Information

GENERAL

What is therapy?

 

Therapy is a confidential, professional space to explore your thoughts, emotions, and behaviour with a trained psychologist.
It’s not “advice from a friend.” It’s structured support to help you understand what’s happening inside you and why you react the way you do.

Will You Tell My Family / Employer / Partner?


No. Therapy is confidential.
There are only a few legal limits to confidentiality: if someone is in immediate danger, if a child is being harmed, or if a court order is involved. These limits will always be explained to you.

How Many Sessions Will I Need?


It depends on your goals. Some people need short-term focused support. Others want ongoing, deeper work. We discuss this together so you stay in control.

Can Teenagers Come for Therapy?

 

Yes. Teen mental health matters. Teens often talk more honestly in a neutral space. As a parent, you are still included in the process, but we also protect the young person’s dignity and privacy.

Is It Weak to Ask for Help?

 

No. It means you’re taking responsibility for your life instead of letting pain run the show. That is a strength.

Do You Offer Online Sessions?

 

Yes we do.

"It's okay to not be okay, just don't stay there alone"

ONLINE THERAPY

What is online therapy?

 

Online therapy is a live session with a psychologist via video call. You receive the same professional support, from wherever you are.

Who Is Online Therapy Good For?

 

  • Clients outside Durban

  • People with transport / schedule limitations

  • Busy professionals who take sessions during lunch / between meetings

  • Parents who can’t easily leave home

  • People who feel safer opening up from their own space

When Online Therapy Is NOT Ideal

 

  • If you are in immediate crisis or at risk of harming yourself or someone else

  • If you do not have privacy (e.g. someone in the room listening)

  • If a child needs formal assessment/testing (that must be in person)

How to Prepare

 

  • Choose a private, quiet space

  • Use earphones for confidentiality

  • Be honest about your safety and current state

  • Please be on time — online sessions are still booked time

Payment

 

Online sessions are billed at the standard session rate and must be paid before or on the day of the session to keep your slot.

“Taking care of your mental health is an act of self-love.”

PRIVACY POLICY

Your Privacy Matters

 

1. Confidentiality of Sessions

 

All sessions are confidential. Information discussed in therapy is not shared with third parties without your informed, written consent — unless required by law for safety reasons.

 

2. Record Keeping

 

Session notes and assessment records are kept securely in line with ethical and legal standards for mental health professionals in South Africa. Access to records is restricted.

 

3. Online Therapy & Digital Communication

 

While reasonable steps are taken to protect privacy in online sessions, no digital platform can be guaranteed 100% secure. You are encouraged to use a private, quiet environment and personal earphones.

 

4. Reports and Letters

 

Any psychological report, summary, referral letter, or feedback document is shared only with you (or a legal guardian, in the case of a minor) unless you provide written permission to release it.

 

5. Children & Adolescents

 

Parents/guardians have a right to be involved. However, it is important that young clients have a level of privacy so they feel safe to speak honestly. This balance will be discussed openly at the start.

 

By booking a session, you acknowledge that you understand and accept these confidentiality boundaries.
 

ARTICLES

When we go through repeated abuse or neglect in childhood, our nervous system learns to survive in ways that can feel automatic and overwhelming. These coping strategies which were once life-saving often follow us into adulthood, shaping how we respond to stress, relationships, and conflict.

 

SURVIVAL PATTERNS

 

Psychologists describe four common survival patterns, known as the “Four F’s”: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn. Each is a nervous system strategy to keep us safe when our brain perceives a threat.

 

1. FIGHT – Pushing Back Against Danger

 

 • What it looks like: Anger, aggression, defensiveness, controlling behaviour, or strong verbal pushback.

 • Purpose: To protect yourself by confronting or overpowering the perceived threat.

 • From childhood to adulthood: If you had to stand up to protect yourself as a child, you may now feel quick to anger or defensive even in safe situations.

 • Healing focus: Learning emotional regulation skills and safe expression of needs without aggression.

 

2. FLIGHT – Escaping the Threat

 

 • What it looks like: Restlessness, overworking, perfectionism, avoiding conflict, or physically leaving situations.

 • Purpose: To survive by moving away from danger before it can hurt you.

 • From childhood to adulthood: Growing up in chaos may have taught you to stay “busy” or always be on the move to avoid trouble.

 • Healing focus: Practising grounding exercises and tolerating stillness without fear.

 

3. FREEZE – Shutting Down to Survive

 

 • What it looks like: Numbing, zoning out, feeling disconnected from your body, procrastination, or inability to act.

 • Purpose: To protect yourself by becoming still and invisible, reducing the chance of harm.

 • From childhood to adulthood: If hiding or staying quiet kept you safe as a child, you may now struggle with decision-making or feeling emotionally present.

 • Healing focus: Slowly re-engaging with your body and emotions through gentle, sensory-based practices.

 

4. FAWN – Appeasing to Stay Safe

 

 • What it looks like: People-pleasing, difficulty saying “no,” neglecting your own needs to keep others happy.

 • Purpose: To prevent harm by making yourself agreeable and non-threatening.

 • From childhood to adulthood: If you learned to avoid conflict by pleasing your abuser, you may now overextend yourself or fear setting boundaries.

 • Healing focus: Building boundaries, self-worth, and learning to tolerate conflict without fear.

 

WHY THIS MATTERS

 

Childhood abuse shapes the nervous system in ways that go beyond single-event trauma. Understanding your primary trauma response can:

 • Help you notice patterns without self-blame

 • Guide you toward personalised healing strategies

 • Support safer and healthier relationships

Bottom line: These responses are not flaws they are survival skills that once kept you safe. In therapy, you can learn to thank them for their service and build new, healthier ways of responding.