Simone Arendse - Clinical Psychologist

Simone Arendse - Clinical Psychologist I am a clinical psychologist in private practice and I work with adolescents, adults and couples.

Attending the Transform Trauma conference at Oxford University recently was definitely the highlight of my year and last...
10/12/2025

Attending the Transform Trauma conference at Oxford University recently was definitely the highlight of my year and last night the magic continued. I got to attend a live Q & A online with the great Gabor Maté. Watching how this man answers questions by clinicians is like observing a master do therapy. He knows just how to get you out of your head and connect with your body, your gut, your feelings. Like so many others this time of the year, I was feeling a bit stretched and almost gave this a skip, which thankfully I didn’t do. Ending the year by bringing into remembrance the highlight of my year, was just what my spirit needed.

Masters Events Ltd

In training today because there is ALWAYS more to learn. Also because this is such a relevant topic currently. So many i...
22/11/2025

In training today because there is ALWAYS more to learn. Also because this is such a relevant topic currently. So many individuals have lived their whole lives with these neurodevelopmental conditions without understanding and support. Increased knowledge allows for increased intervention which assists people with improving the quality of their lives.

21/11/2025

A few months ago I partook in an interview on child sexual abuse. We teach our kids about stranger danger which is good, however as a clinician I can attest that the perpetrator more often than not, is known to the child. Here is a snippet of us discussing this.

I was looking at this photo and just once again realized how misleading and limited our lenses can be. At first glance, ...
19/11/2025

I was looking at this photo and just once again realized how misleading and limited our lenses can be. At first glance, this picture just looks like I am consumed by my phone, oblivious to the beauty surrounding me. Yet in reality that was not the case on that day. I had just spent an amazing day sightseeing in a foreign country and I had not looked at my phone much and completely lost track of time. When I eventually did realize the time, I paused and became intentional about getting some internet connectivity so that I could contact my kids and connect with them before they went to bed that night. That’s the story. And that is the power of storytelling and narrative, it clarifies, reframes perceptions and broadens our perspective. And that is exactly what therapy does, without an alternative narrative we get stuck in viewing the situation in only one way. But therapy expands our view and gives us different lenses to make meaning of our experiences. It’s powerful, go ahead and give it a try.

Day 3 of the conference was supposed to be an immersion day of teaching with the highly acclaimed, wise and well-known G...
17/10/2025

Day 3 of the conference was supposed to be an immersion day of teaching with the highly acclaimed, wise and well-known Gabor Maté but due to personal circumstances he was unable to make it. While his absence was felt and honoured, the final day was nevertheless phenomenal. I got to hear pioneers such as Richard Swartz and Dr. Dan Siegel speak and I got a front row seat to hear the super star Alanis Morissette speak about her own journey with mental health. How awesome it is when an artist whose music I have listened to speaks about a topic I am deeply passionate about… what dreams are made of. And after three 10-hour days of intense and impactful learning, the conference ended with an electronic band leading us into a magical and meaningful dance session. Thereafter there was a closing party where a South African opera singer performed. Having one of our people represent in Oxford felt like the perfect ending to a mind-blowing and meaningful experience. I left Oxford with a full heart and a renewed love for this sacred work that I get to do everyday. This experience will forever be embedded in my psyche and I am forever grateful.

Oxford University is situated in various buildings all over the town and on day 2 of the conference, I found myself in m...
16/10/2025

Oxford University is situated in various buildings all over the town and on day 2 of the conference, I found myself in many venues that looked like churches and cathedrals learning from various highly accomplished and acclaimed professionals. There were too many phenomenal speakers to name individually but the two sessions I felt most energized by was a session by the distinguished and lovely neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart who shared a stage with tapping expert Poppy Delbridge. The other session I thoroughly enjoyed was a session by the authentic and witty Harvard trained psychiatrist Frank Anderson, MD who led us through and gave us permission to scream our heads off in order to release our anger. Why were were these my favorite sessions of that day? Simply because it combined both educational and practical components. A merge, syncing and integration of both mental work and body work, as the two cannot exist without the other. But perhaps what I was most in awe of was that irrespective of how educated and accomplished the speakers were, everyone was so open, reflective, authentic and heartfelt in their sharing and teaching. It reminded me of how we are all just wounded healers in pursuit of our own healing and in service of healing our relational world.

Due to my immense excitement about attending a conference at Oxford University, it was my intention to post about my exp...
15/10/2025

Due to my immense excitement about attending a conference at Oxford University, it was my intention to post about my experiences there in the moment on a daily basis, however being there was such an overwhelming experience (in a good way). To be a person of colour from Africa, learning from world-renowned thought leaders at arguably the most prestigious university in the world, had left me dumbstruck. My body first needed to attune to the experience on a sensory level before my brain could formulate the words to describe it.

