Laurian Ward Counselling Psychologist

28/10/2025

When the lines between these conditions feel blurred, it’s easy to mislabel what’s happening. That’s why a comprehensive psychological assessment is the best way to bring clarity. A proper evaluation explores your ADHD symptoms, history, and patterns — not just how you feel on a stressful day or what a checklist says online.

If you or someone you care about struggles with focus, organization, or emotional ups and downs, don’t guess. Book an assessment with me, Laurian Ward, Counselling Psychologist in Pretoria East, to get the clarity and direction you need to move forward with confidence.

What many people don’t realize is that several other mental health conditions can look like ADHD symptoms but are, in fact, something else.

14/10/2025

When ADHD is misunderstood as a “trend” or personality quirk, people who genuinely need help may feel dismissed or doubted. Conversely, some may self-diagnose based on relatable online posts rather than through proper assessment, leading to unnecessary worry or confusion. The truth is, ADHD is not one-size-fits-all. It presents differently across ages and genders, and often overlaps with other emotional challenges like anxiety or mood difficulties.

https://psychologistpretoriaeast.co.za/understanding-adhd-beyond-the-label-world-mental-health-month/

06/10/2025

🌿 October: World Mental Health Month 🌿

This month, we shine a light on the often-overlooked conversations around ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and Maternal Mental Health — reminding ourselves that understanding begins with awareness, and healing begins with courage. 💚

Here are 4 powerful facts to start your week with purpose:

1️⃣ ADHD isn’t just a childhood condition — it affects adults too, especially women who were never diagnosed early.
2️⃣ Bipolar Disorder is not moodiness — it’s a medical condition that, with the right treatment and support, allows for deeply fulfilling, creative, and stable lives.
3️⃣ 1 in 5 mothers experience some form of mental health challenge during or after pregnancy — yet most never reach out for help.
4️⃣ Mental health is not a weakness — it’s part of our shared human story, deserving the same compassion as physical health.

✨ This October, choose awareness over avoidance.
Choose compassion over judgement.
Choose healing — for yourself, your family, and your community.

📞 Book a session or reach out to talk.
Because your story matters, and your healing can begin today.

— Laurian Ward | Counselling Psychologist
🕊️ Supporting your journey toward balance, growth, and emotional wellness.

20/09/2025

Suicide Awareness Saves Lives 💛🧠

Creating awareness around suicide is a step in the right direction—and it makes prevention possible. By challenging the stigma around mental health, checking in with loved ones, and making support accessible, we can truly change the statistics.

Small conversations can save lives. Simple actions like:

*Restricting access to lethal means
*Encouraging men to seek professional help
*Fostering communities where vulnerability is seen as strength

…are all steps in the right direction. (Source: WHO)

If you are struggling—or notice someone pulling away, feeling hopeless, or expressing despair—please reach out. You are not a burden. You are not alone.

https://psychologistpretoriaeast.co.za/september-is-suicide-awareness-month/

15/09/2025

Can Helping Others Help You? Absolutely! 🌟

Helping others isn’t just good for them — it’s amazing for you too. Here’s how:

Fosters Personal & Professional Growth
✅ Develop New Skills: Every act of helping exposes you to new experiences and opportunities to learn.
✅ Boost Leadership: Helping others sharpens your communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
✅ Enhance Your Reputation: Being known as someone who helps builds trust and respect — opening doors to unexpected opportunities.

Increases Life Satisfaction
💙 Find Purpose: Helping others gives life deeper meaning and fulfillment.
💙 Long-Term Happiness: The positive impact lasts far beyond the moment, improving your outlook on life.

