

"I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art."
-Helena Bonham Carter
Behind the stage curtains...
After a personal crisis years ago, I followed a scent leading down the rabbit hole, which thankfully ended up being the route into Archetypal or Depth Psychology....This perspective became captivating and intriguing, which slowly opened up and exposed me to a more meaningful, richer way of life.... Also, the personal narrative that I carried around like a bag of bones for years was gradually re-worked, re-imagined and re-scripted.... Things in a strange sense thereafter, began to fall into their rightful place, threads were pulled together, unconscious material revealed; and new, unexpected stories began to emerge.....This process eventually created a sense of deep relief and joy, paving the way for a deeper curiosity about my surrounds and the world at large. This perspective, rooted in the aesthetics and imagination (the arts, culture, mythology and philosophy) has subsequently been taken into my practice...
The term, 'Archetypal' was coined in the 1970's by James Hillman, because its roots go back to the founding father, Carl Jung. Within this framework, there's an exploration of loosening habituated narratives that either become fixed, or that have become an echo of the broader society... When perspectives go unchecked, they can restrict the ability to accept what simply is, stifling the creation of an authentic life that may be waiting to be explored.....If these stories go unchecked through 'talk therapy' alone, this can perpetuate patterns or stories that no longer serve who you are now...Over time, this will naturally manifest in symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, addictions, inauthenticity, illness, or a sense of meaninglessness.
Another drawcard of this approach, is that when creatively playing with these stories in a therapeutic context, the presenting dreams, myths or everyday experiences, will open up and allow unconscious, shadow material to be made conscious. This will no doubt, provide some profound ideas and unexpected insights, allowing for a more curious and deeper exploration to occur between patient and therapist. By cultivating the imaginal, over time, the stories become richer and more interesting, which goes to the basic premise of: 'doctor the story, not the patient', encouraging you, as James Hillman suggested, to re-think, re-vision and re-imagine...


'The prime requisite for the practice of analysis has always been very simple. The analyst must be analysed himself before analysing others. This was the original premise of Freud and Jung and is maintained by the genuine Freudians and Jungians today. It is called a recognised training analysis and it includes as well, the study of the unconscious. How many hours of analysis an analyst has had, whether or not he has a doctor's degree, whether or not he be recognised by his colleagues, licenced by the state, or graduated from an analytical training institute, such questions are all secondary to the first criterion: the analyst must have been analysed before he analyses others. This is both the prime training and the test of the vocation.'
-James Hillman (Suicide and the Soul)
About me...
Background
Experience:
An Archetypal Psychotherapist, qualified Social Worker and trained Relationship Advisor...Then, after completing my degree in Social Work in 1991, I went on to practice for a number of years in Childcare, then Couple Counselling, Hospice, Autism and Mental Health.
As a consequence of being born into a large extended family, being married, a parent, and an exposure to a colorful patient base, a fascination for human nature, and complex relationships evolved. Then in 2009, I was introduced to Archetypal Psychology, which has subsequently paved the way into a far richer and deeper insight into myself, the world and my therapy practice (I have also developed a dark sense of humour in the process!).
I have two young adult sons and a dog. I walk and hike regularly, practice yoga, dance movement and meditation. I love writing stories, the cinema, theatre and travelling. I also volunteer in the community on a weekly basis.
Education:
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B.Soc Sci Social Work (University of KZN) 1991 (Registered with SACSSP, SAASWIPP)
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Marital Adviser (Marital Institute of SA) 2001
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Archetypal/Imaginal Psychotherapist (in training at Tamboo Academy from 2009-current)
Specialties in Imaginal Work:
Adults- Individuals, Couples and Parents:
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Relationship Issues/Effective Communication Techniques
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Physical/Sexual Well-Being
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Stress/Trauma/PTSD
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Depression/Anxiety
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Childhood Wounding
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Erotic Imagination/Dreamwork, Creativity
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Spiritual Awakening
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Grief, Loss
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Disabilities
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Addictive Patterns
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Ecological Responsibility
Offerings

Individual Depth Therapy:
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Exploration of presenting symptoms
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Finding different perspectives and changing old, worn out narratives....

Couples Depth Therapy:
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Training effective communication techniques
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Making unconscious patterns and projections conscious (Including pre-marital preparation,couple or marriage enrichment, and separation/divorce support)
Contact me...
Please contact me using this form if you have any queries.
Email:
Cell number:
Location:
Cape Town,
Southern Suburbs