Therapeutic support for adults, teenagers, children, couples and families

Helderberg Psychology is a team of psychologists that provide psychotherapy to adults, teenagers, children, couples and families. Situated in the Helderberg basin in Somerset West, it services the local community and also offers online therapy for remote clients.

Adults

As Clinical Psychologists we ofer therapy for adults who suffer from various conditions, including Depression, Bipolar disorder, Anxiety, PTSD, Eating disorders and Adjustment disorders. We also offer supportive therapy to facilitate personal growth in healthy individuals who desire greater personal development.

Teenagers

Teenagers today face a myriad of challenges, much more than previous generations. We support teenagers who may be struggling with challenges related to self esteem, identity, communication, the need for independence, regulating emotions and navigating peer relationships.

Children

We see children with difficulties such as anxiety, separation difficulties, bereavement, behavioural challenges, adjusting to changes such as coping with the birth of sibling or going to a new school. Our apporach is integrative and collaborative, and parents are important therapeutic alliances in our therapy with children.

Couples

Relationships can be messy sometimes. We offer therapy for couples wishing to improve their relationship, build trust and improve communication. This includes:

Premarital counselling
Marriage counselling
Divorce counselling and mediation
Parenting

Families

Families are under strain in mutiple ways nowadays. We offer therapy for families who might need a space for the following:

Working through grief and loss
Understanding a family member’s mental illness
Divorce healing

THERAPY APPROACHES

PERSON-CENTRED THERAPY

Practising from a person-centred approach means that the client and his or her needs take the foreground in therapy. The essence of person-centred therapy is verbalised best by Carl Rogers: ” It is that the individual has within himself or herself vast resources for self-understanding, for altering his or her self-concep, attitudes and self-directed behaviour – and that these resources can be tapped only if a definable climate of facilitative psychological attitudes can be provided.” (1980)

By providing a warm and empathic environment, we support you to realise your own strengths and uncover what you require to facilitate the change you require.

DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY (DBT)

DBT is a skills-based therapy rooted in the cognitive-behavioral field. It aims to help persons develop self-regulation abilities, improve their relationships with others and live in the moment by focussing on mindfulness, interpersonal skills and stress management techniques.

This therapy is also well suited for group therapy, as well as for teenagers who are struggle with emotional difficulties. Persons who have been diagnosed as borderline personality disorder also benefit greatly from the skills taught in DBT.

NARRATIVE THERAPY

Narrative therapy is a post-modern therapy developed as an alternative to traditional psychodynamic therapies. It places the patient in the centre, and uses the unique lifestory, as told by the client, to explore alternatives to the problems that saturate a person’s narrative about their lives.

Narrative therapy holds that the patient, and their unique knowledges about their life, is fundamental in bringing about change – by shifting the focus slightly away from the problem, and onto their unique strengths.

Meet your psychologists

Gerda Kriel

Clinical Psychologist

Gerda Kriel is the founder of Helderberg Psychology and has been serving the community in the Helderberg basin for the past three years, both in private practice and in public service. Prior to moving to Somerset West, she was an associate at Janet Bytheway and Associates situated at the Blaauwberg Therapy Centre.

Gerda sees adults, teenagers and children. She conducts individual, couples and family therapy. Furthermore, she also conducts infant-parent psychotherapy.

Her areas of focus include PTSD, Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Personality disorders and Developmental disorders.

She also works with healthy individuals who are seeking personal growth.

Apart from therapy, Gerda also contributes her knowledge to mainstream media and has written articles for News24’s parenting platform, Parent24.com.

She is also available for motivational and public speaking, which she does to inspire people to greater wellness.

If you would like to book an appointment with Gerda, email her directly at gerdakriel.psychology@gmail.com

Jomari de Beer

Clinical Psychologist

Jomari de Beer is a clinical psychologist who recently moved to Somerset West to join Helderberg Psychology. Previously, she worked at psychiatric hospitals and clinics in Gauteng and Northwest.

Jomari does therapy with adults, teenagers and children. She conducts individual and couples therapy.

Her areas of focus include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, bereavement, trauma, and personality disorders. She also works with patients who are experiencing difficulties in their specific phase of life, difficulties in adjustment, or who are seeking personal growth. In in-patient settings, she has enjoyed working with substance use disorders, psychotic spectrum disorders, and neurological rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury, stroke, and spinal cord injury.

Apart from therapy, Jomari has an interest in neuropsychology and assessments. She also enjoys conducting workshops and groups that promote wellbeing.

If you would like to book an appointment with Jomari, email her directly at jomaridebeerpsychologist@gmail.com.