Offering Counselling, Workshops & Training In Pretoria Since 2010

Offering Counselling, Workshops & Training In Pretoria Since 2010

Parenting

Practical Ways to Be a “Good Enough” Parent Every Day

By |2025-08-27T08:14:04+02:00August 27th, 2025|

Parenting in today’s fast-paced world can feel overwhelming, but children don’t need perfection—they need “good enough.” Inspired by Donald Winnicott’s idea of the “good-enough parent,” this approach reminds us that meeting our children’s needs consistently but not flawlessly fosters resilience and growth. Simple daily practices like mindful moments, intentional hugs, unplugged family time, and prioritising self-care help build strong emotional bonds. Ultimately, it’s not about being perfect but about showing up with warmth, presence, and humanity every day.

The Role of Safety in Healing Trauma Within Relationships

By |2025-08-05T10:23:24+02:00August 5th, 2025|

Trauma rewires the nervous system. It can leave those affected in a state of hyper-vigilance, emotional withdrawal, or intense reactivity—even in relationships that are loving and supportive. That’s why safety isn’t just a luxury in relationships affected by trauma—it’s a lifeline. Creating emotional safety allows partners to shift from surviving to truly connecting.

Emotionally Present Parenting: Raising Resilient Children Through Connection

By |2025-08-05T09:57:03+02:00August 5th, 2025|

In a world of constant noise—screens, schedules, and stress—emotional presence is a quiet but powerful force in parenting. It’s not about being perfect, but about showing up with empathy and attunement in the moments that matter most. Research shows that emotionally regulated parents foster healthier, more resilient children. When we listen without rushing to fix, validate feelings without judgment, and repair when we fall short, we teach our children not just how to cope—but how to thrive.

Understanding Your Child Through The Lens Of Temperaments

By |2025-04-14T08:46:04+02:00April 14th, 2025|

As a parent, one of the most impactful gifts you can offer your child is understanding—especially when it comes to their temperament. Rooted in innate traits, a child’s temperament shapes how they perceive, respond to, and interact with the world. Drawing on the relatable metaphors of colours and trees, as developed by Lynette Beer and Hettie Britz, this article unpacks the four core temperaments—Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and Melancholic—and explains how recognising these traits can transform your parenting approach. From improving communication and reducing conflict to strengthening emotional support and nurturing individual strengths, understanding your child’s temperament is a powerful key to fostering deeper connection and resilience.

Why Calming Strategies Are Essential In Play Therapy – And Why Practice At Home Matters

By |2025-04-14T08:16:00+02:00April 14th, 2025|

Calming strategies like deep breathing, rocking, or rhythmic activities help settle the brainstem, making it possible for children to engage in emotional and cognitive tasks. These techniques are essential in play therapy and even more effective when practiced regularly at home, where parents can model and support emotional regulation.

How Therapy Will Impact My Child’s Behaviour and When to Expect Noticeable Positive Changes

By |2025-02-26T08:55:08+02:00February 26th, 2025|

Therapy helps children express emotions, develop coping skills, and improve behaviour. Gestalt play therapy, based on Violet Oaklander’s work, uses play to foster self-awareness and emotional growth. Most children show progress within 12 to 20 sessions, with parental support playing a key role in lasting positive change.

Managing Life With Multiple Jobs/ Employment

By |2025-02-20T13:11:05+02:00February 20th, 2025|

Balancing multiple jobs is a reality for many South Africans, but it often comes at the cost of mental and physical well-being. Juggling different roles can lead to exhaustion, stress, and work-life imbalance. Research shows that job overload and work-family conflict negatively impact overall health and performance. To navigate this, setting firm boundaries, prioritising self-care, and seeking support are essential. Small, mindful adjustments can help prevent burnout and create a more sustainable routine. If the pressure becomes overwhelming, reaching out for professional guidance can make all the difference.

