Individual Psychotherapy
Individual therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling”) is a process through which clients work one-on-one with a trained psychologist—in a safe, caring, and confidential environment—to explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging or influential memories, identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set personal goals, and work toward desired change. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a therapeutic process which helps patients understand and resolve their problems by increasing awareness of their inner world and its influence over relationships both past and present.
Mindfulness Based Therapy & Meditation
This is a form of psychotherapy which focuses on improving the way we relate to ourselves and the world. Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Instead of allowing your life to pass by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience. It helps one to develop an “inner observer”, a part of ourselves that can step back and reflect. This helps us to not act out on our emotions or thoughts, which often causes dis-ease and suffering. It also teaches us to be more in touch with ourselves and how we think/feel. However, this is often very difficult to achieve, and mediation can be the opposite of blissful and peaceful. This is why I believe it is a good idea to start with a trained professional who can assist you through the difficult and confusing feelings that may arise.
Expressive Arts Therapies
“It is only through being creative that the individual discovers the self” – Donald Winnicott
This is a relatively new form of therapy in South Africa, which combines the use of art materials, sound, or movement to help express what is sometimes too difficult to express in words. It also aids in helping the client access the underlying or unconscious feelings and experiences he/she may not ordinarily be able to access. This is a complex process and is not simply ‘making art’ or playing with paint. Works created, or even merely the process of creating, are used as symbols and vehicles which carry messages to be interpreted by a qualified psychologist. Please know that you do not have to be an artist/have an artistic background. This is not about creating a pretty picture, it is about the process. Art therapy has strong ties to neurological research and is scientifically proven to increase positive brain activity.
Art therapy works particularly well with children and adolescents, who often have not fully developed the capacity to verbalize and understand their internal worlds. However, it has also been proven to work with adults and the elderly.
Parent-Infant Psychotherapy
This is a dyadic method used to work with children (under the age of five) and their mothers. Fathers, you are welcome too! It is premised with the aim of improving the parent-infant relationship and promoting infant attachment and optimal infant development. The aims are not only to meet the immediate presenting problems in the baby or toddler, but also to help the parent and child feel more positively about themselves and their relationship.
Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy
I offer play therapy for children between the ages of five and twelve. Children communicate in a different manner than adults, as they use non-verbal means to express themselves. For this reason, it is important that when dealing with children we enter their world at their level of communication. I integrate parental counselling with play therapy as we believe that it is vital that parents are supported and given the necessary skills and understanding to develop an improved relationship with their children.
From age twelve, children begin to use play less as a communicative tool. Thus I offer therapy to adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. Adolescence is a tumultuous time for both the teen and the family, with frequent dilemmas, conflicts and unexplained emotions. Parent sessions may also be included in order to assist the entire family.
Yoga & Movement
I completed my 300hour Yoga Teacher Training with East-and-West Yoga in Ubud, Bali, 2018. Yoga means ‘’unity’’, which again brings us back to connection. Yoga helps us connect to our bodies, minds, souls, and to our community. It brings us back to ourselves. No, it is not all graceful poses and deep breathing. It is a daily journey of ups and downs, and some days I have found myself simply sitting and weeping, while other days I have felt so light and flexible I thought I should take up dancing. It’s all a part of it.
Healing Sound Therapies
I know this may sound quite wishy washy to some, but sound therapy has been backed by copious amounts of research. One of the original scientists that proved its benefits was Japanese born Dr. Masaru Emoto. He looked at how sound vibrations change the molecular structure of water. Humans are made up 70% of water! Hence, we can deduce that sound vibrations can literally change our molecular structure. Since this research in the 1960’s, much has been done to further prove how sound can heal in numerous ways. Not to mention, sound healing has been a part of many healing ceremonies across cultures for thousands of years… this is merely ancient knowledge being re-affirmed by modern science, yet again.
I have been trained in Tibetan Sound Bowl healing (often accompanied by my voice). According to ancient Tibetan teachings, the existence of singing bowls date back to the time of Buddha. Singing bowls produce beautiful tonal sounds and vibrations that may invoke deep states of meditation or feelings of peace.
