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Christine Kritzas - Counselling Psychologist, The Neighbours Farm, Stellenbosch (2026)

14/04/2026

A story about how a 2-year-old can broaden your vocabulary too…

A few weeks ago, my niece, Nelly, introduced me to a word I now can’t forget: Miso Gato.

Pronounced “Mee-soh Gah-toh”.

She blurted it out one day, completely certain, as if it had always existed. And when we asked her what it meant, she didn’t explain…she just said it again, louder, and with even more conviction.

When I say “Miso Gato” out loud, something shifts in me, it feels grounding, calm & strong…and I feel like I’m in my power. It makes me feel steady even in the messy, uncertain parts of life.

Experiment with me for a moment here. Say “Meso Gato” out loud. What do you feel as you say it?

There’s something I’ve noticed over and over again, spoken words can change my state.

Sometimes when I say something, I feel my energy expand.
And other times, a single word makes me contract.

Back to my niece Nelly. What’s beautiful is that “Meso Gato” has become a little bridge between us.
When I see her now, I sometimes throw in a “Miso Gato,” mid-sentence and she either laughs or repeats it because it’s one of those words that when you hear it, you just need to repeat it.

So I’m curious…

What are the words that give you power?
And what are the words that quietly take it away?

Share your power word with me…I’m always looking for more to add to my power vocab.

29/03/2026

I walked past a wall today and thought to myself: “why did they cover it in the first place?”.

The original face-brick was beautiful 🧱, rich in texture and screaming with character. Even the way it had been built was unique (not all the bricks were laid in the conventional way; some were turned, exposing their shorter sides; there was no real sequence to it).

And yet, it had all been smoothed over and painted.

It made me think: “how many of us do the same?”.

How often do we cover over our natural texture, the parts that make us interesting, different, alive, to present a more polished, acceptable version of ourselves? Something that blends in more easily. Something that fits the current “trend”.

But what if the very things we hide are what make us timeless?

Those bricks didn’t follow a neat sequence, and that’s what made them beautiful. Authentically themselves.

Maybe it’s the same for us?

Maybe when we stop living the script that was handed to us, we feel a little lost… because we can no longer see a clear path ahead. So we are then quick to get back on to someone else’s script, paint it on thick, just to “fit in” and avoid sitting with the discomfort of uncertainty.

But being “lost” might actually mean you’re on your own path.

Because if you always know exactly where you’re going, you might be walking someone else’s.

What if, instead of smoothing ourselves out, we trusted the way we were built?

There’s a kind of beauty in all of us that doesn’t need repainting.

Unpaint yourself. Get comfortable with feeling “lost.”

You’re not lost, you’re very much on your path. It just hasn’t been walked yet… because you’re the one creating it…brick by brick.

28/03/2026

How to be in the present moment? Make sounds with your mouth. When you hum & hiss, you are:
• Slowing your breath
• Activating your vagus nerve
• Shifting into parasympathetic regulation
• Anchoring your attention in the NOW

These are all signals of safety, which is what the nervous system actually needs to calm down.

26/03/2026

I see words in words. And the other evening whilst reading ‘The Psychology of Money’ 📕, I came across the word “mistake”, and the letters m-a-k-e jumped out at me. All I could see was make-mistake…make-mistakes…

Mistakes are meant to be made. We learn through making mistakes, we gain experience, we become wiser too.

So the next time you make a mistake, ask yourself: “what lessons are in this for me?”; “what experience can I draw from this?”

And if you have children, try normalise making mistakes in the home. Next time you’re sitting at the dinner table, instead of asking yourself kids “what was the highlight of your day?”, rather ask “what mistake did you make today?”. And then also share any mistakes that you made and what you learnt from them. Modelling such vulnerability and openness builds trust with others and also teaches kids to take ownership of their mistakes too.

24/03/2026

24 March 2020 – exactly six years ago today – I delivered my first webinar for on Zoom, titled ‘Coping with COVID-19 Anxiety’.

Who would have thought that moment would mark the start of a new way of working, and that phrases like “You’re on mute,” “Can everyone see my deck clearly?”, “Breakout rooms,” and “Raise your hand if you…” would become part of our weekly vocabulary?

