Biography

My academic path in psychology began after completing my schooling at Diocesan College, where I went on to earn my B.Soc.Sci from UNISA. Alongside my studies, I nurtured a passion for both chess and rock climbing, experiences that together shaped my resilience and determination. I completed my Honours in Psychology at the University of Cape Town, where I also earned an honorary qualification in rock climbing! Prior to my masters, I spent a year in Gauteng counselling trauma victims, and then creating and writing a trauma manual with which I trained up psychology honours students and other para-professionals to provide trauma counselling at the Johannesburg CBD Braamfontein police station. This work was very close to my heart, due to a personal loss I had suffered through violent crime in South Africa.

I then moved to Grahamstown and pursued a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Rhodes University, where I graduated cum laude. Rhodes offered a strong emphasis on cognitive-behavioral therapy and neuropsychology at the time, which deeply influenced my therapeutic focus. My practical training included an internship at Fort England Psychiatric Hospital and a Community Service year with the military in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

My master’s dissertation explored the “Evaluation of the MMPI-2 in South African Pre-trial Forensic Patients,” assessing demographic and personality characteristics and using these to predict criminal responsibility. This research ignited my interest in the legal system, and I hope to one day consult with the legal and correctional services to improve rehabilitation efforts for inmates.

In my early career, I worked with adolescents in inpatient settings and later transitioned to treating adults in addiction recovery. Over time, I added on to traditional Minnesota model approaches to addiction treatment, embracing the evolving research within the CBT framework. After cutting my teeth at the Akeso adolescent unit and then the addiction unit, my interest took me on to the role of director of an inpatient addiction rehabilitation center in Tulbagh, where I was responsible for staff training, ongoing supervision, and running therapeutic groups and individual sessions. I gained extensive experience in leading teams and developing addiction recovery programs.

Additionally, I co-directed an outpatient drug rehab program in Lavender Hill, Cape Town, for three years. This experience was incredibly rewarding as it allowed me to bring high-quality addiction treatment to communities that greatly needed support. I was also invited to contribute to the book Recovery RSA, where I provided insights into the application of CBT in addiction recovery and relapse prevention.

I have been in private practice now for around two decades, and continue daily to learn from my clients, at least as much as I learn from the books and papers I read as part of my continued professional development. The great thing about cognitive therapy is that it truly encourages lifelong growth of new skills and proven theories, that help me to treat a heterogeneous bunch of people struggling from a wide range of psychological conditions.