Sasja van der Merwe Clinical Psychologist

12/03/2026

True restoration requires more than just 'time off.' It requires spaciousness.
For our May retreat in Stellenbosch, we have carefully curated an environment of quiet luxury and sensory beauty. From the serene guest house to the grounding presence of the land, every detail is designed to support your nervous system in moving from 'survival' to 'social engagement.'
This is a weekend to:
- Breathe deeply in the crisp mountain air.
- Enjoy nourishing meals and restful sleep.
- Be held by a space where your only 'job' is to be present.
When we feel safe and comfortable, our capacity for connection flows naturally. Come and rediscover that flow with us.
Dates: 21 – 24 May 2026
Location: Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Secure your spot here: https://siloahproject.com/polyvagal-informed-equine-retreats

10/03/2026

Why horses?
At The Siloah Project, we don’t ride horses, we co-regulate with them.
As prey animals, a horse’s nervous system is incredibly finely tuned to the environment. They don’t care about your job title or your to-do list; they respond to your state.
When we step into a space with a horse, we are stepping into a living laboratory of Polyvagal Theory. Through their presence, we can learn to:
- Recognize our own 'survival' states (fight, flight, or shut down).
- Experience what true safety feels like in our bodies.
- Practice the art of 'Guided State Shifting' alongside a 500kg partner who offers no judgment, only presence.
Join us in Stellenbosch this May (21–24) to experience this profound connection for yourself.
Limited spots available for this intimate experience.
See the full details here: https://siloahproject.com/polyvagal-informed-equine-retreats

04/03/2026

Often when I write, I don't find the words - the words find me. Not this time. Maybe the photographs will help me tell this story. But the one thing words can capture is this:
I am not alone anymore.
I am not alone because God finds me on Melkbosstrand beach with a breathtaking skyline and then holds the worm moon of new beginnings in the sky in front of me for an extra hour while I watch her reflection dance on the Atlantic.
I am not alone because I have a brother with a lovely wife and two children who live deep in my heart - whose love fills my cup to overflow.
I am not alone because Wings with Roots only manifested this weekend because of the brilliant mind and person of Liza Prinsloo who is doing this with me.
I am not alone because The Siloah Project only manifested this weekend because of the incredibly kind, generous and passionate Hestie who took my hand on this journey.
One weekend. Four sunsets. An almost full moon on the Atlantic. Incredible meals, a whole bunch of love and laughter - and two projects we have been building the root system of for years, finally shooting upwards.
If you want to follow our journey, you are welcome to join us at Wings with Roots and The Siloah Project - two very different spaces, built from the same roots - Connecting Disconnectedness

04/03/2026

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Connecting Disconnectedness

04/03/2026

03/03/2026

https://siloahproject.com/

03/03/2026

Wings with Roots had the incredible privilege of delivering our first corporate workshop yesterday - with the executive team of Die Damhuis Restaurant in Melkbosstrand.

What a day.

Damhuis is a business that genuinely cares about its people, and it shows - in how they lead, how they serve, and in the courage their team brought to the room yesterday.

We spent six hours together exploring how stress moves through the body, how it affects capacity, and how to stay steady under pressure - not by pushing through, but by understanding what's actually happening inside your nervous system and learning practical tools to work with it.

Because the way you regulate is the way you lead. And the way you lead is the way your customers feel.

Thank you, Damhuis. Cohort 1. We won't forget this one.

Wings with Roots - Grounded skills for people under pressure.

23/02/2026

One of the greatest values we can teach our children is accountability.
That love isn’t just how you feel, it’s how you act.
That when you’ve caused harm, the job isn’t only to apologise, but to repair —
with effort, with change, with follow-through.

And they don’t learn this from lectures.
They learn it from us.

They watch how we handle their hurt.
How we respond when they call us out.
How we face our own mistakes.

When we say, “I hear you… and I’m going to work on that,”
and then actually do,
we show them what integrity looks like in real time.

This is bigger than parenting.
It’s about the kind of humans we’re raising.

The ones who don’t settle for empty words in their relationships.
The ones who hold themselves to the same standard they expect of others.
And the ones who understand that love without accountability
isn’t love at all. ❤️

Quote Credit: ❣️

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15/10/2025

When you are surrounded by infinite, majestic mountains that have known for millennia who the Source is that holds all together…
When you stand beneath skies scattered with countless stars, walk alongside the grace and wisdom of horses, and are held by kind, open human hearts, you cannot not be moved. You cannot not be changed.
When you meet majesty, beauty, kindness and grace with an open heart, the trajectory of your life shifts. Mine has.
Julie Hobson, Sean Hobson, Jen and Mads, thank you for the love, for the safety you created, for the way you served us in love.
Beautiful Brutus, again you carried me deeper into myself, holding the space with strength and gentleness.
Words are clumsy and insufficient, but Mads’ pictures say it better than I ever could.
Maddie M Photography, KAROO RANCHING