen and I won’t be able to cope!). These feelings often manifest physically, such as forgetting to breathe or tensing our bodies. We forget that we’ve actually coped pretty well and we have a lot to be grateful for. Mindfulness techniques bring attention to our breath, connect us to our bodies, and help us ground ourselves. It’s been scientifically proven to improve our physical, emotional, and cognitive health, and helps us lead more fulfilled lives. I'm a firm believer in the benefits of mindful practice, and weave these ideas into therapy where they may be helpful.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
After experiencing a stressful or traumatic event, it’s the brain’s job to help you to survive. It does this by compartmentalizing the experience because if you were to process all the thoughts, feelings, and bodily responses in the moment, you’d likely become overwhelmed. However, the fact that the experience is unprocessed can lead to distress over time, especially if you encounter conscious or unconscious triggers. EMDR is a focused, integrative, and evidence-based therapy that uses the brain’s information processing system and natural adaptive mechanisms to help you process the negative effects of these stressful memories. This restores your nervous system to a state of psychological health, leaving you equipped to deal with future stressors with confidence. To read up more, visit EMDR South Africa.
Brain Working Recursive Therapy (BWRT)
BWRT is short-term therapy based on neuroscientific research and clinical efficacy that can quickly and permanently change the way your brain reacts to stressors. In this model, trauma and distressing memories are believed to be hardwired into neural pathways in your brain. When we’re confronted by triggers, our brain digs into its unconscious memory archive and pulls out a template of how we have previously responded to this event. The conscious mind then follows the instruction and replicates its previous response – fight, flight, or freeze. BWRT helps you stop and reroute the brain’s natural response to something traumatic, and divert to a response that is emotionally corrective and feels right for you. To read up more, visit BWRT South Africa or download the Patient Information Brochure.
Who I work with
I work mostly with adolescents and adults, individually and in groups, in an inpatient or outpatient setting, or online when necessary. I have experience in the diagnosis, management and treatment of the following psychological concerns:
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Depression and bipolar disorders
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Suicidality and self-harm
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Anxiety and phobias
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Stress management
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Trauma and acute stress
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Relationship difficulties (partners, peers, colleagues, family)
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Bereavement and loss
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Chronic illness and recovery
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Separation and divorce
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Anger management
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Life transitions
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Somatization and conversion disorders
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Development of self-esteem and identity
I also have a special interest in working with members of the Deaf community, and have basic conversational fluency in South African Sign Language. Additionally, I specialize in neuropsychological assessments.
I am not able to assist where eating disorders or substance abuse are the primary reasons for referral.
For more information on my experience and training, please visit my LinkedIn page. You are also welcome to follow me on Facebook or Instagram for tips, ideas, and resources around mental health.
Please contact me for any queries or to schedule your first session.
