Paardevlei Therapy Centre

Paardevlei Therapy Centre Mind, body & soul are like a musical ensemble. Each must be finely tuned, well-nourished, diligently.

Your "Change-Proof" Toolkit 🍃When life feels like it's shifting gears too fast, you need more than just a positive minds...
27/04/2026

Your "Change-Proof" Toolkit 🍃

When life feels like it's shifting gears too fast, you need more than just a positive mindset. You need a toolkit that addresses your body, your thoughts, and your actions. Here are three ways to blend Somatic Experiencing (SE), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to stay grounded:

1. The "Check the Facts" Grounding (DBT + SE)
When change hits, our emotions often go into overdrive. DBT teaches us to "Check the Facts"—ask yourself, is my emotional intensity matching the actual reality of the situation? While you do this, use the SE technique of Grounding. Feel the weight of your feet on the floor or your back against the chair. By checking the facts while feeling your physical connection to the earth, you tell your nervous system: "Yes, things are changing, but I am physically held and safe right now."

2. Expansion Over Resistance (ACT + SE)
In ACT, we talk about Expansion—making room for uncomfortable feelings rather than fighting them. If you feel "tight" or anxious about a transition, don't try to push it away. Instead, use an SE approach: notice where that tightness is in your body. Imagine breathing into that space, creating a little more room around the sensation. It’s the difference between being a rigid branch that snaps in the wind and a tree that sways with the gust.

3. The "Self-Soothe" Voo (SE + DBT)
DBT is big on Self-Soothing using the five senses to calm the "emotional mind." You can supercharge this with the SE "Voo" breath. Take a deep breath and, as you exhale, make a long, low-pitched "Vooooo" sound. The vibration mimics a internal massage for your nervous system. Pair this with a sensory comfort—like the scent of your favorite coffee or the feel of a soft jersey—to signal to your brain that it’s okay to settle down.

Change may be inevitable, but we do not have to be swept away by it. By observing the rhythms of nature and listening to the wisdom of our bodies, we can move through the seasons of our lives with grace and groundedness.

If you find yourself struggling with a significant life transition, the team at Paardevlei Therapy Centre is here to support you in finding your equilibrium again.

Reach out if you need a hand navigating your current season 🍃

The Architecture of Transition:Embracing Change as part of LifeWritten by PAULI GELDENHUIS 🍃As the vibrant energy of the...
20/04/2026

The Architecture of Transition:
Embracing Change as part of Life

Written by PAULI GELDENHUIS
🍃

As the vibrant energy of the Western Cape summer softens into the amber hues of autumn, we are reminded of a fundamental truth: change is the only constant. Just as the Helderberg basin prepares for the coming winter rains, our internal landscapes undergo their own shifts. In psychology, we view these transitions not merely as dates on a calendar, but as profound psychological events that test our resilience and capacity for growth.

The Duality of Change.

Change often arrives as a “double-edged sword.” On one hand, it offers the positive potential for renewal. Much like the dormant succulent that uses the cooler months to strengthen its root system, human transitions allow us to shed outdated habits and cultivate new perspectives. Change fosters cognitive flexibility—the ability to adapt our thinking to new realities—which is a hallmark of emotional intelligence.
Conversely, change can trigger significant psychological distress. Our nervous systems are evolutionarily wired to seek predictability; when the familiar shifts, it can register as a threat, leading to anxiety, resistance, or a sense of loss. Even positive changes, such as a promotion or a new home, require “acclimatization” that can be taxing on our mental resources.


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17/04/2026

🌸🌸🌸

Remember this 💖
09/04/2026

Remember this 💖

Happiest of birthdays Elonie - May it be a blessed day⭐️ 💖
08/04/2026

Happiest of birthdays Elonie - May it be a blessed day⭐️

💖

🌸 April Bucket List 🌸
30/03/2026

🌸 April Bucket List 🌸

Connection, Disconnection and the Quiet Wear on Our Wheels- Elonie de Klerk -This idea came to me recently because I wai...
24/03/2026

Connection, Disconnection and the Quiet Wear on Our Wheels

- Elonie de Klerk -

This idea came to me recently because I waited a little too long to change my own tyres.
What could probably have been a simple rotation or adjustment has turned into the
realisation that I’ll most likely need a brand-new one very soon. It was a small but sobering
reminder of how easily wear goes unnoticed when we’re busy just getting where we need to
go.

When you put brand-new tyres on your car, everything feels smooth.
The steering is light, the road noise is softer, and you don’t worry much about grip or
balance. You probably only think about your tyres when you stop for petrol and quickly
check the pressure.
Relationships can feel the same in the beginning.

When a relationship is new, exciting, and full of possibility, connection often comes easily.
We’re attentive. We’re generous. We overlook each other’s rough edges because we’re
focused on building something—trust, safety, closeness. We know this connection matters,
so we protect it.

