Joyquest Psychology

10/03/2026

How fabulous! The power of dance, groups, and community.

Translation for those who do not speak Afrikaans:
PEOPLE WITIH DISABILITIES RECEIVE STANDING OVATION AT LINE DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
It was a goosebumps moment when Heidelberg’s residents with disabilities completed their line dance during the Gauteng Championships. The audience spontaneously rose to their feet and applauded the members of the Masincedane (Helpmekaar) Club. Many tears were shed watching people in wheelchairs, people with Down syndrome, blind dancers, and others with disabilities take part.
The division for disabled dancers, Shining Steps, as well as a division for little ones, Boogie Babies, were both firsts for Line Dance SA.
The Gauteng Championships were hosted in Heidelberg this past weekend. Several local dancers from Generation Dance (which includes Balfour, Nigel, and Heidelberg), under the leadership of Deone Erasmus and Bianca Gloy, took part in the competition.
Generation Dance was the host of the StepUp Championships.
Participants qualify here for the South African Championships.
The Heidelberg Times was there and captured a few dance moves on camera. A video of Masincedane’s dance will follow.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KYoNzysr5/

30/01/2026

Stert of the year jitters ispired this one.

CHANGE – don’t freak out!

Change brings uneasiness, it upsets the way things used to be and can feel like a threat. That’s because our nervous system responds to change in the same way that it does to threat. Change activates a stress response - the kind that can energise you to reach your goals or overwhelm you and stop you in your tracks.

The difference? How your brain interprets the situation. If you see a challenge as manageable (with help or given time to adjust), your body goes into a challenge-state where you are energised, focussed and motivated. If you see the challenge as insurmountable, your body goes into a threat-state where you feel overwhelmed, fearful, frozen or ready to run away.

When change involves a big developmental step (first day of school or high school, or university or work) the line between feeling challenged and feeling threatened becomes thin. Motivation can quickly turn to stress or fear.

That’s when the ability to comfort and encourage ourselves becomes crucial. Imagine a wise and kind grandparent, teacher or mentor looking on, ready to offer comfort and support. What would they say? What would they invite you to do?

For me it would be, “that’s okay, it’s your first day. You’ll figure it out.” Or “when you get home, have a coffee date with your hubby and debrief.” Or “as soon as you get a break, shoot away to a quiet spot, take a minute to breathe and take your fears to the Lord. He sees you.”

What would it be for you?

29/01/2026

CHANGE – don’t freak out!

Change brings uneasiness, it upsets the way things used to be and can feel like a threat. That’s because our nervous system responds to change in the same way that it does to threat. Change activates a stress response - the kind that can energise you to reach your goals or overwhelm you and stop you in your tracks.

The difference? How your brain interprets the situation. If you see a challenge as manageable (with help or given time to adjust), your body goes into a challenge-state where you are energised, focussed and motivated. If you see the challenge as insurmountable, your body goes into a threat-state where you feel overwhelmed, fearful, frozen or ready to run away.

When change involves a big developmental step (first day of school or high school, or university or work) the line between feeling challenged and feeling threatened becomes thin. Motivation can quickly turn to stress or fear.

That’s when the ability to comfort and encourage ourselves becomes crucial. Imagine a wise and kind grandparent, teacher or mentor looking on, ready to offer comfort and support. What would they say? What would they invite you to do?

For me it would be, “that’s okay, it’s your first day. You’ll figure it out.” Or “when you get home, have a coffee date with your hubby and debrief.” Or “as soon as you get a break, shoot away to a quiet spot, take a minute to breathe and take your fears to the Lord. He sees you.”

What would it be for you?

10/07/2023

Self-harm question from parents: “I just found out my child is hurting themselves. I noticed a scar and asked about it. Then I found out they have also made cuts in other, hidden places. What do I do? I am scared they’ll do something worse.”
Response: That is a very scary discovery indeed. For any parent. It is great though, that you know about it, and they were able to talk to you. That makes for a great starting place to support them.
Sometimes self-harm behaviour is associated with suicidal thoughts, but often it is not. There are different reasons why teenagers hurt themselves. Very often they feel stuck with thoughts and feelings they cannot or dare not express. Sometimes they feel trapped in specific situations that they can’t change.
Creating opportunities for them to express what is going on can be very helpful. That could mean being available as a parent to listen or providing opportunities to talk to someone more neutral, like a counsellor, a therapist, or a mentor. Sometimes ‘neutral’ makes it much easier for them, but even with a therapist, they will still need your support with this.
Keep in mind that you cannot make a young person talk. You can provide opportunities, you can invite, and you can wait.
Make sure they know they can come to you. And when they do, listen without judgment, criticism, or correction. A tall order, I know, so it may help to check how well you are hearing them. For instance, by repeating back to them, “so you are saying…. Am I getting that?” Feeling heard helps a lot.
If they are not up for a formal conversation with you (typical for teens), create opportunities by regularly spending time with them, doing something either of you enjoy or even doing something mundane like folding laundry. This creates an opportunity and lets them know you are there with them.
If you are still worried that they will harm themselves or that you may not be immediately available when they need someone, it helps to make sure they have helpline details on their phone. In New Zealand Youthline is a good option:
Free text: 234
Free call: 0800 37 66 33
Email: talk@youthline.co.nz

Marna Meiring
Clinical psychologist

26/04/2023

Even moderate amounts of exercise can help ward off depression.

26/04/2023

Expect to be treated well, and you're more likely to think you are.

25/04/2023

Great resource for working with young people who experienced trauma.

EMDR and dissociation in children part I
by Arianne Struik

Applying EMDR therapy with children with chronic trauma can be challenging. In 2022 we offer you a series of short webinars about topics such as dissociation, neurofunctional disorder, EMDR in residential care.

We start with how to use EMDR with dissociative children, how to assess whether they are stable enough and how to prepare them for EMDR?

3rd of March 2022 for 90 minutes at 6.00 pm Brisbane, 9.00 am European time, 8.00 am UK/Ireland

Costs 60 AUD ex GST

More information: www.ariannestruik.com

Minder weergeven

05/12/2022

Very useful info on the value of breathing exercises - something that is gaurenteed to calm your nervous system, no matter what.

With anxiety, stress, and sleep dysfunction skyrocketing around the globe, it's time we look at the unspoken reasons why. These debilitating challenges can b...

19/06/2022

Opportunity for psychology student in Palmerston North

Job listing for Assistant, psychology practice on sjs.co.nz