Resources
Informative pages that may provide you with immediate short-term help and answers to questions you might have.
Resources by Topic
The articles cover a wide range of topics and are grouped by subject matter. Explore these areas to read more about various conditions and addictions that life might throw at you.
Addiction
Addiction is described as powerlessness over all mood-altering drugs and behaviours:
Chemical addictions to illicit or “recreational” drugs and alcohol
Behavioural addictions include Addiction to the internet, Sexual Addiction, Workaholism, Compulsive Gambling, Compulsive Shopping, Compulsive Exercising, Compulsive Hoarding, Eating Disorders, Codependency and Self-mutilation.
Alcohol / Drug Abuse
Alcohol or drug dependence (addiction) differs from
Alcohol / Drug abuse.
The four relevant categories pertaining to Alcohol / Drug Abuse:
Adolescent and Childhood
Extensive research has shown the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy in treating children and adolescents. CBT is often used to treat Mood Disorders and Depression as well as Anxiety Disorders. Research also clearly demonstrates its efficacy with PTSD as well as with crisis debriefing.
Childhood Developmental Disorders include Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD), Separation Anxiety Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder.
Depression and Mood Disorders
Mood disorders can be split into two basic categories: those mood disorders that involve depression, and those mood disorders that include both depression and manic episodes (or just mania):
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders affect 18% of people aged 18 or older in a given year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event (such as speaking in public or a first date), anxiety disorders last at least 6 months and can get worse if they are not treated. They include Specific Phobias, OCD, PTSD, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Phobia, and Panic Disorder.
Eating Disorders
Regardless of the type of eating disorder, people are generally focused on food, weight (a specific number) and body image (which is usually distorted).
Eating disorders generally fall into three categories:
Compulsive Overeating (Binge Eating)
Trauma, Bereavement and Grief
The simple fact is that if you are having strong thoughts and/or feelings about an experience, then you have been traumatised to some extent by the experience.
Acute Stress Disorder occurs in someone after the impact of trauma.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a terrifying ordeal that involves physical harm or the threat of physical harm.
Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away.
Personality Disorders
Personality Disorders are seen as separate from normal neurotic conditions (depression, anxiety etc.) in that they are chronic in nature and involve an enduring pattern of inner experience and behaviour that is seen as culturally inappropriate in modern society. These are the disorders covered:
Cognitive Therapy
As a Cognitive Therapist I am extremely well trained in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and over the years have upskilled in and added on other Cognitive Therapy modalities such as Rational Emotive Therapy (RET), Schema Therapy (ST), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (AACT) as well as Dialectic Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in order to be able to effectively treat even the most challenging of cases.
Resource Articles
Select from one of the specific articles below to help you understand what you or a loved one might be facing.
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Disorders involve some degree of temporary or permanent disruption or discontinuity in the normal integration of consciousness, perception, identity, memory, behaviour, motor control and body representation. There is a degree of break with reality and/or...
Sleep Disorders
Sleep-wake disorders Sleep-wake disorders include any disorder involving sleep problems and not better diagnosed under a different condition. Essentially, sleep-wake disorders are categorised into ten categories: insomnia disorder, hypersomnolence disorder,...
Sexual Disorders
Sexual Dysfunction Sexual dysfunction includes any sexual disorder that is primarily psychological in nature and not directly as a result of a medical condition. If there is a medical condition that plays a partial role in the sexual disorder then a sexual disorder...
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder can be a debilitating personality disorder that may have profound adverse effects on the life of individuals suffering with this condition. This personality disorder involves a disruption in identity and strong negative self-image with...
Dysthymic Disorder
Dysthymic disorder or Persistent Depressive Disorder has a prevalence of around 0.5% and is characterised by long–term (at least two years in adults or one in kids) but fewer and less severe symptoms than with Major Depressive Disorder that may not disable a person...
Major Depressive Disorder
Major depressive disorder, also called major depression, is experienced by around 7% of people. From the time of onset of adolescence, women are 150% to 300% more likely to experience a major depressive episode than men are. Major depression is characterised by a...
Bipolar Mood Disorder
Do you go through intense moods? Do you feel very happy and energised some days, and very sad and depressed on other days? Do these moods last for a week or more? Do your mood changes make it hard to sleep, stay focused, or go to work? Some people with these symptoms...
Panic Disorder
What is panic disorder? Panic disorder is an illness characterised by sudden attacks of terror, usually accompanied by a pounding heart, sweatiness, weakness, faintness or dizziness. During these attacks, people with panic disorder may flush or feel chilled; their...
Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
What is OCD? People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have persistent, upsetting thoughts (obsessions) and use rituals (compulsions) to attempt to control the anxiety these thoughts produce. However, most of the time the rituals end up controlling them. For...
Social Phobia (or social anxiety disorder)
What is social phobia? Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is diagnosed when people become overwhelmingly anxious and excessively self-conscious in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have an intense, persistent and chronic fear of...
Specific Phobias
A specific phobia is an intense, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. Some of the more common specific phobias are centered around closed-in places, heights, escalators, tunnels, highway driving, water, flying, dogs and injuries...
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
People with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) go through the day filled with exaggerated worry and tension, even though there is little or nothing to provoke it. They anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about health issues, money, family problems or...
More Resources
Emergency Numbers
A list of relevant South African help numbers if you need Urgent Assistance.
FAQs
The most commonly asked questions about therapy, fees and medical aids.
My Scribblings
Links to therapy-oriented dissertations and book articles I have written
Free Assessment Tools - Tools for Health and Wellness
How anxious are you? Are you getting enough sleep? What’s your Cardiovascular Risk? These tools on TFHAW will help you evaluate your situation.
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