The wear doesn’t happen immediately.
It happens slowly, as life starts happening.
We hit gravel roads.
We hit potholes.
We carry heavier loads.
Just like a car, a relationship doesn’t break down because of one bad road—it wears down
because the conditions change and we don’t always stop to adjust.
As life moves on, so do we.
For a long time, my husband and I didn’t have children. Time together wasn’t hard to find.
Even with one child, a spontaneous lunch here and there still felt possible. When family
lived closer, support looked different. There were seasons where we worked together,
travelled together, did more life side by side.
But one thing never stayed the same: the way we connected.

And that’s normal.
The car we drive changes.
The province we live in changes.
The roads we travel change.
And we change too.
Our needs change.
Our capacity changes.
Our ways of connecting need to change.

About a year ago, my husband and I introduced a small but powerful ritual: the six-second
kiss. We don’t leave the house in the morning without it. What started as a simple pause has
become something much more—a shared breath, a moment of grounding, a reminder that
we’re still here, together.
Over time, it’s also become a kind of benchmark.

If one of us feels off and doesn’t feel like doing it, we know that’s a sign. Not a problem to fix
immediately, but a gentle warning signal that we’ll need to talk at some point.
Your version might look different.
Perhaps when you’re connected, you laugh easily together. Or you cook together. Or you
share stories at the end of the day. When those moments become fewer—or disappear
altogether—it can be a subtle invitation to pause and reflect rather than push through.
Just like tyres, relationships need re-evaluation.
But here’s the key: re-evaluation can’t happen if we’re unwilling to stop.
This is something I’ve come to cherish about anniversaries. Not just as a celebration, but as
a pause. A moment to take stock together.

Questions like:
• How have we been this year—really?
• What worked between us?
• What didn’t?
• What habits have we created that we’re now benefiting from?
• What new habits might support us in the season ahead?
If you do feel disconnected, how you start the conversation matters.
Try leading with an I-statement:
• I miss you.
• I feel like something is missing.
• This doesn’t feel like your fault, but it feels like something we can work on together.
When we feel blamed or criticised, we tend to attack or withdraw. But when we’re met with
vulnerability, it becomes easier to meet each other there.

If you’ve never had these conversations before, it’s not too late. Not even close.
Even a small change—one intentional pause, one new ritual, one honest check-in—can
create a ripple effect weeks or months down the line.
And if you’re feeling connected right now, say it. Name it. Build on it.

Because just like good tyres, connection is something you may not think about every day—
but when the road gets rough, you’ll be deeply grateful it’s there.

💚💚💚

It’s your birthday, Pauli! Today we celebrate you and all the amazing things you bring to Paardevlei Therapy Centre! Tha...
19/03/2026

It’s your birthday, Pauli!

Today we celebrate you and all the amazing things you bring to Paardevlei Therapy Centre!

Thank you for everything you do for the team—you’re truly appreciated! 🎉

Have a wonderful BIRTHDAY 🎂

♥️

Is a 20-second hug the world’s best “free” medicine? 💊✨Science says yes! While the average hug lasts only 3 seconds, it ...
15/03/2026

Is a 20-second hug the world’s best “free” medicine? 💊✨

Science says yes! While the average hug lasts only 3 seconds, it takes 20 seconds of sincere contact to trigger the release of oxytocin—the “love hormone” that slashes cortisol and melts away anxiety.

Whether it’s a long embrace with a partner, cuddling your pet, or a heartfelt “hello” to a friend, you’re literally rewiring your nervous system for peace.

The Challenge: Can you hit the “20-second mark” today?

Tag someone who gives the best hugs! 👇

There is no race 💫✨☝🏻
12/03/2026

There is no race 💫✨☝🏻

Happy International Women’s Day 💖
08/03/2026

Happy International Women’s Day 💖

What Your Emotions Reveal About Your Relationship Passions and How to Act on Them ♥️Written by Bertus Swanepoel Have you...
01/03/2026

What Your Emotions Reveal About Your Relationship Passions and How to Act on Them ♥️

Written by Bertus Swanepoel

Have you ever found it hard to describe what you’re passionate about in your relationship? If you’re anything like many couples, you might find yourself pondering the meaning of “passion” within the context of your partnership. You may wonder if certain activities or topics qualify as truly “passionate” or if they simply fall under the category of “liking” or “caring for” your partner.

Continue reading this interesting article on our page 🍃🍃

Address

Unit 2 Tonquani House, 6 Gardner Williams Avenue, Paardevlei, Firgrove Rural
Somerset West
7110

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 17:00

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About Us

Redefining Multi-Disciplinary Therapy - a Body and Mind Approach

Paardevlei Therapy Centre is situated in the beautiful Paardevlei Sanctuary on the R44 close to Strand and Somerset West. The Paardevlei Therapy Centre was inspired by a vision to create a multi-disciplinary health team with an integrated approach to healing Trauma. The centre was opened in February of 2018.

We are proud to say that we work closely as a multi-disciplinary team and place high priority on understanding how each team member approach Trauma and how each modality adds to better holistic healing of the patient. We constantly interact to collaborate and learn from each other about our way of working with Trauma.

At Paardevlei Therapy Centre it is of utmost importance for us as multi-disciplinary team to treat our patients from an integrated Physical and Psychological/body and mind approach. The latest research shows that Trauma and Injury affects body and mind. Our specialist approach place trauma at the core of our work.