- This is the "getting to know you" phase and involves history taking and relationship building. 

It usually consists of 1-4 sessions and can run concurrently with the second phase. I consider the relationship between myself and my patients to be paramount and fundamental to the entire therapeutic process.

During this phase I also refer patients for any other assessments that are, in my interactional view, relevant to the psychotherapeutic process. This may include referrals to other specialists such as psychiatrists, medical specialists, doctors, educational psychologists and other professionals.  For example, I do not practice therapy with children but refer to specialist play therapists. However, I include family therapy and parent training as treatment modalities.

- is a short-term relational psychotherapy stage.

This phase consists of regular weekly or bi-weekly appointments for about 12-15 sessions. This can be in the form of individual therapy short term psychodynamic psychotherapy…or couples or family therapy. The main therapeutic techniques utilised in this phase are Cognitive behaviour therapy, Imago therapy, assertiveness training and parent training.

The phase also includes other modes of input regarding all levels of relating --- work, school, friendships and extended family relationships, trauma and grief therapy . Couples therapy and sex therapy are included in this phase as required. Relating in all these areas is often marred by flawed fundamental beliefs which are experienced as truths and guide dysfunctional relationships. Therapy provides a path to understanding these beliefs and changing them to more positive ways of being in the world.

This phase also involves identifying emotional triggers that result in trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) based on past experiences. It also includes assistance in affect regulation, anger management and assertiveness training. Importantly the therapy involves a continuous linking of current relational patterns and thinking styles to recent and past events including those within the therapeutic context.

My mantra is that ‘therapists do it in the here and now’. Although relational patterns that have their roots in childhood and trans-generational relational processes and trauma, they manifest in our daily lives- in the present- including the current therapeutic context. It is this understanding of the links between past and present that facilitates psychological change.

I combine couple’s therapy with individual sessions for both people in the relationship. I usually ask to see each person for an individual session first to discuss background, and to find out if each is really in a place to work on the relationship. Thereafter, if we decide on couples therapy, we try to meet as frequently as possible, minimum weekly. The couple’s sessions are interspersed with individual sessions as required.

- is ongoing, relational psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I began to offer this type of therapy after studying for my PhD in depth psychology at Rhodes university. I have found that many patients wish to continue with therapy for longer periods of time.

 From the perspective of my Relational Revolutions approach patients can continue with therapy for as long as they are finding the continual reworking and consolidation of the new and flexible thought patterns, and ways of relating is valuable. My mantra for this phase is ….  “you don’t have to be sick to get better”.

This phase involves long-term ongoing regular appointments at least once or twice and sometimes three times a week. This phase is an extension of the first and second phases of therapy. It involves continuous reinforcement of new learning consolidating new behaviour patterns and new ways of relating, linking reactions to current life’s events and experiences to earlier phases and stages of development. 

This has been a brief overview -  my approach is flexible however and our confidential psychotherapeutic journey together will be tailor-made to fit you so that your understanding of the past can open new possibilities the future.

My fee of R1300.00 is the same for all sessions, and I ask clients to pay me first and then claim back from the medical aid.

I am flexible however, and accommodate how I work, to the needs of the couple. The only thing that I am strict about is confidentiality, and I do charge for appointments not kept or cancelled before 24hours.

I do have  availability, but not much flexibility time-wise. So I ask clients to have an appointment at a difficult time until a more suitable slot becomes available.

Commitment to the process is key, and there are no quick fixes!

Please send me a whatsapp text if you would like more information, or if you would like to make an appointment.

This has been a brief overview -  my approach is flexible however and our confidential psychotherapeutic journey together will be tailor-made to fit you so that your understanding of the past can open new possibilities the future.