Sleep, Independence, and School Success: Why Independent Sleeping and Self-Regulation Matter for Young Learners

By |2025-02-20T13:18:36+02:00February 20th, 2025|

Independent sleep fosters emotional resilience, cognitive growth, and school readiness. Quality sleep enhances learning and self-regulation, while dependence on external cues can hinder development. By establishing routines and self-soothing techniques, parents can help children sleep independently, building confidence for school and life.

Life Between Borders: Navigating the Expat Journey

By |2025-01-21T10:53:14+02:00January 21st, 2025|

For 13 years, we’ve lived the unique rhythm of expat life—a journey filled with challenges, growth, and endless adjustments. In this series, I share personal stories about navigating life as an expat family, the sacrifices we’ve made, the rewards we’ve reaped, and the lessons learned along the way. Join me as I delve into the complexities of living abroad, from building support systems to finding resilience in the face of constant change.

Helping Your Child Manage Stress and Anxiety

By |2025-01-21T10:21:48+02:00January 21st, 2025|

In a world where stress and anxiety have become part of daily life, children are not immune to these challenges. As a parent, your role in helping your child manage these emotions is crucial. This article offers ten practical strategies to support your child, from encouraging open communication and practicing mindfulness to limiting screen time and fostering creativity. By creating a positive home environment and modeling healthy coping mechanisms, you can empower your child to navigate stress effectively.

Marriages and Relationships Can Work – Part 6: Building The Relationship

By |2022-08-08T11:10:34+02:00August 8th, 2022|

Working at our relationship in my opinion is a balance of give and take, a balance between having our needs met and being selfless. We will at times feel vulnerable and at other times need to be strong. We will at times be wrong, and at times make correct decisions. It is about shifting our focus from “I” to “us”.

Marriages and Relationships can work – Part 2: Partnership

By |2022-06-27T13:07:28+02:00June 13th, 2022|

Partnership describes the functionality of our relationship. A marriage partnership does not bluntly imply the “terms and conditions” of our relationship, and although, like in business, we may be bound by a verbal or written agreement and follow similar principles, relationships refer to the guidelines we follow on a day-to-day basis.

4 Tips to Help Strengthen Your Relationship with Your Teenager

By |2022-01-14T11:35:25+02:00January 14th, 2022|

Both parent and teen are experiencing change within the relationship during this time. Many parents wonder during these years whether or not they are ‘a good parent’. Rest assured that, although the relationship dynamics are changing, they don’t need you any less than when they were little, they just need you differently.

Teenagers and Suicide

By |2021-06-15T09:44:11+02:00June 15th, 2021|

During the past 3 weeks we have read in the news of many teenagers in schools who have committed suicide. Covid is affecting our teenagers very negatively, working with teens every day; I evidently see the effects it has on our teens. Our teenagers are struggling.

Taming the toddler tantrum in PUBLIC!

By |2021-06-09T15:47:41+02:00June 9th, 2021|

Anybody with a 3-year-old has experienced these ever popular, ground-breaking, earth-please-suck-me-in moments in public. As a matter of fact, you’d be struggling to find a parent who hasn’t had at least one embarrassing tale to tell when it comes to their little one breaking down in the middle of a crowded place. So take comfort in knowing that you are most certainly not alone. Here are some ways to tame that toddler tantrum.

11 Things that will help you hold the space for someone

By |2021-06-07T16:26:10+02:00June 7th, 2021|

Everyone in our lives can need a caring, non-judgmental, and empathetic room at some point in their lives. When the time comes, the relationship you already have will serve as a basis for constructing this "container" in which you keep space for the other individual. If you accept the challenge, your desire to be of service to the other person will be the first building block for holding that sacred space.

Parents, Children, and Discipline

By |2021-01-20T09:23:33+02:00January 11th, 2021|

Happy and well-behaved children have assertive parents who are consistent and positive when discipling their children. All human-beings love rules and so do our children. We love them so much that we bring them into our leisure activities, such as rules in soccer or rugby. Have you noticed, when children play someone tends to be the boss and there are certain rules which must be followed? Rules therefore come naturally to us and you as a parent are the boss.

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