We often go through traumatic experiences which sometimes we are not conscious of. At other times the experiences are so traumatizing that they are lodged in our minds and it seems as if we cannot escape them. They are all we can think about, even when we do not want to. Then they suddenly control our emotions and behaviour. This can occur to a point where it affects your relationships and your daily functioning. When we are faced with such times, we often want to deal with these stressors alone. This is what makes things worse for us sometimes. It is okay to reach out and ask for help. Everyone of us, once in their lives gets overwhelmed. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but rather a sign of strength. I believe in making use of the people around you and resources you have to overcome certain phases of life. Therapy is there for you to recharge and analyze what has been happening in your life, how you have dealt with such problems, and how to effectively deal with them in the future.
My passion for mental health and living life as a holistic human being is what drives me. My respect and patience with the therapeutic process is what makes therapy fruitful and sustainable for my clients. These are the characteristics that makes the therapeutic journey worth-while for us all. I work on the notion that you are an expert of your own life but at the same time your life is magnified by the people and resources that surround you. Using them is only a sign of strength and determination.
I have special interest in working with people who have experienced trauma in their lives. Most of us experience trauma at some point of our lives. Trauma can be seen as an experience that had a significantly negative impact on a person or a distressing event. The experience affects the emotions, thoughts and behavior in such a way that it disturbs the person’s daily functioning and it affects their ability to cope with stressful situations.
Trauma could be experiences such as death, any event that might have threatened your life, bullying, domestic abuse, sexual assault, the list goes on. Sometimes we would like to believe that wehave adequately dealt with our past traumatic experiences, only to be drowned by the returning memories, flashbacks and nightmares. This can bring extreme anxiety and stress to one’s life. As a result, the effects end up having an impact in most parts of our lives such as work, academics, family, relationships, mental and physical health.
I am a Counselling Psychologist in Cape Town registered with the HPCSA. My practice is based in N1 City Mews, in Goodwood. I completed my undergraduate degree as well as my honours degree at Rhodes University. I then did my Masters Degree at University of Fort Hare, and my internship at University of the Western Cape.
Together with my interest in working with trauma, I also have an interest in working from an African perspective influenced by cultural and spiritual factors. The aim is to combine western and African approaches in psychology, as often times these models are used separately. This is to attempt to bridge a gap that is formed between African cultures, traditions, religions and mainstream psychology. As individuals we have our own identities. Sometimes our cultures and identities clash. This can create a lot of hurt, stress and broken relationships. Then one needs to start a journey of self-discovery and healing, and shift in life balance. This transition may be challenging to handle and people can suffer from adjustment difficulties.
This is the process of psychological assessment, diagnosis and intervention for clients. I am also affiliated with other professionals who specializes in different categories of the psychology field.
Read MoreRelationships speaks to who we are, and everyone has the tools to make any relationship work. What often occurs is that we bring our preconceived ideas, values and standards into our relationships and they sometimes oppose each other.
Read MoreColumn service content area
Read More