Rio Widan; M.A

Rio Widan is a registered Counselling Psychologist (PS 0149870). She completed her Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology (MA Couns Psych) at Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, in 2018, & internship at Life Hunterscraig Psychiatric Hospital, where she worked as part of a multidisciplinary team. Here, she worked with a wide range of psychopathology & provided individual, group & family psychotherapeutic interventions. In addition, her internship process also included Emthonjeni Fountain of Student Wellness (Nelson Mandela University’s student counselling centre) where she worked with a large & diverse student population, offering individual short- to medium-term psychotherapy, career counselling, psycho-educational workshops & supportive trauma counselling.

Rio is fascinated by relationships, boundaries, dating, love & sexuality, & specifically how the Internet & social media has influenced life & loving in the 21st Century. Her Master’s treatise, therefore, focused on cyberpsychology, & entitled: The correlation between Instagram usage & relationship satisfaction amongst students.

Prior to qualifying as a Psychologist, Rio also trained as an Independent Psychometrist (BPEP) through the University of Stellenbosch & worked in private practice as joint Departmental Head.

Rio further completed a Master’s Research (MA.Psych) degree through the University of Stellenbosch where her thesis adopted a strengths-based approach & focused on family resilience. Her research was published in the American Journal of Family Therapy & was presented at the European Society on Family Relations Conference in Porto, Portugal. Her research was entitled: Aspects of social support associated with adaptation in middle-class, single-mother families: A mixed methods approach.

Rio qualified Cum Laude in BA Honours Psychology degree in 2014 at Stellenbosch University, & holds a Bachelors in Social Science through the University of Cape Town, 2013.

Rio adopts an integrative approach to psychotherapy, drawing primarily from psychodynamic & cognitive behavioural therapies to suit the unique needs & experiences of her clients. She also incorporates psychological assessment when deemed appropriate, necessary & in the best interests of the client. She works with adolescents, adults, couples & families of all ages & backgrounds.

Rio has a specific interest in working with everyday challenges that inhibit us from unlocking our potential. These everyday challenges include, but are not limited to: anxiety, depression, trauma, adjustment problems, loss & bereavement, socio-cultural problems, challenges & effects of illness, such as COVID-19, relationship problems (family, friends, partners, colleagues), difficulties with communication & assertiveness, concentration, motivation & academic problems, self-esteem, personal resilience, overall psychological growth & deepening of self-awareness.

Rio strives to assist her clients to better understand their presenting problems by exploring past experiences, whilst simultaneously empowering them in the present through coping skills to better manage & cope with overwhelming/distressing thoughts, feelings & behaviours. Through this medium- to longer-term therapy, her aim is to undergo a process of personal growth, where clients can expect to tap into their wider capabilities, develop their potential & promote their overall psychological wellbeing & personal resilience.

Rio also highlights the importance of viewing health as holistic in nature & emphasises that the mind, body & spirit are inextricably linked. Rio seeks to co-create a safe & supportive therapeutic atmosphere through warmth, compassion & acceptance.

For more information about the services Rio provides, please click on the links below:
Psychotherapy & Counselling
Psychological Assessments

Melissa Ferreira; M.Ed

Melissa Ferreira is a registered Educational Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA: PS 011 7528) & has been consulting in Claremont, Cape Town for a decade. Melissa has extensive experience in providing holistic private mental health services to adults, adolescents & children. Holistic mental wellness, personal growth, learning & development throughout the life span of a person form the cornerstone of the services she provides. She consults in both English & Afrikaans.

Melissa obtained her under & postgraduate studies at Stellenbosch University, obtaining the following qualifications: B.Ed. Psych Honours, Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) & BA Social Dynamics (majoring in Psychology & Sociology). After qualifying as a school counsellor, high school educator & Psychometrist, Melissa worked at a prestigious semi-private girls’ school in Cape Town as a school counsellor & life orientation educator. This led to a particular interest in adolescent mental health & adolescents’ relationships with peers and parents.

Melissa went on to successfully complete the University of the Free State’s Master's programme in applied psychology, which integrated educational, clinical & counselling psychology principles & applications, resulting in the acquisition of broader knowledge & practice in the field of psychology. The completion of her internship also took place at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, working at various mainstream schools, special needs schools, a drug rehabilitation clinic, as well as at the UFS Student Counselling & Development Centre.

