If you're here, you're probably exhausted from being stuck in your own head.
You function well - maybe even beautifully - on the outside. But inside there's a loneliness that comes from feeling disconnected from yourself - from living so much of your life intellectualising and analysing it... instead of actually being in it.
You're tired of the endless thinking, want to feel present in your life, connected to something real in yourself. You likely know yourself well, you can see your patterns, recognise when you step into that familiar role again. The frustrating part? Knowing all this doesn't seem to change a thing.
You might notice you...
analyse your life rather than actually experience it
can explain your patterns clearly but are still not sure how to really shift them
retreat to your head when something feels uncertain, uncomfortable or new
function well on the outside but feel distant from yourself inside
circle through the same thoughts over and over without ever landing anywhere
already know what a therapist might tell you - you've read the books, done the work, understand the psychology
- that's part of what makes this so frustrating
I'm Jess, a trauma-informed psychotherapist specialising in attachment and developmental trauma - the often invisible wounds that shape how we move through the world.
I work with thoughtful, self-aware people who usually have a lot of insight into and recognise their patterns but keep finding themselves in them anyway.
Rather than focusing on what went wrong, our therapy sessions would involve identifying and working towards what you most want in your life. This is a resource-based approach that gently explores the patterns that may be interfering with what you really want for yourself, and at the same time supports your nervous system's natural capacity for change and integration.
This approach recognises that behaviours, patterns, symptoms usually represent brilliant adaptations to early
relational hurts,
rather than bad habits to be expelled. In our work together you'll learn to see where these intelligent adaptations
that once really served a purpose now keep you stuck, and develop the capacity to relate to yourself differently.
This is what allows you to be present in your life instead of constantly watching it from your head.
This is depth therapy, and it can change everything.
I practice in Hoedspruit and online.
WHAT BECOMES POSSIBLE?
You stop being at war with yourself.
You make decisions from clarity instead of endless mental loops.
You feel present in your life instead of watching it from inside your head.
You access what's always been there: your capacity to be fully yourself
without the constant second-guessing.
Starting therapy takes courage
We were not made to manage everything alone.
When we lived in villages, speaking to someone specifically equipped with skills when we had difficulties in our lives was as normal as breathing. Psychotherapy - psyche - soul | therapeia - care of the soul - has been around since people were people. Now that many of us are no longer living in "the village", therapists play this critical role.
How we'll start:
Step 1. The biggest and bravest step! Once you’ve got in touch via my Contact Form or email, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I know what it takes to reach out, so I won’t leave you hanging around for a reply.
Step 2: We’ll meet for a first session either via Meets or in person at my office in Hoedspruit. It’ll be a chance to talk through what’s going on for you, and what you’d like to get out of therapy. My rate is R1300 for a 55-minute session. Medical Aid should cover you if you have applied for a PMB. (I offer a reduced rate of R910 for those who can’t afford my full rate or if Medical Aids won't cover you).
Step 3: If it feels like we can work well together then we’ll continue to meet at a frequency that's best suited to what you're bringing to sessions. Together we’ll explore what you want for yourself, as well as what might be getting in the way of that. We’ll check in regularly to reflect and reassess, and make sure that the sessions continue to feel benefitical for you,
OTHER WORK
Beyond individual therapy, I offer training for professionals and experiential work for those drawn to older ways of learning.
TRAINING
Mental Health
First Aid
Facilitation &
Conflict Resolution
Practical training for guides, facilitators and organisations working with groups in the field.
These are relational skills-building trainings: mental health first aid, group facilitation or conflict management.
For leaders who need to respond to distress, tension and group dynamics with confidence.
Training courses are stand alone or can be combined.
EXPERIENCES
Natural Medicine
Making
Wilderness
Vigil
I teach natural medicine-making for people who want practical skills for working with what grows around them.
I also facilitate wilderness vigils for those seeking guidance at life thresholds.
These are each old practices for recalibrating to a world that includes the other-than-human.