Six years later, I continue to deliver sessions online, and I’m grateful for the opportunities this has opened up: reaching wider communities, providing support in times of need, and connecting across borders in ways that weren’t possible before. At the same time, I still really enjoy in-person seminars, which offer a different kind of energy and connection, and that’s why I always make sure to do both.

The past six years have reminded me how important it is to be able to pivot, to adapt how we raise awareness, share knowledge and support others. Online work has become one vital way to do this, alongside in-person-engagements, and together they allow me to connect with and support communities in multiple ways.

23/03/2026

Which song shifts you in to a state of calm?
Which song shifts you in to an energetic state?
Which song brings out the warrior in you?
Which song makes you nostalgic?

Music is a powerful mood-shifter. Pay attention to the songs you’re listening to. Be aware of the lyrics you’re singing to as well. And remember that your words create your world.

20/03/2026

I love PowerAde’s slogan….Pause is Power.
Pausing is a verb too…it isn’t doing nothing…it is doing something.

To hold instead of react, is a powerful stance to take.

It might look still on the outside, but inside, something shifts. You’re steadying, noticing, choosing.

Pausing is active.
It’s you deciding how the next moment goes.

18/03/2026

What if I told you that the three words ‘I don’t know’ actually build trust and psychological safety, would you believe me?

When a leader, a parent, or even a friend says ‘I don’t know’ in response to a question, something powerful happens.

Instead of breaking trust, it often builds it.

Because ‘I don’t know’ signals honesty over ego.
It shows a willingness to be real rather than perform.
It creates space for curiosity instead of control.

And most importantly, it tells the other person:
You don’t have to have all the answers to be safe here.

In homes, in workplaces, in relationships, psychological safety isn’t built on perfection.
It’s built on authenticity, humility, and openness.

So the next time you feel the pressure to have the answer…
pause…

And consider that ‘I don’t know’ might be the most connecting thing you can say.

Because safety doesn’t come from certainty,
it comes from truth.

17/03/2026

This tree embodies “psychological flexibility”. And in times like these, we are needing to practice flexibility, to pivot, and to shift perspectives in order to live with uncertainty.

So what exactly is Psychological flexibility? It is the ability to stay present and act on your values even when life feels tough. Like a tree that bends with the wind but still provides shade, we adapt without breaking.

And if you swipe left, you will see how a tree also embodies “Cognitive flexibility”…which is the ability to see multiple perspectives and possibilities. Like a tree that isn’t just for standing straight but can bend with the wind, provide shade for parked cars, serving as a natural canopy, we learn to use things, and our thinking, in many creative ways.

16/03/2026

A love language that isn’t spoken of enough, is the love language of listening.

And listening can also look like “awkward silences”…allow for those…maybe they aren’t being filled because the person who is listening to you, isn’t thinking about responding…they just listening first.

12/03/2026

The hissing breath 🐍 is a calming strategy that can be done in real-time, because all that is needed is your physical body.

This technique came to me while I was in a dream-like state, and the message was simple “hisss like a snake”…so I started hissing and haven’t looked back since.

And I trust my psyche for the messages that it brings to me, because after receiving that message, I googled the benefits of hissing, and this is what came up:

A hissing breath in yoga usually refers to practices like Ujjayi Pranayama, where the breath produces a soft “sss” or ocean-like sound.

The sound naturally slows and lengthens the breath, which has several benefits.

The slow, controlled exhale:
• Activates the parasympathetic nervous system
• Helps shift the body out of fight–flight
• Promotes a sense of calm and safety

11/03/2026

I recently attended a seminar where the speaker said “Your word creates your world.” And as she said it, I could see a word within a word.

The word “WORD” lives inside the word “WORLD”.

Be aware of your words during times of overwhelm because they frame the way you view the situations which you are faced with.

And we often hear how we should “focus on what’s within our control…” and what IS within your control, are the words you choose to use daily.

Christine Kritzas - Counselling Psychologist

14/04/2026

29/03/2026

28/03/2026

26/03/2026

24/03/2026

23/03/2026

20/03/2026

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