Melissa’s Masters research focus involved adolescents’ experience of the formation of relationships on MXit (MXit is a type of CMC- Computer-Mediated Communication), & she has a particular affinity with the needs of students, adolescents & the youth in the 21st Century.

Melissa draws eclectically from a range of therapeutic modalities, such as Person-Centered Therapy; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT); Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) & Positive Psychology, in order to suit the unique needs of each individual.

She provides individual psychotherapy, psychological & neuropsychological assessments, & career assessment, guidance & development to adults, adolescents & children.

In the past decade of being a practising Psychologist, Melissa has refined her professional interests & expertise to include:

• Adult Psychotherapy
• Adolescent Psychotherapy
• Child Play Therapy
• Parent-Child Relationship Therapy
• Psychological Assessments
• Educational & Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Assessments (e.g. Specific Learning Disorders; Developmental Coordination Disorder; ADHD)
• Concession & Accommodation Assessments
• Career Guidance & Development Assessments
• Online Therapy (available for adults only)

If you would like to learn more about Melissa's services please visit her website at www.melissaferreira.co.za

Direct email info@melissaferreira.co.za

Hlami Maluleke is a registered Counselling Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA: PS 014 6684). She completed her Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology at the University of Johannesburg in 2018. Following this, she completed her internship at the University of Witwatersrand (WITS) in 2019 - where she worked with a diverse student population at the Counselling & Careers Development Unit (CCDU). During this time, Hlami also became involved in the Safe Zones program which formed part of the transformation office at WITS.  

Hlami’s interest in sexuality & identity formed part of her Master’s thesis - which focused on the phenomenology of people experiencing spiritual conflict & alienation from religious institutions.  

Hlami’s active involvement in transformation & advocacy-related work led to her joining Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders. She worked as a Counsellor educator on MSF’s Tshwane Migrant Project, which offered psychosocial & medical interventions for the undocumented migrants, refugees, asylum seekers & homeless communities in Tshwane denied access to the healthcare system. Here, Hlami ran the Social Integration program to help alleviate xenophobia & promote a sense of cohesion within the city. 

During her time on the MSF project, Hlami had exposure to the overwhelming increase of substance abuse in South Africa, and developed an interest in the field of Addiction.

Hlami, therefore, began working in various Addictions & Psychiatric Care facilities in Johannesburg and Cape Town - where she also gained invaluable psychotherapeutic experience - also under expert supervision - solving severe psychiatric & clinical disorders of clients seeking therapeutic intervention more generally.  

In 2021, Hlami qualified as a Brainworking Recursive Therapy (BWRT) practitioner. BWRT provides a unique solution-base for working through trauma & grief, which she integrates with her primary therapeutic skill set.  

In her 20s, Hlami studied the dramatic arts, and therefore also incorporates Drama Therapy into her solution-focused interventions for clients to achieve an authentic connection with their emotional experiences, gaining a sense of self-actualization. She believes that with focus, effort & therapeutic support - all people can reach their optimal potential.  

At Dr Mark Tunbridge & Associates, Hlami provides the following Psychology Services in English, Sepedi, Sesotho, Tsonga, Xhosa & Zulu:

• Adult Psychotherapy 
• Children & Adolescent Psychotherapy 
• Family & Couples Counselling 
• Trauma & Grief 
• Mood & Personality Disorders 
• Sexuality & Identity Integration 
• Addictions: alcohol, substance, process addictions (sex, gambling, codependency, etc.)

Hlami's direct email address is hlamipsychologist@gmail.com should you wish to contact her personally before making an appointment.

To learn more about the services Hlami provides, please click on the following links:
Psychotherapy & Counselling
Psychological Assessments

Colleen Thiel is a registered Counselling Psychologist (HPCSA Reg. No. 0095095), who works with adults, children, youth, families and couples, providing treatment and assessments for a range of different psychological disorders and difficulties. Colleen completed her internship at the Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital. The topic of her thesis was “Resilience in families of husbands with prostate cancer”, which has since been published extensively. During her research she acquired extensive knowledge of family systems, and honed specialized therapeutic skills when working with families experiencing difficulties.

