Meet The Team

My journey with a family history of physical, learning and emotional challenges has profoundly shaped my perspective. Following the unexpected loss of my father at the age of 20, I embarked on a decades-long quest for self-understanding and meaning. This journey ignited a deep interest in disability, stress, trauma, and resilience.

For most of my career, much of it in international development, my focus has been on improving the quality of life of children and adults with physical disabilities and sensory impairments. Within this I have witnessed many lives affected by trauma and toxic stress and how, in far too many cases, this is exacerbated by feelings of low self worth, lack of knowledge, and inadequate systems of support. Leading a grass-roots child and family focused NPO in Cape Town has further exposed me to the staggering prevalence of stress and its far-reaching repercussions across multiple areas of life.

Destigmatising and normalising these experiences drives me to equip individuals, communities and service providers with the necessary knowledge and early interventions. I hope to empower individuals and organisations to unearth their existing tools and strengths or cultivate new ones, fostering resilience and promoting inclusion. My mission is to help individuals build their personal Resilience Toolbox, and to strengthen systems which promote resilience and an ‘I can’ mindset.

The most surprising and demanding aspects of life I’ve yet had to face are marriage and parenting. These roles stretch me frequently, and have grown my resilience like nothing else. Still, I am also grateful for what they are teaching me about myself, my family of origin and what it means to be a gloriously messy human and how to relate to other messy humans. 

One of my greatest personal discoveries is that all feelings are ‘ok’  – the good, the bad and the squirmy. They have taught me a lot about self-acceptance and compassion. Paying attention to my core feelings continues to offer up a wealth of information about my needs, my past and why I do the peculiar things I sometimes do.

I credit Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) for kicking me into better emotional shape. This attachment-based framework forms the basis of my work with individuals and groups. To this, I’ve incorporated the latest body-based techniques for working with relational trauma and how it shows up in our bodies. My approach is to create the safety necessary for caregivers and individuals to confront and fully know and accept themselves – mind, body, soul, and feelings!

After a near-death-experience in 2009, I found myself really struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and “unexplained infertility.” It was this personal experience that led me to discover the gentle, yet powerful, healing modality that is BodyTalk. 

Two sessions of BodyTalk was all it took to dramatically improve my PTSD symptoms. By 2017, I had three naturally conceived children and a myriad of other issues I’d been struggling with, were under control. I felt compelled to learn more about this modality and to share it with others. I went on to certify with the International BodyTalk Association and having been in practice for some years now, I am still blown away every day by this fascinating system.

As a qualified high school teacher with a BSc honours degree in physiology and psychology, I enjoyed a career as a maths and biology Teacher. Now, as a mom of three, I work with empathy and ease, with both children and adults. I thoroughly enjoy one-on-one BodyTalk sessions as well as working in bigger group training settings. And being a firm believer in lifelong learning, I am continuously growing my scientific knowledge and experience in healthy BodyMind functioning as well as discovering ways to support this with accessible, everyday choices and tools.

I try to practise what I preach, my children are avid ‘tappers’ and I receive regular BodyTalk sessions from my BodyTalk colleagues. I love how a session leaves me feeling more grounded, stable and revitalised.

Embarking on my play therapy journey in 2016 was truly transformative, shaping both my personal and professional life in profound ways. Working creatively with children has been incredibly therapeutic, as I’ve witnessed the power of creative expression firsthand. Through play, children not only discover themselves but also learn to let go of inhibitions and embrace new perspectives, fostering growth and resilience. Personally, I’ve discovered solace and healing through various modalities such as sandplay therapy, painting, drawing, movement, and mindfulness, using these tools to navigate my own journey of self-discovery and healing. The introduction of the Safe and Sound protocol has further enriched my practice, providing a valuable resource for supporting regulation in therapy sessions. Outside of my work with children, you’ll often find me exploring the gentle waters of tidal pools or hiking in the majestic mountains surrounding Cape Town, all while cherishing moments with friends and family.