Dr Gert Pretorius – Counselling Psychologist
BSc (Hons) MSc PhD Bed
I am a psychologist with experience and training in the fields of counselling, relationships (specifically marriage relationships), mood disorders, and the mental health problems of families and children. For the last 20 years I have added recovery from trauma, the treatment of clients with addiction (specifically sex addiction) and clients’ recovery from abuse to my areas of specific interest. Much of this work is linked to and aimed at a client’s personal growth and development.
I believe in a realistic and holistic approach to the challenges of our time, gladly accept clients with spiritual needs and prefer to work in a team with other professionals in the medical field as well as pastoral care and social services. While people often accept information found on the internet, which may be confusing and not of good quality, my experience is that a realistic approach, grounded in reality and every person’s life experience and values, promote healing and recovery from mental health problems.
Hoewel ek in my werk net van kommunikasie (gesprekke en verslae) in Afrikaans en Engels gebruik maak, respekteer ek graag elke persoon se taal, kultuur en verwagtinge.
Milisa Marx – Counselling Psychologist
BA (US) HEd (US), Hons Psych. (Unisa), MA Couns..Psych. (NMMU)
I believe people can live emotionally healthier and happier lives and therapy plays a key role in facilitating this process.
My therapeutic approach is determined by clients’ unique needs and therapeutic goals and emphasises three key elements:
Development: Contribute to clients’ healthy development by supporting and enhancing wellness and encouraging holistic growth;
Prevention: Identifying and developing clients’ existing skills;
Remediation: Support to clients struggling with adjustment, developmental and psychological issues.
I offer individual therapy to adults dealing with:
- Trauma-related symptoms;
- Anxiety- and mood-related difficulties such as social anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder;
- Relationship challenges;
- Adjustment difficulties, including divorce, loss and grief;
- Self-development and personal growth challenges.
Stephanie van der Berg – Counselling Psychologist
BA, BA Hons (NWU) MA Psych (UNISA)
I am registered with the HPCSA and have been in practice for nearly 3 decades. As a psychologist I strive to create a safe space in which the client can work at the healing process, be supported in times of distress and gain personal growth.
The ability to understand oneself and others, relate to others, overcome the challenges/traumas of the past and adapt to changing environmental circumstances and demands is the essence of growth and emotional healing. In the absence of this ability our personal, relational and/or professional lives will suffer and become dysfunctional. I am passionate about how to equip and motivate the client to move beyond a mere symptom-free life towards a life of meaning and abundance.
As psychologist I am very comfortable and experienced in the cognitive-behavioral, client-centered and solution-focused approaches. The philosophies and scientific studies related to Positive Psychology are strong interests of mine and an ongoing study.
My areas of practice and special interests are psychotherapy and counselling with adults, adolescents, couples, parents and families.
I mainly focus on problems related to:
- Depression, Anxiety, stress and panic attacks
- Relationship problems, marital conflict, guidance through and after divorce, parent-child conflict and communication breakdowns.
- Parental guidance during and after divorce, dealing with the “difficult” child (tantrums and defiant behavior), Discipline nightmares, Teenage/adolescent problems, behavior modification.
- Teenagers’ self-image and self-confidence problems, peer intimidation, social media intimidation and addiction.
- Psychometric assessments to determine reasons for academic failure/under-achievement.
- Trauma
- Adjustment difficulties
- Eating disorders
I work in close collaboration with various psychiatrists in the area and form part of the support team for clients admitted to psychiatric clinics in the Northern Suburbs.
Public speaking regarding my fields of interest is one of my passions and I am also involved in support for the care givers of the Parkinson support group Southern suburbs.