It was with extreme sadness today that I read about the death of German finance minister Thomas Schaefer in response to the extreme situation in which we find ourselves with the COVID19 pandemic. I don’t believe that this is the first suicide which has occurred as a result of these extreme stressors, nor do I believe that it will be the last. The financial anxiety and depression which results from country wide lockdowns, self-isolation and a sense of “being trapped” at home either alone or with family/ roommates is extreme and very often may lead to a feeling of complete […]

As we South African’s head towards the complete lockdown today I feel as though I have fallen into a parallel universe. Today had a completely surreal quality for me. I went to work as usual. I saw patients, both new and old… as usual. But everywhere I went I had this feeling of utter confusion! On one hand it felt to me like the day before Christmas. There were people out doing some last-minute shopping and getting “running repairs’ done on their hair and nails… almost like the final gift buying spree we usually see on Christmas Eve. On the […]

I recently started training for a half marathon. It is excruciating. Getting up early every morning, putting on my running gear and hitting the roads or the treadmill to pound away for kilometre after kilometre invariably leaves me (usually about halfway through) gasping for air, sweating profusely and wondering why on earth anyone would be stupid enough to do this to herself! Then, after my shower, on my way to work, when the endorphins kick in and I am feeling on top of the world I remember why it is that I do this to myself, and the following morning […]

Exams can be a very stressful time and provoke a lot of anxiety. Come and attend one of my pre-exam anxiety management workshops and find out how to control your anxiety and make it work for you.

Matric exams are just around the corner. With general anxiety levels already running high, many of my clients are feeling totally overwhelmed and incapable at the thought of writing such an important set of exams. The difficulty with such overwhelming anxiety is the negative impact that it can have on mental performance, self-esteem and general well-being. A certain amount of stress is helpful. It can improve mental clarity and concentration, increase productivity and help to motivate people to complete necessary tasks. Too much stress and the opposite effect is achieved. Lack of motivation, poor concentration, inability to complete tasks, sleep […]

Janet (not her real name) is a 32-year-old lady who works in the marketing department of a large corporate company. She consulted me in March 2019 complaining of excessive anxiety which started towards the end of 2018. She states that in the current socio-economic climate, the work-related pressures and expectations have increased so dramatically that she wakes up every morning feeling physically ill at the thought of going to work. At night, despite being exhausted she struggles for hours to fall asleep, and when she finally managed to sleep, she sleeps restlessly and wakes in the morning feeling fatigued. Whilst […]