I provide individual psychotherapy services for adults and couples therapy.
I practice an in-depth holistic therapy process to address the root causes of difficulties. I believe that within you is a wise authentic self that can activate your healing. I would be honored in guiding you to awaken this authentic self to allow you to transform your life, your relationships and yourself in a deep and meaningful way.
I make use of an integrative approach to fit my client’s unique needs and circumstances. My psychotherapeutic method facilitates healing through a process of integration of past trauma. Trauma can be explained as any distressing event that overwhelms an individual’s capacity to cope. Unintegrated past trauma remains with us in the present, resulting in repetitive negative patterns restricting our potential and freedom to live our lives as we desire. Therapy is aimed at liberating this potential by releasing the effects of traumatic experience from our system. All the diagnoses out there, whether depression, anxiety or even psychosis, are significantly rooted in trauma. They are manifestations of trauma.
In my practice, you will find a safe space and effective tools that help you to address all of the facets of your experience that may be creating dis-ease. If talking works best for you, then we can talk through your challenges. But if you have found that, no matter how much insight you gain, talking is not enough then we will delve into experiential tools that will engage the rest of you: body, emotion, mind and spirit. These methods assist clients in bringing about necessary shifts and solidifying them in their lives. With many tools in my therapeutic toolbox, I mindfully explore the integrity of what is most beneficial and appropriate for each unique client.
About me
My Story
I would describe myself as an adventurous, compassionate, curious, and spiritual being with a vision and dedication to make a difference in people’s lives. Psychology has been a life-long passion for me. I expressed my initial interest in mental health at the tender age 11, declaring in a school yearbook that I would like to be a ‘psychiatrist’. This converted some years later into ‘psychologist’ as I got to learn the difference between the two. What led me down this path is a combination of a deep need to understand and improve human suffering and an insatiable curiosity regarding the human mind. It has been a path of ever-increasing growth, insight and awareness. I view therapy as a process of awakening one’s authenticity and spontaneity, through the release of patterns imposed on us by life’s setbacks. I aim to co-create with clients a sacred space of safety and understanding where transformation can be nurtured. My role as psychologist is to be a facilitator of transformation. I aim to activate dormant potential and possibility; to discover the light within to allow you to illuminate your life path.
Training & Experience
My journey began at the University of Johannesburg (previously Rand Afrikaans University), where I completed all my psychology studies. I obtained a cm laude for both Honours and Masters. I was a member of the Golden Key International Society, a society honouring academic excellence. My training at the University of Johannesburg took an integrative approach. During my Honours year, I volunteered at Viva College working with teenagers and young adults with various mental disorders. I also volunteered briefly at SADAG and LifeLine. During Masters, I gained group and individual psychotherapy experience at Helen Joseph Hospital.
I have had experience in various psychiatric settings. I completed my internship at both Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital and Tara H. Moross Institute. At Weskoppies I worked in the acute psychotic and mood disorders, personality disorders, and forensic wards. Additionally, I gained experience in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), substance abuse and family therapy. At Tara H. Moross Institute I gained experience in the DBT program in ward 4 and 5, as well as in the neuropsychology unit. I went on to work at the Gauteng Metro Community Clinics in the wider Johannesburg area, where I conducted individual, couple and group psychotherapy on a wide-range of diagnoses, including trauma, bereavement/grief, personality disorders, panic attacks, anxiety disorders, phobias, depression, bipolar disorder, and various medical disorders, amongst others. I also conducted play therapy with children of various ages. Through my experience here, I continued with supervision in both the psychodynamic and somatic psychotherapy paradigms. I now find myself in private practice. I believe that a therapist’s job entails never-ending self-development and so I continue training and personally partaking in a variety of psychological and other healing methods.
Interest Areas
Some of my interest areas include: somatic psychotherapy, trauma (acute, developmental and relational), Eastern healing modalities, shamanism, transpersonal psychology, hypnotherapy, addiction, meditation and mindfulness, and physical symptoms having emotional roots.
www.malvinapsychology.com
info@malvinapsychology.com