Since completing her Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology at Stellenbosch University in 2006, Colleen has gained in-depth experience in her field over her 12 years of active therapeutic practice, including private practice since 2006. She was also employed as a Psychologist by the Department of Corrections in New Zealand for the duration of 7 years. Here, her work involved psychological and risk assessments, individual and group treatment, as well as the training and supervision of programme facilitators. In addition, she developed and presented workshops to prison and probation staff on managing offenders’ challenging behaviours. Working with high risk offenders offered her the opportunity to work closely with complex mental health difficulties.

Her experience in private practice includes assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, adults, couples and families with various presenting problems. Her experience in psychological assessment includes: psycho-educational, personality, risk, and neuropsychological assessment. Areas of particular interest and experience include anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, problems relating to sexuality and intimacy, existential crises, trauma and grief, eating and other addictive disorders. Her therapeutic orientation is rooted in Person-Centered Therapy, drawing on techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and other Interdisciplinary Techniques - depending on the presenting problem and special client needs. These techniques always occur in collaboration with her clients’ needs for optimal therapeutic outcome.

For further information on Colleen’s area of specialization, please click on the following links:
Psychotherapy & Counselling
Psychological Assessments

Or visit her website at www.psychologycolleen.com

Dr. Johann Rademeyer is a Registered Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA PS 0063894). He has more than two decades of experience in providing comprehensive, individually tailored mental health services to youth, adults, couples, families, and children.

Dr. Rademeyer obtained his Master’s degree in Applied Psychology from Nelson Mandela University. The programme integrated principles and applications from educational, clinical, and counselling fields of psychology, providing Dr. Rademeyer with extensive and well-rounded training and practice in the field of Therapeutic Psychology. Upon completion of his training and submission of his Master's research dissertation, which focused on stress patterns in single-parent families, Johann registered with the HPCSA as an Educational Psychologist (1999).

Following his Master's clinical training, Dr. Rademeyer entered private practice in the Eastern Cape for a period of just over a decade. In 2013, he became a lecturer in Child, Developmental & Educational Psychology at the University of Mpumalanga; a post which he held for a period of 8 years. During his tenure as a university lecturer, Johann completed his Doctorate in Psychology through the University of Johannesburg for his thesis entitled: “An investigation into the neuro-developmental status of Grade 1 learners in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa”.

In 2020, Dr. Rademeyer returned to full-time private practice, where he offered specialized psychotherapeutic services, including individual, couples and family intervention - as well as psychological and neuropsychological assessment & guidance — to Adults, Adolescents and Children.

Dr. Rademeyer works primarily from a Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian Psychotherapy) theoretical orientation – which seeks to facilitate a client’s self-actualizing tendency — as an “inbuilt proclivity toward personal growth and fulfillment” (Yalom, Irvin D.1995). Dr. Rademeyer also draws strongly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Systems Theory / Systemic Psychotherapy as therapeutic modalities – in order to suit the unique needs of his clients and their presenting concerns.

Dr. Rademeyer strives to provide holistic and specialized support to his clients, working in partnership with them as they learn and develop through their experiences, and empowering them through a process of personal growth and self-actualisation.

Through the past two decades of practice and experience as a registered psychologist, Dr. Johann Rademeyer has developed specialized professional expertise in the following areas:

• Adult Psychotherapy
• Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy
• Couples & Relationship Counselling
• Family Therapy
• Adjustment Difficulties
• Parent-Child Relationship Therapy
• Trauma & Stress (e.g. PTSD, Grief & Bereavement)
• Sexuality & Identity Integration
• Older Adults / Geriatric Psychotherapy
• Psychological Assessments (children, adolescents & adults)
• Educational & Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Assessments (e.g. Specific Learning Disorder, ADHD, Autism)

Dr. Johann Rademeyer consults in both English and Afrikaans. He also provides In-Person Therapy to children, adolescents, and adults, as well as On-Line Therapy for adults only.

Should you wish to contact Dr. Johann Rademeyer directly to discuss clinical matters before making an appointment, his direct email is tomcatpractice@gmail.com

To learn more about the services Dr. Rademeyer provides, please click on the following links:
Psychotherapy & Counselling
Psychological Assessments