Helping others isn’t just an act of kindness — it’s a win-win. You grow, you connect, you thrive.

https://psychologistpretoriaeast.co.za/can-helping-others-help-you/

11/09/2025

Strangely, despite how many people suffer from it, neuropathy is not often spoken about in everyday conversation. Unlike a broken arm in a cast, nerve pain is invisible. It hides under the skin, but it can affect every part of life. Many people mistake it for “just getting older” or “bad circulation.” Because of this, people delay seeking help, and the condition worsens.

https://psychologistpretoriaeast.co.za/neuropathy-pain-and-the-choices-we-make/

26/08/2025

Why Are Kids Struggling Despite More Support?

Teens today have more therapists and school psychologists than previous generations, yet their coping capacity is lower. Access to help doesn’t replace emotional connection, parental presence, or meaningful offline identity. Many teens hide distress, smile through pain, and process grief in silence. Emotional literacy lags behind digital fluency.

https://psychologistpretoriaeast.co.za/parents-suicide-and-the-internet/

20/08/2025

Sometimes, when life feels too heavy, your brain is not trying to betray you — it’s trying to protect you.

I’m a Counselling Psychologist in Pretoria East, and I often explain to clients that during extreme emotional pain, we slip into what’s called the primal brain. This is the survival part of our mind — the same system our ancestors used when running from predators. In this state, your logical, rational thinking goes offline. Your brain is focused only on escaping pain, and in that moment it can make the world feel empty, hopeless, and without meaning.

This isn’t weakness. It’s biology. But here’s the important truth: feelings in the primal brain can change when the storm passes, and there are ways back to safety. When you reach out — to a friend, a counsellor, a helpline — you activate the part of your brain that can see options again. You reconnect with the part of you that can still imagine tomorrow.

If you are in that dark space right now, please know: you are not broken, you are not alone, and you matter more than you can see in this moment. The pain is temporary — your life is not.

16/08/2025

Living with a personality disorder can feel like you're caught in a constant storm. Your thoughts, emotions, and relationships can seem unpredictable and overwhelming, leaving you feeling isolated and misunderstood. This isn't a flaw in your character; it's a condition that impacts how you see yourself and the world around you.

https://psychologistpretoriaeast.co.za/borderline-personality-disorder/

15/08/2025

The most dangerous grief is often the invisible kind—the losses people carry in silence. If someone seems “fine,” check again. If you see someone pull away, lean in. If you notice someone laughing but not smiling with their eyes, pause and ask.

And if you are the one feeling this grief—please hear this: Your pain is real. You are not invisible. Help exists. And there are people who want you here—imperfect, hurting, real—you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or simply need a space to process life’s challenges — I’m here to help. As a registered Counselling Psychologist, I offer compassionate, evidence-based support to help you navigate your journey with clarity and resilience.

https://psychologistpretoriaeast.co.za/what-is-suicide-grief/

11/08/2025

Losing someone to grief is an unbearable pain, a debt of despair that can feel impossible to overcome. When a loved one is gone, the world can seem to stop, leaving you trapped in a cycle of overwhelming sadness and loneliness.

But you are not alone in this. While everyone’s journey is unique, the need for connection and support is universal. Reaching out and sharing your story is a powerful step toward healing. It could be with a close friend, a family member, a therapist, or a support group—giving a voice to your pain is the first step toward lightening the load.

Let's build a community of compassion here. In the comments, please share a memory, a picture, or a song that honors your person and your pain, if you feel comfortable. Let's show e at we are not alone.

22/07/2025

Being mentally well at work means, employee wellness and being able to manage stress without being overwhelmed by it. It means engaging with your tasks, having healthy communication with colleagues, feeling a sense of purpose, and being able to set boundaries. It does not mean never having a bad day—but it does mean having the tools and support to bounce back.

On the other hand, not being mentally well in the workplace can show up in many ways: burnout, irritability, procrastination, withdrawal, absenteeism, presenteeism (being physically present but mentally checked out), and even conflict. The damage doesn’t stop with the individual—it often seeps into the team dynamic, the morale, and eventually, the performance of the entire department.

The truth is the productivity, performance, and sustainability of your business are directly tied to the employee wellness of an organisation of a company.