Tasneem Abrahams Occupational Therapist

15/01/2026

This week I attended the first of hopefully many Skill Swap sessions at
The concept is simple, yet powerful...members are invited to register for small group sessions, hosted by a fellow S&S member to briefly share a skill, a pearl of wisdom or an idea worth sharing over a shared lunch.

The group then has an opportunity to engage with the topic by asking questions and engaging in discussing. This is not a lecture, a motivational talk or a coaching session. It's an opportunity for a group of entrepreneurs from different industries and walks of life to learn from each other in a relaxed, intimate environment.

The first session was hosted by Nicole Béguin on the subject of Attachment Theory and Relationships. The topic was fascinating, the discussion refreshingly open and insightful. New connections were made and existing connections strengthened through learning.

07/01/2026

Proud to be featured in the latest issue of MediMagZA ✨
I wrote a feature article on executive functioning, ADHD and practical strategies to help ease the transition after the holidays
If this topic resonates with you, you can read the full article in the current issue via the link in the bio.

31/12/2025

This year wasn’t easy. It stretched me in ways I didn’t always anticipate.
There were moments that asked for more resilience, more patience, more faith than I was sure I had.
I’m grateful for my family and friends, my health, for the work I get to do, and for the people who trusted me with their stories and their growth. Thank you for being part of this chapter.
Wishing you all love, joy, good health and ease in 2026 ameen 🤲
#2025 #2026

16/11/2025

This is very relatable to many of my clients. But for them, saying outright no immediately is not easy. Scripting is however is a very effective strategy to eliminate mental load and slow down the mind in these moments. Sometimes the comments had a great rule and scripting suggestion:
If it's within the week:
"At such short notice I can't commit to that"
If it's more than a week away:
"Let me check my schedule and let you know"

15/11/2025

09/11/2025

Recently, a professional wrote that presuming competence is dangerous because it leads us to overlook vulnerability. That by presuming competence, we fail to protect, fail to offer help, fail to teach and assume people already know skills they have not yet learned. The professional’s stance confuses competence with current performance and support with correction or training.

This is not presuming competence. This is neglect.

Presuming competence is not an instructional strategy nor a belief about skill level. Presuming competence doesn’t mean assuming the person already has every skill but not demanding of someone to prove their right to access before we are willing to help them learn.

To presume competence is to recognise that a person’s understanding, agency, emotional depth and capacity for meaning-making exist regardless of whether they can demonstrate those things in neuronormative ways.
We do not treat a person as less intelligent because they communicate, learn or express differently.
We should assume cognitive presence, even when expression is delayed, non-linear or happens through non-speech communication.
We must provide access, support, scaffolding and alternative communication methods without requiring someone to prove they deserve them.

Presuming competence is an ethical stance that does not reduce someone to what is observable, nor treat one's humanity as being contingent on performance.

Moreso, vulnerability and competence are not opposites... A person can be deeply vulnerable and competent at the same time. Presuming competence allows us to support that vulnerability with dignity, instead of controlling it through fear of what might happen if we get it wrong.

Bottom line is that we don’t presume finished ability. We presume capacity, presence and potential and we support the person in accessing and expressing it.

15/10/2025

3 days to go!
Join us on Saturday 18 October to hear Adv. Christa Landsberg talk about GBV, financial abuse and it's impact on the vulnerablem

Adv. Christa is an experienced legal professional based in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. With a solid grounding in family law, sexual offences, and gender-based violence cases, she supports survivors through courtroom representation, legal consultation, and advocacy.

In her role as part of the Hope & Healing GBV initiative, Adv. Landsbeg offers expert guidance on survivor rights, legal recourse options, and court procedures - ensuring that participants understand the legal steps available to them and receive empathetic, informed counsel.

Her legal expertise, commitment to justice, and sensitivity to trauma-informed care offer hope through clarity and support for those navigating GBV-related legal challenges.

Register today and earn CPD points.
Bit.ly/hope-healing-online or visit the link in bio

25/09/2025

08/09/2025

🌟 New Live Webinar Alert! 🌟

💡 Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours – when skin picking and hair pulling becomes a disorder

🗓 Tuesday, 16 Sept 2025
⏰ 18H00 – 19H00
🎤 With Tasneem Abrahams (Occupational Therapist)
📍 Earn 1 CPD Point
💰 R120 (excl. VAT)

👉 Did you know that skin-picking and hair-pulling are not just “bad habits” but can actually be signs of Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs)?

In this insightful webinar, you’ll learn:
✔️ What BFRBs are & why they develop
✔️ How they impact daily life
✔️ Practical strategies for professionals, caregivers & individuals

✨ Don’t miss the chance to gain expert knowledge and practical tools to better understand and support those living with these often-hidden disorders.

🔗 Register today and secure your spot! https://www.impactlearning.co.za/body-focussed-repetitive-behaviours-when-skin-picking-and-hair-pulling-becomes-a-disorder/

27/07/2025

My brain is low.

I really appreciate everyone who is helping make space for the new way.

Em

17/05/2025