Hannelie Spies - Educational Psychologist

23/12/2025

You can feel sad even when everything around you seems joyful.
You can feel lonely even in a room full of people.
You can feel tired even when you’ve had time off.

Emotional dips during December are real, especially if you are navigating trauma, depression, or burnout. Just remember, feelings are not failures. They are signals, so listen gently.

19/12/2025

December can be hard for children too.
Overstimulation, disrupted routines, late nights, sugar highs, social pressure, and unfamiliar environments. For children with anxiety, sensory sensitivities or ADHD, this can be overwhelming.

Try adding calm pockets into their day: quiet time, predictable bedtime rhythms, comfort objects, or simple check-ins.
Regulated adults help create regulated children.

17/12/2025

Feeling the December rush?
Here are 5 gentle stabilisers for your mental health:
1️⃣ Keep to a simple routine.
2️⃣ Allow yourself to say “no”.
3️⃣ Take 10 minutes to ground your body.
4️⃣ Reach out to someone you trust.
5️⃣ Honour mixed emotions, joy and sadness can coexist.

The festive season doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be manageable and compassionate.

11/12/2025

Family gatherings. Old dynamics. Triggered Memories.
For many adults healing from childhood trauma, December can activate emotional flashbacks or deep discomfort.

If this is you, your reactions make sense. You are not “overreacting.” You are responding to old wounds that deserve care, safety and understanding.

You are allowed to set boundaries. You are allowed to leave early. You are allowed to prioritise your peace. Healing means choosing yourself.

05/12/2025

The upcoming festive season is meant to be a joyful time for the family. But for many parents, it can also bring a fair share of emotional ups and downs at home.

I often hear from parents who notice their teen’s mood swings becoming more intense this time of year, especially when ADHD is part of the picture. Changes in routine, late nights, social pressure, and sensory overload can all make emotions feel bigger and harder to manage.

This helpful article from ADDitude explains why these emotional spikes happen and offers practical guidance on how you can support your teen and yourself.

If your home feels a little more “up and down” than usual right now, remember, with the right tools and understanding, the festive season can still be a time of connection and calm.

Six reasons why moods hit harder and faster for teens with ADHD, and when to seek help.

29/11/2025

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺?
I often see clients in my practice carrying anxiety that actually started in childhood, in homes where their emotional needs were not fully met or understood.

This article really resonated with me because it explores how emotionally immature or inconsistent parenting can shape the way we think, worry, and relate to others long into adulthood. When we recognise where our patterns come from, we can begin to respond to ourselves with compassion rather than self-criticism.

If any of this feels familiar, remember that support is available, and it is possible to rewrite these old patterns. Reaching out for guidance can be a brave and healing first step.

When caregivers are selfish, distant, and dismissive, their children carry anxiety and low self-worth into adulthood. Begin your healing journey here.

22/11/2025

Struggling to set goals when you have ADHD?
This insightful article highlights six powerful skill sets that can make a meaningful difference when working toward your personal goals with ADHD.

With more than 15 years of therapeutic experience behind these strategies, the article reframes ADHD not as something to “fix,” but as a unique profile with strengths that can be developed and harnessed. These “super skills” can help you move toward a life that aligns with your dreams, not in spite of ADHD, but with it.

If you are looking for practical, empowering ways to build momentum and create change, this is a great place to start.

What’s the secret to achieving your personal goals with ADHD? In my work as a therapist over the last 15 years, I have found that these six skill sets have an outsized influence — learn to master them, and reach for a future that aligns with your dreams.

22/11/2025

Food for thought …

17/11/2025

For many of us, childhood trauma or past experiences leave a shadow we cannot shake. The memories and emotional reactions replay without warning, affecting every part of our lives.

BWRT® (BrainWorking Recursive Therapy®) offers a new way forward. Instead of reliving the past, it helps your brain create new pathways, ones where old emotional triggers no longer control your thoughts or feelings.

It is completely conscious, completely safe, and personal. Imagine remembering the past without the pain. Imagine stepping into today free from old patterns. That’s what BWRT® can help you achieve.
Learn more here: https://hanneliespies.co.za/psychotherapy/bwrt/

10/11/2025

Navigating adolescence can be challenging for any family. For teens with ADHD, the hormonal changes of puberty can intensify emotions, behaviours, and even treatment responses in ways that may feel overwhelming.

I’m sharing this article because it offers a clear and compassionate explanation of what’s happening beneath the surface, and how parents and caregivers can offer grounded support during this time.

🔗 Read more here: https://www.additudemag.com/teenage-hormones-puberty-adhd/

Adolescent hormonal changes impact ADHD symptoms, behavior, and responses to treatment. Here's how to navigate the storm.

29/10/2025

Executive Functioning and ADHD
Struggling to stay organised, manage time, or follow through on tasks isn’t about laziness. It is often a sign of executive functioning challenges, something many individuals with ADHD experience.

Executive functions are the brain’s management skills, which help us plan, focus, regulate emotions, and accomplish tasks. When these skills are disrupted, everyday tasks can feel overwhelming, even when the intention and effort are there.

With the right guidance and tools, these skills can be strengthened. Using various therapeutic approaches, I help clients improve focus, emotional regulation, and self-confidence, empowering them to function better in daily life.

Support and structure can make all the difference. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to reach out.
Click here to book a consultation: https://hanneliespies.co.za/contact/