When you are ready, change begins
Counselling & Therapy for Adolescents, Adults and Families
English & Afrikaans
In-Person (Gqeberha) & Online
Medical Aid Registered
Welcome
Reaching out for support can take time, and often people come when they feel ready for something to change. Whether you’re facing a specific difficulty or simply feel that things could be different, therapy offers a space to understand what you’re going through and to move toward the life you hope for.
I’m Werner van der Westhuizen, a clinical social worker offering and counselling and therapy. I work with adolescents, adults and families, drawing on many years of experience – including deep work with young people – to help people navigate difficulty and build on their strengths.
Werner van der Westhuizen
B.A.(SW), B.A.Hons(Psych), M.A.(Psych), M.A.(Clin.SW), CHt
Registered Speciality in Clinical Social Work (SACSSP)
BHF Pr. 0266973 SACSSP Reg.: 10-17492
The Shed – Bay Health Centre
60 Villiers Road, Walmer
Gqeberha
What I Offer
Every person’s situation is different, and sessions are shaped around what each client brings. I work with a range of concerns, including:
Adolescents and families – supporting teenagers through the pressures of growing up: managing emotions, navigating relationships, and finding their footing when things at home, school, or within themselves feel difficult. I work alongside parents and families where helpful.
Stress and anxiety – for the worry, tension and overwhelm of everyday life, and for anxiety that has started to get in the way of living fully.
Low mood and depression – a supportive space to work through persistent sadness, loss of motivation, and the heaviness that can settle over daily life.
Trauma and difficult experiences – early support in the aftermath of a distressing event, as well as longer-term recovery for those carrying the effects of past trauma.
Adjustment and life’s demands – support through change, transition, loss, and the ordinary and extraordinary pressures that can leave us stretched.
For therapy nerds – I tend to work from an eclectic perspective, blending what I find to be the most useful from a number of approaches which include cognitive-behavioural approaches, transactional analysis, narrative therapy, solution-focused therapy, and family systems therapy. Additionally, I also offer hypnotherapy to selected clients where this is an appropriate adjunct therapy.
Special Interest: Working with Young People
Adolescence is a season of big changes – in the body, in relationships, in how young people see themselves and their place in the world. It can also be a time of real struggle: anxiety, low mood, withdrawal, anger, difficulties at school or at home, or simply a sense that something isn’t right. For parents, it can be painful and confusing to watch, and hard to know how to help.
Working with young people is at the heart of what I do. Over many years, including deep experience in residential child and youth care, I’ve come to understand how teenagers think, what they’re navigating, and how much they’re capable of when they feel genuinely heard. I’ve also written on children and resilience, a thread that runs through all of my work with young people: the belief that, with the right support, they can find their footing and grow through what they’re facing.
In practice, this means creating a space where a young person feels safe, respected and taken seriously – not talked down to or fixed. I work at their pace, and where it’s helpful, alongside their parents and family, so that everyone is moving in the same direction. My aim is not only to help with the immediate difficulty, but to help a young person build the resilience and self-understanding that will serve them well beyond our work together.
If you’re worried about your teenager, reaching out is a good first step – and you’re welcome to get in touch to talk about whether I might be able to help.
In the meantime, I have create a short guide for parents with practical guidelines for supporting their teenager with anxiety. You can get a FREE copy HERE.
What this practice is (and isn’t)
This is a private therapy practice. I offer psychotherapy and counselling to people who want support with emotional, psychological and relationship difficulties.
Although I am a clinical social worker by training, this is not a welfare or statutory service. I do not do child protection or foster care work, court and forensic assessments, custody evaluations, or reports for legal purposes. My focus is entirely on therapy – helping people understand themselves, work through difficulty, and reach the outcomes they want.
If you’re not sure whether I’m the right person to help, you’re welcome to ask, and I’ll gladly point you in the right direction if your needs would be better met elsewhere.
How it works
Sessions are one hour, offered in person at my consulting rooms in Walmer, Gqeberha or securely online anywhere in South Africa. Online sessions are private and easy to join by video link.
Fees are discussed with you upfront and are in line with most medical scheme tariffs. Where you use a medical aid, claims are submitted on your behalf. Note that medical schemes have different criteria for deciding whether to settle claims, and it is important to verify this right at the start.
Taking the first step
Deciding to begin is often the hardest part. If you feel the time might be right, I’d be glad to hear from you.
You can reach me by calling, or sending a Whatsapp message or e-mail. Since I am often with a client, Whatsapp or e-mail is recommended. If I don’t respond immediately, don’t worry – I make it a priority to respond as soon as possible.
