Who I am

My Self

I was born in South Africa, but I immigrated twice (with my family) and I made the necessary and profound adjustments in each case, successfully re-inventing myself in different and exciting career paths.

Trained as a lawyer, I have practised law and worked in the corporate world as a lawyer and human resource director of a large group of companies. In Australia, my life began as a travel agent/tour operator, winning a national award for my achievements. In mid-life, I made a profound change, went back to university, got a masters degree in counselling (with distinction) and I now practice as a psychotherapist. My life's journey has taught me to 'do what it takes' to make things work and this is one of the crucial elements which I offer my clients.

As a psychotherapist and motivational practitioner, I have evolved from an integrative background owing to my life's journey and this broad exposure to life has made me what I am. My experience of having to re-define myself and acquire and nurture a new identity in each of my new environments has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, opening up unique windows for me in cross-cultural awareness and expanded empathy.

But, most of all, I have learned to see challenges and opportunities in place of problems and difficulties, and consequently I have learned to grab life and make things work. Metaphorically, I have had to learn that changes do not have to mean closed doors; they can mean open windows.

This is the single most valuable perspective I bring to my therapy and coaching/motivational sessions.

My Approach

Person-centred, where we explore your feelings and the meaning of your unfolding life - how does your world view affect you and how you might change? I try to be a therapist who accepts, yet one who provokes, who frustrates, and one whose interaction enriches both my clients' lives and my own.

As a core modality, I offer Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as my treatment of the anxiety and mood disorders (anxiety and depression). In addition, I offer various structured programs which augment ACT, involving the giving of information (education), the practice of various techniques for relaxation, breathing, visualisation, and meditation.

I also work psychodynamically and my orientation (for those readers who might want to know) is object relations.

Finally, my entire practice is based on an integrative mix of a 'meaning' approach - existential in formal terms, but relying heavily on various 'meaning' therapists and philosophers whom I have read for most of my life. The simple fact really is that I have had to do much self-work around what meaning my own life has had, and what meaning may emerge for my family and me as a result of our having moved so much in our lives.

My Focus

Loss, grief and trauma counselling

I try to help you work through your emotions following losses and trauma, working through various stages in the adjustment process. In the main, this involves gradual acceptance of pain, resolution and changed meaning. I invite you to browse one of my other sites specifically set up for these issues: www.lossesintranslation.com.

Life transitions, immigration trauma, adjustment issues

Here I deal with the grief and losses inherent in life transitions, career changes, immigration, changes in identity/family dynamics, all leading to an emphasis on seeing opportunities and challenges in place of problems and obstacles. I invite you to browse one of my other sites specifically set up for these issues: www.lossesintranslation.com.

Anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia, depression

Understanding the physiology involved in anxiety and depression, some CBT work, but mainly work around acceptance of these painful feelings and emotions. The core of the approach is acceptance together with a commitment to values and goals.

Life and relationship coaching

Looking at patterns of relating and how your relationships evolve, both in your personal and working worlds and exploring changes that may enrich your life. I invite you to browse one of my other sites specifically set up for these issues: www.lossesintranslation.com.

Cross cultural relationship issues

This is a major area of my work - couples counselling - in helping couples to understand how each person's world-view and values are formed, examining them in relation to other, different cultural norms and moving towards a comfortable, workable reconciliation. I invite you to browse one of my other sites specifically set up for these issues: www.lossesintranslation.com.

Couples counselling and break-up mediation

Facilitating better communication between spouses/partners and helping them to focus on the relationship rather on themselves. My previous work as a lawyer has been extremely valuable in my approach to my couples work, particularly in the event of a break-up.

Groupwork

I run several anxiety and mood disorder groups (anxiety/depression), immigrant adjustment groups and various other groups, as well as unique pro-active therapy groups embodying combined exercise and group therapy sessions.

E-therapy

Since 2002, I have offered a comprehensive e-therapy service which utilises encrypted (safe!) software for real-time client communication. I invite you to browse this site: www.net-therapy.com