The event kicked off with pre-conference drinks in a beautiful garden courtyard at the university to meet and greet the other attendees the night before. They also had a black gospel band performing to honour the legacy of slavery and they sang the songs that had comforted the slaves during their time of suffering. Choosing to open a trauma conference like this felt strategic and mindful and the organizers of this conference, Masters Events Ltd did well to honour difference and otherness in a setting that has historically contributed to separation and segregation. Listening to the band sing “amazing grace” had me tearing up because of the gratitude I felt for finding myself there at that point in time.

Day 1 of the conference kicked off with the dynamic, renowned and powerhouse relationship expert Esther Perel. Her session was entitled “From Pain to Pleasure: Erotic Recovery in Trauma Healing.” Her talk was refreshing and did not focus solely on the pain that comes from trauma but also the importance of reconnecting with one’s aliveness, vitality, desire, playfulness and curiosity as an antidote and essential component of healing trauma. Esther’s energy was engaging and magnetic and EVERYTHING she said felt like insightful nuggets of wisdom that one just needs to chew on slowly and deliberately. What a talk, what a day, goosebumps…

The next speaker on day 1 was the esteemed psychiatrist and author Bessel van der Kolk. I read his book, “The body keeps the score” a few years ago and oh man did it enhance my understanding of the impact of trauma on the brain and the importance of healing trauma through the body. I cannot tell you how many times I have utilized or quoted his work with my patients in sessions. His wife who is a somatic educator and body worker also started and ended the session with some practical movement and experiential exercises. He brought the neuroscience and she integrated it somatically. Beautiful symbolism of how we need both for integration, wholeness and healing.

Sometimes you just have to put the baggage down and take a moment to admire the view.
14/10/2025

Sometimes you just have to put the baggage down and take a moment to admire the view.

I’m off to the Transform Trauma conference at Oxford University! My practice re-opens on the 8th of October again. See y...
25/09/2025

I’m off to the Transform Trauma conference at Oxford University! My practice re-opens on the 8th of October again. See you then.

Masters Events Ltd

Last month I did something that has been on my heart to do for a while already. I started a support group for mothers of...
09/09/2025

Last month I did something that has been on my heart to do for a while already. I started a support group for mothers of neurodivergent children. Parenting a child with special needs can be consuming and I wanted to create a space where moms can share, connect, learn, normalize experiences and support each other. Our next group is coming up and I still have a few seats available. If you can benefit from this, then do make contact with me. Oh and did I mention that is is FREE. I hope to see you there.

I have a beautiful garden. With the sun blessing us with its presence, I was blissfully pottering around in it this past...
01/09/2025

I have a beautiful garden. With the sun blessing us with its presence, I was blissfully pottering around in it this past weekend. I watered flowers, pulled out weeds and moved pot plants around with the shifting shadows, shade and sun. As cliché as it sounds, a garden is truly a symbol of our changing seasons. Which areas of your life do you need to water and nurture? What do you need to remove and let go of that is stifling your growth and no longer serving you? And do you have the insight to know if you need the energy, renewal and revival of the sun or the rest, refuge and comfort of the shade? It’s Spring Day, so pause, attune and give yourself exactly what you need in this season to bloom and flourish.

Thank you 2U for having me as a guest speaker at your wellness week. I spoke about Mental Fitness and how to build daily...
15/08/2025

Thank you 2U for having me as a guest speaker at your wellness week. I spoke about Mental Fitness and how to build daily habits to support your well-being. I spoke about all the cornerstones of wellness such as sleep, nutrition, movement, emotional regulation & managing your thought life. It’s always lovely when a company seems invested in their staff members well-being.

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Tuesday 09:00 - 16:30
Wednesday 09:00 - 16:30
Thursday 09:00 - 16:30
Friday 09:00 - 16:30

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About me...

I am a clinical psychologist and I have been practicing for the last ten years. I currently work at an inpatient addiction facility where I do individual therapy, various forms of group therapy, lecture, as well as supervise other clinicians. I also have a private practice in Somerset West.

My areas of interest include but are not limited to, couple’s therapy, anxiety disorders, depression, addictions, eating disorders, personality disorders, improving interpersonal relationships as well as developing self-awareness and individual growth.

I provide a calm, comfortable and safe space where individuals can explore and process their difficulties. My goal is to gently assist clients in developing insight in order to make the necessary behavioral changes. I aim to assist individuals in their journey of personal growth and to facilitate improved functioning. My approach to therapy is collaborative and eclectic, meaning that I tailor make the approach to the needs of the client.