Our Story
Over the past 22 years she has come to realize that although there are different schools of psychotherapy, certain common denominators are occurring and that these denominators are brain based. ‘People seeking help from one therapist, may hear a completely different perspective about their problem than they would from another well-meaning therapist from a different theoretical school’ John Arden; Brain2Brain, Enacting Client Change through the persuasive power of Neuroscience.
Being keenly interested in Maths and Science, but also in the human psyche, she started off by studying B.Sc Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch majoring in Mathematical statistics and Psychology. She obtained her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology in 1991. Through 22 years of private practice she did various courses in neuroscience and specifically the effect of psychotherapy on the different brain structures as well as to be able to take a specific patient’s brain functioning into account in planning tailor made therapy. Therapeutic modalities that she currently uses, are evidence based, ensuring patients that they are being treated with research based and sound strategies. Including psycho-education about neuroscience as part of therapy, greatly assist patients in understanding their behaviour and emotions. It changes them from being helpless victims of a diagnoses to active participants in their own recovery process, by having a neuro scientific understanding of their symptoms and learning more about their brain and the brain-body connection.
Christel is committed to on going study and recently added the modality of Brain Working Recursive Therapy to her repertoire. BWRT® is a ground breaking therapy that reflects the way our brain operates to change previously formed patterns that are preventing us from living life to the full. Research shows that the brain has already processed information and initiated a reaction before our conscious minds are even aware of it. So when we are trying to address areas such as anxiety, stress, fears, phobias, relationship problems, confidence, and other negative or limiting habits, we often fail or struggle despite thinking rationally after years of being in therapy. BWRT® bypasses this problem by retraining the neuro-pathway of the brain’s patterns. BWRT® is also quite effective in treating Post traumatic symptoms.
Working with predominantly Christian patients, Christel also realized that for many, their relationship with God is fundamental to their identity and many emotional and relationship problems stem from their religious perspectives of themselves and God. Differentiating between Body, Soul and Spirit as well as understanding the relationship between the three concepts, assists patients in having a point of reference to start working on religious issues. She thus furthered her studies in the field of Behavioral Life Style Counselling. She obtained an extra qualification in Biblical counselling to enable her to also assist patients with spiritual issues.
An integrated neuroscientific approach in the planning and executing of therapy for each individual, is thus the essence of Christel’s approach to treating her patients. Treating and addressing symptoms instead of labelling and treating diagnoses, is of utmost importance to her.
